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biography from Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
JOHN E. JONES, of Garfield Township, is a native of Wales, and a son of Thomas and Mary Jones, natives of Wales, who came to America May 11, 1855, and settled in Luzerne County Pa. The former died at Carbondale, in May 1865 aged seventy-three years, and had followed farming all his life. He was a member of the Congregational Church, a man of deep piety, and highly esteemed by all who knew him. The latter died at Olyphant, Lackawanna Co., Pa., in June, 1873, aged eighty-one years. She was a member of the same church as her husband, and a sincere and earnest Christian woman, one with large sympathy for those who were in sickness or distress about her, never failing to relieve them as much as lay in her power. The subject of this sketch lived with his parents until 1867, when he came to this county, and settied on section 29, Garfield Township. He followed the occupation of mining in Pennsylvania to twelve years. He was married, Sept. 26, 1861, to Miss Alice V. Roberts, a native of Wales, but who came to this country when a child of three years. She was a daughter of Edward and Mary Roberts, natives of Wales, where the former was born in August, 1812. In the old country he was a miner and held the position of foreman of one of the principal mines near where he resided. In his odd hours he studied medicine, and practiced among the miners as a matter of charity to them, not needing their money, as he was possessed of ample means. He came to America in 1849, and resided in Luzerne County, Pa., until his death, in 1882 at the age of seventy years. His widow still survives, and is living in Pennsylvania. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of seven children: Osborne, now in Hitchcock County, Neb., engaged in farming; Bertha, wife of G. L. Flowers, in same county; Thomas, Edward, Ruth, Alice and Katie are at home. Mr. Jones has been elected School Secretary of his district nine years in succession, and takes a great interest in all matters pertaining to the education of the rising generation. He is a member of the I. O. O. F., holding a card from his lodge in Pennsylvania. It was his misfortune on one occassion, while engaged in the work of stacking straw, to fall from the top of the stack to the ground. In attempting to save himself he threw the pitchfork which he had in his hands away from him, but it rebounded in such a manner that he fell upon two of the prongs, which passed through one shoulder and lung and entered his cheek, inflicting what the doctors pronounced a fatal wound, but in four days he had so far recovered as to be able to be out again. In the summer of 1874 he suffered from a sunstroke, and for the two succeeding summers was compelled to spend his daylight hours in his cellar. Mr. Jones owns eighty acres of land at the home farm upon which be has three miles of tiling. He is also the owner of half a section of land in Nebraska, which he bought as an investment a few years ago. His business is that of general farming in which he has achieved signal success. The home farm produces bountifully under the intelligent management and thorough cultivation given it by its owner, and he has not only been enabled to secure a good living as a result of his labors, but to place a surplus of his earnings in raw land as an investment. Himself and good wife are held in high esteem by their neighbors and all who know them.
Portrait & Biographical Album of Mahaska Co., Iowa, 1887
Mahaska County, Iowa Genealogy