Wapello County IA Archives Biographies.....Jones, William E. 1843 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 June 30, 2013, 5:59 pm Source: See Below Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher WILLIAM E. JONES. William E. Jones has for almost a quarter of a century been successfully engaged in business as a flour, feed and grain dealer of Ottumwa and in that connection has won a gratifying and well deserved measure of success. His birth occurred in Ross county, Ohio, on the 28th of January, 1843, his parents being Enos and Hannah Jones, both of whom were born near Staunton, Virginia, and took up their abode in Ohio in an early day. The father there cleared the timber from a tract of land, erected log buildings and carried on farming for a number of years. In 1849 he came to Wapello county, Iowa, settling on a farm which is now included within the city limits of Ottumwa. His demise occurred in 1864, while his wife was called to her final rest in July, 1884. They were the parents of ten children, nine of whom grew to maturity. The three surviving members of the family are as follows: Thomas N., who is a resident of California; Ann, who is the widow of Austin Alcott and resides in California; and William E., of this review. The last named, who was a little lad of six years when he came to this county with his parents, acquired his education in the public schools, first attending school in a primitive log house, but later in a brick building. He was reared to manhood under the parental roof and on attaining his majority took charge of the old homestead farm. He was actively engaged in its operation until 1869 and in that year embarked in the dry-goods business in Ottumwa as a member of the firm of Lively, Lewis & Company, with which he was identified for two years. In 1880 he turned his attention to his present held of business activity and for the past quarter of a century has dealt extensively in flour, feed and grain. Success has attended the undertaking in gratifying degree and he has long been numbered among the prosperous and representative merchants of Ottumwa. On the 18th of May, 1865, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Catherine Whipple, a native of New York and a daughter of Ami D. and Savina (Marsh) Whipple, who were born in New York and Pennsylvania respectively. They came to Iowa about 1844 and spent the remainder of their lives in this state. Mr. and Mrs. Jones became the parents of two children, namely: Etta M., who is the wife of Henry Daggett; and Carrie M., who is the widow of Ralph Emerson and now lives with her parents. In his political views Mr. Jones is a republican. He ably served as a member of the board of supervisors for three years and has also been on the school board for nine years, the cause of education ever finding in him a stalwart champion. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in the First Congregational church. He possesses those sterling traits of character which in every land and clime win confidence, respect and good-will, and by the consensus of public opinion he is accorded a place among the valued citizens of Wapello county, which has remained his home during almost two-thirds of a century. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY IOWA ILLUSTRATED VOLUME II CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/iafiles/ File size: 3.8 Kb