Thomas L Jones

JONES

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 3/12/2009 at 12:42:41

Thomas L Jones, In business circles of Boone Thomas L Jones is an active factor. He is a western man by birth, training and preference, and in his life exemplifies the true western spirit of progress and determination which has led to the rapid development of this portion of the country. He was born in Ontario, Iowa November 18, 1866. His father Richard Jones was a native of Wooster, Ohio, where his birth occurred October 13, 1838. The grandfather, Thomas F Jones, was born in Pennsylvania in 1802, and the family was an old and prominent one in that state. The mother of our subject bore the maiden name of Henrietta Ross, and her birth occurred near Valparaiso, Indiana July 21, 1841. Her father was a native of Scotland and her mother of the Keystone state. The parents of our subject were married on May 20, 1860 near Ontario, Iowa and the father devoted his energies to farming until prompted by the spirit of patriotism he offered his services to the government in the response to the country’s call of aid, and enlisted in Nevada, in August 1862, as a member of Company A Twenty-third Iowa Infantry, under the command of Captain Ballard and Colonel Kinsman. The regiment was attached to the Western Army, and Mr Jones proceeded with his command to the front, participating in many important engagements, which led to the preservation of the Union. After the war he returned to Ontario where he made his home until 1892, when he came to Boone, where he and his wife are still living. In the family were four children: Thomas L our subject, E W who is engaged in the real estate business in Crookston, Minnesota, J F who is successfully engaged in the practice of medicine in Fargo, North Dakota, and W G who is chief clerk in the employ of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company at Verdigris, Nebraska.
In the schools of Story county, Iowa Thomas L Jones acquired his early education, which was supplemented by study in the high school at Ames, this state. Later he entered the Capital City Commercial College at Des Moines, and in 1892 he arrived in Boone, since which time he has been an active factor in business circles that have contributed not alone to his own success but also to the prosperity of the community. He first worked at the carpenter’s trade through the summer of 1892, and during the succeeding three hand a half years was engaged in the music business in Boone. In the spring of 1896 he turned his attention to real estate dealing and to the insurance business, and his operations have since been along these lines. Few men are better informed concerning the value of property in this portion of the country, and he has negotiated many important real estate transfers. He is well known for his reliability and sustains an unassailable reputation. In his work he is associated with Mr Herman, under the firm name of Herman & Jones, and they handle large valued interests in the state and also in Minnesota an d the Dakotas. They likewise have the largest insurance agency in Boone county, writing much business each year, representing many thousands of dollars.
On April 27, 1890, Mr Jones was united in marriage to Bertha A Jones, who was born in Indiana, September 16, 1869 and is the daughter of L R Jones, a native of the same state his birth having occurred in 1840. When he had arrived at years of maturity he married Louisa Sawyer, who was born in Indiana in 1843, and their marriage was graced with five children: Leah the wife of Dr C W Johnson, of Charles City, Iowa, Bertha now the wife of our subject, F S a resident farmer of Boone county, M B who is living Story county, and Mabel L who has passed away. Unto Mr and Mrs Jones of this review, have been born three children: Bernice R born March 9, 1891, Ethel L born September 29, 1892, and Edith L born March 30, 1894. The parents hold membership in the Christian church in which Mr Jones is serving as treasurer, and in this work they take an active interest doing what they can to extend its influence and to promote its growth.
Politically Mr Jones is a Democrat, and in 1898 he was elected assessor, filling hat position for four years with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents Socially he is connected with the Royal Arcanum and with the Woodmen of the World. As a business man he has been conspicuous among his associates, not only for his success, but for his probity, fairness and honorable methods, and in everything he has been eminently practical, this has been manifest not only in his business undertakings and also in social and private life.

1902 Boone County History Book