Benjamin F. Jones

BERRY, FARABEE, HARRELL, HOLMES, JONES, KING, MORGAN, NANCE, REEVES, SULLIVAN

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/9/2004 at 11:10:08

B. F. Jones, the period of whose residence in Madison county covers a half century, has long been numbered among its prosperous and representative agriculturists, residing on section 21, Scott township, and now owning more than three hundred acres of rich and productive land.

The birth of Mr. Jones occurred in Menard county, Illinois, on the 22d of December, 1859, his father being John T. Jones, who was born in Kentucky on the 25th of February, 1813. When a young man the latter removed to Indiana, taking up his abode near Greencastle, and subsequently located in Menard county, Illinois. On the nth of October, 1864, he arrived in Madison county, Iowa, settling on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres in Scott township, where he passed away July 4, 1886. He was twice married, his first wife bearing the maiden name of Diana Sullivan, by whom he had four children, as follows: James T., who served in the Civil war as a member of an Illinois regiment and was killed in the battle of Shiloh; Margaret, the deceased wife of William King, of Orient, Iowa; William H., who passed away in Los Angeles, California; and Lida, the deceased wife of Mat Reeves, of Kansas. For his second wife John T. Jones chose Mrs. Harriet (Berry) Nance, who was born in Illinois, November 6, 1827, and passed away in Scott township, this county, on the 19th of October, 1902, in the faith of the Methodist church. By her first husband, Redding Nance, she had four children, namely : Samuel, who is deceased ; Martha, twin sister of Samuel, who is the widow of Richard Morgan and resides in Cumberland, Iowa; Sarah, the wife of Charles Farabee, of Nebraska; and Thomas, who is a resident of South Dakota. By the marriage of John T. and Harriet Jones there were born two sons: B. F. of this review; and A. J.

B. F. Jones was not yet five years of age when brought to Madison county by his parents and attended the public schools in the acquirement of an education. Subsequently he purchased the old homestead property in association with his brother, A. J., with whom he carried on agricultural pursuits in partnership until 1893. In that year he bought a farm in Scott township, residing thereon during the following thirteen years, on the expiration of which period, in 1906, he purchased his present place, known as the Porter Rollstin farm. He has added to the improvements on the property, has remodeled the buildings and erected others and is now the owner of a very valuable, attractive and productive place. He lives in a handsome residence and his landed holdings aggregate more than three hundred acres. His well directed labors as an agriculturist are rewarded by golden harvests annually and he enjoys an enviable reputation as one of the substantial and esteemed citizens of the community.

In 1886, in Madison county, Mr. Jones was united in marriage to Miss Stella Harrell, a native of Indiana and a daughter of Isaac Harrell, an early settler of this county. To them have been born three children, as follows: Arthur, residing on his father's farm, who married Miss Florence Jones and has two children, Glen H. and Robert; Fred, also living on his father's farm, who wedded Beulah Holmes and has two children, Pauline and Lois; and Melvin, at home.

Mr. Jones gives his political allegiance to the republican party and has held the office of township assessor, making a creditable record in that connection. His wife is a devoted and consistent member of the Methodist church. He has many friends in the community, the majority of whom have known him since boyhood, which fact is a lasting tribute to his loyalty in all the relations of life.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”