William Stephen Jones 1836-1918

JONES, DAVIS, CLARK, OSHER, WILSON, WILLIAMS

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/13/2010 at 22:51:36

A Venerable Pioneer Passed On Last Friday
W. S. Jones Quietly Laid Down Life’s Burdens as the Midnight Hour Approached – A Grand Good Man Who Enjoyed the Respect and Confidence of Friends and Neighbors.

Lived in County 45 Years
Director n Estherville State Bank – Intensely Interested in Every Thing Pertaining to the Betterment of His Community – Member of Presbyterian Church – Helped Organize Wallingford Church.

The life of another one of our venerable pioneers was brought to a close last Friday [December 28, 1918] evening, when near the midnight hour William Stephen Jones quietly closed his eyes in the last long sleep and his soul ascended to the maker Whom he had served so faithfully and well these many years. The passing on of this great heart leaves an air of sadness throughout our city. His cheery smile and bright greeting will be missed by the host of friends who delighted in calling him friend. And all will unite in saying that they are better men and women for having come in contact with this great soul. Life has been made brighter by the philosophy he scattered abroad, by the example he set for us as he went about the city scattering words of cheer.

For the past forty-five years Mr. Jones and his family have been residents of Emmet county. And in all those years we feel safe in saying that there is not one man that can say he was ever wronged to the value of anything by this good man. Quiet and unassuming in his ways, he won the respect and confidence of his neighbors and friends and held it by his square dealing and unquestioned integrity. His has been a life that can serve as a pattern to all young men of the present day. And by these acquirements he made a splendid success in life. He was identified with several business enterprises during his life and was still one of the directors of the Estherville State Bank.

Mr. Jones was born on his father’s farm in Cardiganshire, Wales, on August 4th, 1836. He accompanied his parents to America when he was fourteen yeas of age and they journeyed to what was then the far west, Wisconsin. He went through all the hardships and character forming experiences of the early pioneers. In 1872 he was united in marriage to Rebecca O. Davis and the following year the happy young couple started on their journey to Emmet county where they were to make their future home. They settled in High Lake township on a prairie farm and for sixteen years continued their residence at that place. Here their children were born and the every day experiences of life gone through. After the sixteen years spent on the farm the family moved to Estherville where a new circle of friends was soon formed and life moved on its way.

The good wife who has been his constant companion for almost fifty years, was permitted to care for him in the last days of his life. Besides the wife there are three daughters left to mourn the loss of a kind and loving father. They are Mrs. R. S. Clarke, Mrs. B. T. Osher, and Miss Reba, a teacher in the schools of Sioux City, who was providentially home at the time of his death, spending her holiday vacation. A niece Mrs. M. E. Wilson, also resides in this city. Three brothers, Evan R., John D., and Stephen J., and a sister, Mrs. W. G. Williams, are living at Sparta, Wisconsin. Five grandchildren, Margaret and William Clark, and Helen, Julius and Harriet Osher, will always revere the memory of their Grandpa Jones, who never was so happy as when spending the hours with his grandchildren.

Mr. Jones was deeply religious by nature. His early training was along these lines and he never forgot the early training. He early accepted the Saviour, Whom he served so well and united with the Calvinistic Methodist church. And all through the many years of his life we find him living up to the teachings of his Master, spreading the word abroad both by word of mouth and by the splendid life he was living. In 1881 he became identified with the church in Swan Lake, then the metropolis of Emmet county. At that time that city was the county seat of Emmet county. Upon removing to this city he transferred his membership to the Presbyterian church in Estherville, and for many years was an honored elder. He was especially active in the church and had the welfare of the institution close to his heart. It was largely as a result of his effort that the church in Wallingford was organized, and he personally conducted services there many times in the absence of a regular minister. He always indentified on the side of all that was good and his passing into the great beyond leaves a vacant place in church circles that will be hard to fill in the days that are to come. He was the kind of Christian that does most to promote the work of the master. He was not obtrusive with his religion but all those who knew him knew that his life had been dedicated to the Master, and he lost no opportunity of promoting the work of Him whom he served.

The life he has lived shall go on and one. The memories of that life cannot help but be a wonderful influence for good among those who knew him. With his heaven sent smile and his kindly word about the great hereafter, many a man has been compelled to pause in the daily walks of life and ponder for a few moments the truths which this kindly soul has impressed upon the heart. Would that the world could have more of the kind of religion for which he stood and would that the world might know more of these great souls before they pass to the other side. To know him was to love him and to love him was to believe in the truths which he spread about before the messenger of death whispered to him and called him to the great reward.

What blessed memories are left to the dear ones of this great life. The sorrow of his death is uppermost in their minds at this time, and yet a heritage they have in the thoughts of the great good that has been accomplished by his life. Could they but really know the love and esteem in which he was held by all those who knew him as he went from place to place spreading the word of cheer and hope, the sorrow would flee from their hearts and they would rejoice that he was safe from the trials of life and t home with that Heavenly Saviour who is the hope of the world. He lived and the world is better. He died and Heaven is better. Ah, idle words. Would that we could, in some slight way, ease the heart that is bowed down at this time. But we can only point them to that God in which he trusted so fully. May he look down in his infinite goodness and touch the hearts with the magic pen of memory. Memories of the life that is gone and hope for the life that is to come. The grand reunion that is awaiting them on the shores of that land where there is no sorrow. These are the things that are worth while and to these memories and hopes we point the hearts that are grief stricken because father and husband are no more. God in his own good time will send a ray of sunshine through the clouds, touch the lives that are left behind and show them, just as he showed the life that is gone a glimpse of the glories that are to come. Until that time we comment them to his keeping. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, January 1, 1919)

Death of A Pioneer
William S. Jones Passed to His Reward at Midnight Friday Night
Resident of Emmet County Forty-Five Years
Settled in High Lake Township in 1873 – A Greatly Beloved Citizen

W. S. Jones, one of Estherville’s greatly beloved citizens died very suddenly in his home in this city at midnight Friday night. He was as well as usual during the day and retired in his usual health. At about eleven o’clock he awoke with a choking sensation and in about an hour Death had claimed him as his own. Funeral was held from home Monday afternoon.

To those who were privileged to be in the wide circle of his generous friendship a wealth of happy recollections will linger lovingly about the memory of that ripened saint, William Stephen Jones. As a veritable apostle of sunshine he ministered to all about him until, at a little past midnight of last Friday, the faithful heart grew further weary and “the spirit returned to God who gave it.”

In brief outline of his life history dates to August 4th, 1836, and includes boyhood days on his father’s farm in Cardiganshire, Wales; the moving of the family to America when he was about fourteen; the journey to the far west of early Wisconsin; the hardships and developing experiences of pioneer conditions in Waukesha, Monroe and LaCrosse Counties; his marriage in 1872 to Rebecca Davis; the removal the following year with their infant daughter to a prairie home of sixteen years in High Lake Township, this county; the subsequent residence in Estherville and his answering the call to a better country December 28, 1918, aged 82 years, 4 months, and 24 days.

His wife who for nearly a half century has been his constant companion along the way was enabled to tender to his comfort to the end. The three daughters are Mrs. R. S.
Clark and Mrs. B. T. Osher of Estherville and Miss Reba, a teacher in the Sioux City schools but providentially home for the holidays. A niece, Mrs. Dr. M. E. Wilson, also resides in Estherville. Three of his brothers, Evan R., John D. and Stephen J. Jones and a sister, Mrs. W. G. Williams, are living at Sparta, Wisconsin. Five grandchildren, Margaret and William Clark and Helen, Julius and Harriet Osher will always revere his memory.

While deeply appreciative of the solemnity of the great transition from this world of sense to that better one of which faith speaks and whose gates forever open to those so ready for citizenship, Mr. Jones would be the last to wish that his dear ones should be long shrouded by the heavy pall which nature throws around the bereaved – rather would he have us speak of his going as a happy release from the increasing inconveniences intent to advancing years and that, with Paul, to depart and be with that was far better. He had grown a bit weary in life’s late afternoon and at eventide the welcoming light from the many mansions drew him onward.

Unlike too many children of ease [ ], pleasure seeking today it had been his good fortune to be reared in a home of happy content where God was reverenced, the Bible favored and prayer a reality. In that atmosphere it was but natural that he should early accept Christ as his saviour and enter wholeheartedly into the fellowship of his parents’ church, the Calvinistic Methodist. In 1881 he became a member of the church in Swan Lake, our then thriving county seat town, and on moving to his Estherville his membership was transferred to the Presbyterian church there of which he was for many years an honored elder and in whose welfare he has always maintained an especially active interest. It was largely as a result of his efforts that the church in Wallingford was organized and he occasionally conducted its services in the absence of the pastor.

There was nothing superficial or [ ] only about his religion. Deep and abiding it was constantly but unobtrusively in evidence as he went to town visiting a few minutes here and there in office and store, in [ ] and bank, always a welcome [ ] because overflowing with a spontaneous and genuine humor that scattered the vexing frowns from busy faces and left us rested and refreshed. And always with his abounding good cheer he was improving opportunities for the world fitly spoken to remind us of duty and clean living and Heaven.

The last week of his life, though seemingly in usual health frequently breaking out in the good old Welsh songs he so loved to sing, he was referring every now and then to one or the other of his well worn Bibles to verify the working of some favorite passage; and then he would sit and think – and think. Were the angels even them whispering of the welcome so soon to be his?

Intellectually robust, gifted by nature with latent capacities decidedly above the average, had his lot been cast in centers of learning rather than upon the frontier he might conceivably attained marked success in the calling of Henry Irving and Joe Jefferson or more probably in that yet nobler one of Beecher and Spurgeon and Wendell Phillips. But in that the upward influence and lasting benediction of his life might not have been ours; and if day by day people have been made happier and immortal souls have been encouraged in their quest of the infinite is not that after all a success worth while? – A Devoted Friend (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, January 1, 1919)