In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1909) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
From History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio (1909), Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897)
ILLIAM J. JONES, treasurer of the Stoddard Manufacturing company, of Dayton, Ohio, was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, November 22, 1843, and is a son of David C. and Eliza (Shumard) Jones, both of whom were born in Ohio. The father was a farmer by calling. He removed to Butler county, Ohio, in about 1850, and in 1890 came to Dayton, where his death occurred in May, 1893. His widow died in December, 1894. Both parents were life-long members of the Methodist Episcopal church.
W. J. Jones was reared on the farm in Hamilton and Butler counties, and received a common-school education. When about nineteen years of age he learned the carpenter’s trade, which he followed for about three years. In February, 1866, he came to Dayton and entered Greer’s Commercial college and took the full course, leaving, however, before receiving his diploma, to take temporary charge of a set of books for the firm of Haas & Mitchell. Two months later he returned to college, intending to remain until he obtained a diploma, but being considered by the principal as proficient, he was given his diploma without further study. He then took charge of the books of the lumber firm of William Seeley & Co., with which firm he remained about three and a half years, leaving there to take charge of the books of D. W. Stewart <_S: Co., where he remained for seven years. He was next bookkeeper for C. Wight & Son, with whom he remained until December 1, 1879, when he took a similar position with J. W. Stoddard & Co. In 1884, when this firm was incorporated into the Stoddard Manufacturing company, Mr. Jones became a stockholder, and in 1886 was elected treasurer of the company.
The Buckeye Building & Loan association was organized April 1, 1893, Mr. Jones being one of the incorporators, and he has ever since been one of the directors, and most of the time has been treasurer and member of the finance committee.
Mr. Jones was married, in 1869, to Miss Luvina McClellan, of Springdale, Hamilton county, Ohio, a daughter of James McClellan, and to this union one son has been born, Frank McClellan Jones, who is a draughtsman at the Barney & Smith Car works. Mr. Jones is a member of the Park Presbyterian church and of Montgomery lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F..
y* ALTER D. JONES, a prominent MM I and successful attorney-at-law of WjLJ Dayton, Ohio, was born at West Milton, Miami county, Ohio, February 18, 1850. He is a son of Samuel and Annie (Jay) Jones, both of whom were natives of Ohio. The Jones family came to Ohio from Georgia and the Jay family from Maryland. Both families were among the early settlers in this state.
Walter D. Jones spent his younger days on a farm in Miami county, and received his elementary education in the public schools. Later he attended Earlham college at Richmond, Ind., from the time he was fifteen years of age until he was eighteen, and then went to Spiceland, Ind., college, where he graduated in 1871. He then engaged for three years in teaching school in Ohio and Iowa, and afterward began reading law in Richmond, Ind., with his cousin, Louis D. Stubbs, going from that city to Ann Arbor, Mich., entering the law department of the university of Michigan, and graduating there in 1876. His graduation from that institution admitted him to practice in Michigan, and upon removing to Dayton, Ohio, he was admitted to practice in this state. He spent about six months in the law office of John Howard, who was, from
1839 to 1878, the year of his death, one of the most brilliant and successful lawyers of Dayton, a city famous for its able bar. In the spring of 1877 Mr. Jones opened an office for himself and for some years practiced alone. For eight years he was in partnership with Charles J. McKee, but owing to the failing health of Mr. Jones, the partnership was dissolved. The two lawyers occupied the same office, however, for thirteen years. Mr. Jones’ office at the present time is at No. 22 East Third street. He is well read in the law, has clear, safe judgment, and united with strong good sense a quality of humor which has won for him a host of friends in both professional and social life.
Mr. Jones is a member of the order of Odd Fellows. He was married in 1874 to Sina A. Harvey, of Wilmington, Clinton county, Ohio. To this marriage there have been born eleven children, four sons and seven daughters, all of whom are living. Mr. Jones and his wife are worthy members of the United Brethren church.
As printed in Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
WILLIAM J. JONES.
While William J. Jones has figured in commercial circles in Dayton for more than four decades, for almost a quarter of a century he has been in a position of administrative direction and executive control, bending his energies to the successful conduct of the interests of the Stoddard Manufacturing Company, controlling one of the largest agricultural implement manufactories of the country. Along well defined lines of labor his success has been won, his history being another illustration of the fact that diligence, perseverance and intelligently directed effort constitute a broad and safe foundation upon which to build the superstructure of success.
A native of Hamilton county, Ohio, he was born November 22, 1843, his parents being David C. and Eliza (Shumard) Jones, also natives of Ohio. The father was a farmer by occupation and on leaving Hamilton removed to Butler county, Ohio, about 1850, giving forty years of his life to agricultural pursuits there. In 1890 he came to Dayton, where his remaining days were passed in honorable retirement, his death occurring in May, 1893, while his widow survived until December, 1894. They were people of the highest respectability, who for many years held membership in the Methodist Episcopal church, ever conforming their lives to its teachings.
The youthful experiences of William J. Jones were those of most farm boys. The period of his minority was given to the acquirement of a common-school education and to the work of the fields on the home farm, his parents living in Hamilton and in Butler counties while he was still under the parental roof. His taste was rather in mechanical than in agricultural lines, however, and when nineteen years of age he began learning the carpenter’s trade, which he followed for about three years. In February, 1866, he entered as a student Greer’s Commercial College and pursued the full course but ere receiving his diploma lie left the school to take temporary charge of a set of books for the firm of Haas & Mitchell. Two months later he returned to the college, intending to remain until he obtained his diploma, but the principal regarded his proficiency such as to entitle him to the diploma without further study and it was given him. His next step in business life made him bookkeeper for the lumber firm of William Seeley & Company, with which he remained for three and a half years, when he severed his connection with that house to take charge of the books for D. W. Stewart & Company. Seven years were passed in that position, during which time he became recognized as an expert accountant.
He was next bookkeeper with C. Wright & Son and when he left that firm on the ist of December, 1879, it was to occupy a similar position with J. W. Stoddard & Company. That his business capacity was soon recog'nized here is indicated by the fact that on the incorporation of the Stoddard Manufacturing Company in 1884, Mr. Jones was taken in as a stockholder and in 1886 was elected treasurer, which position he has now filled for twenty-three years, his keen discrimination and capable management being factors in the successful control of this important industry. He has also become connected with other business interests, being one of the incorporators of the Buckeye Building & Loan Association, which was organized April 1, 1893. He was elected secretary and treasurer of the Kinsey Manufacturing Company of Dayton in July, 1907.
In 1869 occurred the marriage of Mr. Jones and Miss Luvina McClellan, of Springdale, Ohio, a daughter of James McClellan. Their son, Frank McClellan Jones, was married in 1894 and has two children, Marie R. and William Wallace. Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Jones are members of the Park Presbyterian church.
Since entering business life forty-two years ago he has made steady progress toward the goal of prosperity and for some years has been numbered among the men of affluence in Dayton, his success being the merited tribute of earnest, persistent and honorable labor. Throughout the entire period he has maintained a reputation for unsullied integrity in business affairs, while his salient qualities in other relations of life are equally commendable, bringing to him the warm reg'ard of a large circle of friends.
As printed in History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio (1909). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1909. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.