Martha Jane Jones 1849-1921

JONES, RICKETTS, BARRETT, MCKEE, JONES, ORCUTT, HILL

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 9/21/2023 at 09:30:53

Columbus Gazette, Columbus Junction IA
Thursday, December 1, 1921
Page 1

On Friday morning, November 25, 1921 at 8:40 occurred the death of Mrs. I. W. Jones after an illness of six weeks, caused by falling and fracturing her hip. Martha Jane Ricketts, the eldest child of Hezekiah and Cecelia Ricketts was born on November 1, 1849 in Coshocton county, Ohio and came to Iowa with her parents in 1852. The family made the long trip overland in a prairie schooner arriving her on the date of her 3rd birthday. The Ricketts family spend their first winder in Iowa with the McKee family who lived in a log house in Oakland township. Her father purchased considerable land from the government. In the spring of 1853 Mr. Ricketts built a house west of Conesville and he purchased nearly all of the town of Conesville, lying west of the Rock Island railroad for $1.00 an acre from the government. At that time there was no town of Conesville. After being here a few years her father took sick and died and in later years her mother married John Barrett and they moved to Iowa City.

On April 16, 1868 she was united in marriage to Irenice W. Jones. They went to housekeeping on a farm in Pike township where they lived three years, when they came to Conesville. To them were born three children, Eva, wife of W. H. McKee, of Conesville; A. W. Jones, a merchant of Conesville and Miss Dollie at home. She is also survived by one brother, Robert Ricketts, of Waterloo and two sisters, Mrs. Lora Orcutt of Sawteller, California; Mrs. Elva Hill of Rapid City, South Dakota. Mr. Jones now lies critically ill with erysipelas.

The funeral services were held Sunday afternoon at 2:30 at the Grace Reformed church of which the deceased was a charter member. Her pastor, Rev. G.A. Ingle conducted the services. Interment was made in the Conesville cemetery.