|
JAMES JONES. A traveler in Jefferson County sees many attractive homes. Not only in the thriving towns, but also in the agricultural districts the evidences of prosperity and good taste are plentiful on every hand. On section 23, Spring Garden Township, lies a valuable farm of eight hundred acres which investigation proves to be the estate of James Jones, who is one of the most extensive farmers and stock-raisers in this vicinity. Prior to giving each of his sons good farms he owned one thousand acres in the above township. A native of Kentucky, Mr. Jones was bom in Todd County, November 9, 1825. He was the eldest of the two children born to William and Crissy (Gibson) Jones, the other member of the family being his brother John, who is a prominent agriculturist of Moore's Prairie Township. The elder Mr. and Mrs. Jones were natives of Tennessee, and the father when a young man went to Kentucky and carried on farm pursuits in Todd County, where his decease occurred when about thirty years of age. The maternal grandparents of our subject were John and Mary Gibson, also natives of Tennessee. The former was a soldier during the Revolutionary War, serving through the seven years of that conflict. His later life was spent as a pioneer in Kentucky, where he died at the age of three-score years and ten. Grandfather George Jones was a Virginian by birth and also served as a patriot in the Revolutionary War. Both himself and wife, Agnes Jones, attained advanced years. Our subject lived in his native county until reaching his seventh year, when, his father having died, he accompanied his mother on her removal to this state and settled in Spring Garden Township, Jefferson County. The surrounding country was very sparsely settled and he remembers distinctly having seen numbers of Cherokee Indians roaming about the woods. The land on which our subject's mother located was Congress land, for which she paid $1.25 per acre. In the work of clearing and cultivating the home farm James Jones aided very materially. Upon reaching his majority he started out to battle with life on his own account. In January, 1845, he married Miss Elizabeth Allen, a native of North Carolina, who died when in her fiftieth year, leaving a family of six children, viz.: Mary Allen. Mrs. Martin Knowles, who died in 1889; John, who resides in this township; Nathan, who departed this life in 1893; Crissy, who married AVilliam Caylor and makes her home in this township; Josiah, a resident of California, where also James D. makes his home. The lady whom our subject chose as his second companion, and to whom he was married September 7, 1891, was Mrs. Matilda Jane Crawford, a daughter of James and Nancy (Riggs) Adams and the widow of Albert S. Crawford. Her parents were residing in Spring Garden Township at the time of her marriage but were natives of Missouri. By her union with Mr. Crawford, Mrs, Jones be came the mother of three children, Allie, James A. and Luther E. Mr. Jones is one of the leading farmers of this section and is a genial whole-souled man, whom to know is to respect. He brings a well trained mind to bear upon all his work and possesses sound common sense and firm character, which are influences for good in his community. As before stated, he has owned as much as one thousand acres in this township and even now is one of the most extensive stock-raisers within its confines, and is also interested to some extent in fruitgrowing. Besides his fine estate he is managing owner of a flouring mill at Spring Garden and also owns a half-interest in the sawmill in that village. Though not an active politician he votes the Democratic ticket and is a firm adherent to its principles.
Source: Portrait and Biographical Record of Clinton, Washington, Marion and Jefferson Counties, IL |
For corrections or additions, please contact me: Sandy Bauer