JOHN JONES John Jones. The credible condition of the agricultural districts of Ottawa County, Mich., is due to a great extent to the enterprise, energy and intelligence of her farmers and stock-raisers. Among the most prominent of these may be mentioned John Jones, who is pushing, enterprising and thrifty, in fact, a model farmer. He was born on the farm on which he now resides January 16, 1856, the only son and eldest child now living of Thomas and Ann (Roberts) Jones, the former of whom came to this State in 1842, in company with Richard Roberts, and made settlement on the farm on which his widow still resides. The farm was purchased by the two men, and consisted of three hundred and twenty acres, and at the time of their location there was not another person living in the township. They came to this country from the North of Wales, and after making the purchase, Mr. Jones resided on the place for about nine years, at the end of which time he returned to his native land to wed the girl he left behind him, who is now his widow. Mr. Jones returned immediately to this country, with his young bride, and for a long time thereafter there was but one small settlement in the country for many miles around. There was but one schoolhouse, which was situated on Mr. Jones’ farm, and there were churches, preaching being conducted in the schoolhouse, or at private residences. Milling was done at Grand Rapids, and as there were no public roads the journey was a wearisome one. At that time lumber-mills were numerous, and but little farming was done, the place owned by Mr. Jones being the largest in the township. During the summer months he devoted his time to tilling the soil, and in the winter he and Mr. Roberts did considerable lumbering, finding this quite a profitable occupation. He owned considerable pine land, the timber from which he sold after he had cleared and properly developed his farm, Mr. Jones was very successful, but he and Mr. Roberts were more forehanded than the majority of the pioneers of that day, each having a considerable amount of money in his possession. Mr. Jones purchased Mr. Roberts’ interest in the farm and later made a specialty of stock-raising, in which he was recognized as the leader in his township. He raised a good grade of Durham cattle and made a specialty of heavy draft horses. At the time of his death he had one hundred acres under cultivation , on which was one of the most substantial, well-arranged and neatest farm houses in the county, besides substantial and commodious barns of all kinds. He was born in Wales June 21, 1822, and died September 12, 1880. He held the office of Township Treasurer twice, and at the time of his death was Treasurer of the Congregational Church, of which he was a member. His father was John Enoch Jones, a Welshman, and his mother was Jennie Jones. To them four children were born, John, who followed the occupation of merchandising and died in his native land, and Thomas, the father of the immediate subject of this sketch, being the only one who lived to mature years. The father of Mrs. Jones was John Roberts, who was a farmer of North Wales, and her mother’s maiden name was Elizabeth Roberts, though she was not related to her husband. They became the parents of six children: Rebecca, widow of Richard Roberts, and the pioneer white woman of Allendale Township; Barbara, deceased, the wife of Roland Edwards, of Wales; Betsey, deceased, the wife of Samuel Jones, who died at Liverpool, England; John, resident of Liverpool, England; Ann, wife of Thomas Jones, the mother of John Jones; and Robert, who resides on a farm in North Wales. To Mr. and Mrs. Jones three children were given: Elizabeth, deceased; John,; and Mary, wife of Thomas Lockhart, of this township. John Jones grew to manhood on the farm on which he now lives and has always followed the occupation of agriculture. At the death of his father he assumed the care of the home place and looked after his mother and his two sisters until the marriage of one of the later and the death of the other. Like his father, he possessed a natural aptitude for his calling and is actively engaged in farming and stock-raising, his horses being mostly Norman and a superior breed, and he is also like him in the fact that he is a Democrat in his political views. He and his mother are communicants of the Congregational Church.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & Ottawa Counties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company

Transcriber: Charles Armstrong
Created: 6 May 2003
URL: Return to Bios Index