Mills County, Iowa
Biographies

J

JACKSON, J.C.
      James Campbell Jackson (Jan. 24, 1851-Dec. 28, 1932) was a native of Washington County, Pa. and son of Robert and Margaret (Snodgrass) Jackson; he married Mary Ann Denman (Oct. 11, 1851-Aug. 14, 1936) also of Pennsylvania on Oct. 2, 1873. In 1881 this couple moved West to Silver City to operate the Silver Star Hotel for a number of years. Mr. Jackson also owned and operated one of the first livery stables as well as following the plumbing trade. He also recognized the need for an undertaker in the community and served in that capacity up to his retirement. In terms of years of service in the community, he was one of the oldest business men. This couple had one daughter, Lyda, who remained in Pennsylvania with her aunt to finish her education when her parents came to Iowa. She was a talented vocalist and was generous with her talent in whatever place she could contribute to her community; she also had a flair for coaching good plays that was her pleasure to give for her town’s winter entertainment; Lyda was a scholar in Latin and was paid by the Catholic Church in Imogene to give the Chants in Latin at services. After coming to Silver City, Lyda married Marion VanKirk. They had one daughter Ann, (b. July 1896) and a graduate of S.C. High School and Drake University. She was a very talented musician. Ann married Scott Pidgeon of Des Moines, a Banker, now deceased. There are two daughters: Marion (b. Oct. 19, 1918) married Robert McCluskey, lives in Des Moines, and their children are Robert Jr. working with Educational TV of Iowa, and Anne who is a teacher; the second daughter, Jean Pidgeon (b. Jan. 2, 1921) married Jean W. Lange of Sac City, Iowa; their children: Gene (b. July 31, 1947), a lawyer in Washington, D.C. and he has children, Gene (b. Dec. 14, 1975) and Elliot (b. Mar. 29, 1977); other sons of Jean are Thomas (b. Nov. 28, 1952) married and employed in Banking business in Kansas City, and John (b. Aug. 1, 1958) student of University of Arizona. Marion VanKirk died Jan. 15, 1901. Lyda married Clarence Virtue and they had one son, Clarence (b. Sept. 26, 1903) is a graduate of Silver City High School and the University of Nebraska School of Law; he and his wife, Mildred, who has an outstanding career in the business world, have lived a number of years in Fresno, California and where Clarence (“Bruff” as Silver City friends call him) is still an active lawyer; they have no children. Lyda later married Harry W. Anderson (see his history) and they had one daughter, Dorothy, now Mrs. Harry Gilmore of Glenwood, and has a daughter Mary Helen, now Mrs. James Kinney and a granddaughter, Shannon LeeAnn Kinney: a son Ardath Long, Jr. is deceased. Lyda was born Oct. 12, 1875 and died August 10, 1957.

JONES, ALLEN P.
     Allen P. Jones, born August 27, 1830 at Green, Ohio, married Frances Caroline Smith at Valparaiso, Indiana, on November 6, 1850. After his service in the Civil War, they lived in Indiana and later moved to Silver City where they farmed. Allen died on October 28, 1902 and Frances died March 14, 1918. Both are buried at the Silver City Cemetery. They had seven children, Adeline, Alonso, Cassins, Jane, India, William and Charles.
     Alonso and Cassins remained in Indiana and their families are there today.
     Adeline see George Soliday history
     Jane married Heck and lived in Council Bluffs.
     India married W. Walker and had six children.
     William — see William Jones history
     Charles married Minnie Gobel and had two girls and lived in Council Bluffs.

JONES, ALLEN P.
     Allen P. Jones, son of William and Martha Hammer Jones, was born June 29, 1910 in Silver City. On June 23, 1928 he married Wilma M. Deitchler, born February 9, 1909, the daughter of Louie and Helen Kay Deitchier of Mineola.
     Allen P. worked for the Wabash R.R. as foreman and the Norfolk and Western as track inspector for 45 years. He was a former Mayor, Councilman and served on the Silver City School board. He also is a member of the Masons and Iowa Odd Fellows. Wilma is active in the Eastern Star, Rebekah and American Legion Auxiliary. Both of them belong to the Western Star Encampment and the United Methodist Church. In 1978 Allen and Wilma celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
     They had three children, Alene Marie, Jay Allen and Alyce Ann.
     Alene — see Harvey Ord history
     Jay was born January 13, 1934 in Silver City. He graduated Silver City High School and attended Radio and Television Engineering School in Omaha. On January 1955, Jay married Joan Fergenson of Bloomington, Indiana. He has two sons, Randy and Ricky. Jay worked for RCA in Bloomington, Indiana and later moved to Indianapolis, Indiana where he owns his own television shop.
    Alyce was born May 14, 1941 in Mineola. She graduated from Silver City High School and worked for Mutual of Omaha. On September 1958 she married Larry Tannahill. They had four children, Kelley Ann, Kerry Pam, Kathy Sue and Brett Lawrence. Alyce now resides in Atlanta, Georgia.

JONES, ELLSWORTH
     Ellsworth Elmer Jones, son of William and Martha Hammer Jones, married Sadie Mae Deitchler, daughter of Louie and Helen Kay Deitchler. Ellsworth died in 1960 and Sadie died in 1937. They had four children, Eleanor, Carole, Ellsworth Jr. and Nadine.
     Eleanor Mae, born January 24, 1928, married Keith McClure of Malvern and are now living in Council Bluffs. They had one son, Gary. Gary married Patricia Glosser of Council Bluffs and they have one daughter, Heather.
     Carole Darlene, born January 10, 1930, married Frank Lane of Council Bluffs. Carole is a Silver City Grad of 1947. They have one daughter, Deborah Sue married to Kurtis Knox. Deborah and Kurtis have two sons, Christopher K. and Timothy L.
     Ellsworth E. born January 8, 1932, married Marian Wittrock of Manning. He is a Silver City Grad of 1950, a University of Omaha Grad and retired as Captain from the U.S. Air Force in May 1979. They are now living in Colorado Springs. They have one son Michael, who is married to Christine Gillespie. Michael and Christine have two daughters, Patricia and Nancy.
     Nadine Martha, born May 24, 1935, married Robert Fuhs of Council Bluffs. They are now living in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. Nadine is an Abraham Lincoln Grad. They have two sons, Craig and David and one daughter Diane. Craig is married to Lynn Forti, and Diane is married to Scott McWaters.

JONES, GERALD D.
      Gerald D. Jones is the son of the late Alva R. Jones and Letha I. Bachman Jones. His grandparents Roy and Sadie Bachman and William and Martha Jones lived in the Silver City community with grandfather William farming and grandfather Roy employed by the Wabash Railroad Company.
      Gerald was born south of Silver City on January 11, 1933 and at an early age the family moved into Silver City. He has two brothers, Willard and Lee Roy (see Harry Adams history) and one sister Jean Jones Conner. Gerald attended elementary and secondary school in Silver City and graduated in May of 1950 with his nine classmates. Upon graduation from high school he attended college in Omaha, Nebraska.
      A tragedy hit the Alva Jones family on July 1, 1946. The family was on a well earned vacation, when, only a few miles from Silver City they were involved in an automobile accident that took the life of Alva and a great Uncle Milton Bachman. Gerald received a compound fracture of the left leg and multiple cuts to the right leg. Also injured in the accident were his mother Letha and brother Lee Roy. The family life style changed at this point with Letha moving to California to join her sister. Gerald and Lee Roy remained in Silver City to complete their education.
     In November of 1952 Gerald enlisted in the U.S. Air Force where he was to remain for four years. This was during the period of the Korean conflict. On June 18, 1955 and during the period of time while he was in the Air Force, Gerald took a wife (also from Silver City) Janet M. Schroeder, the daughter of the late Herman P. Schroeder and Vera E. Bendt Schroeder. She has one sister Judy Schroeder Roenfeldt. (see Kenton Roenfeldt history.)
     Janet was born near Glenwood, Iowa and spent her early childhood in Council Bluffs, Silver City and Mineola, Iowa. She completed the eighth grade in Silver City and graduated as Valedictorian in May of 1952. Upon graduation she took employment in Omaha until her marriage.
     Gerald and Janet spent their first year of marriage in Michigan. In November of 1956, they returned to Silver City where they purchased a house from the Anna Miller Estate. In 1968 they built a new home across from the “School House” where they presently reside.
    In May 1957, Gerald began a career as Insurance Underwriter with Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company where he is still employed. He has held Local and State Offices and appointments in the field of Insurance and his business has taken him to both coasts to schools, meetings and to serve on various Insurance Boards and Committees. In November of 1966, he was elected as Mayor of Silver City, which he held for eight years. In 1978 he was re-elected as Mayor of Silver City and is presently holding that office.
    Janet earned a Diploma in Cosmetology and owned and operated a Beauty Salon in Silver City from 1959 to 1975. At this time she is employed at Boys Town Institution in charge of accounts receivable.
    They have two children; Julie Renee and Judson Craig.
    Julie Renee was born in December of 1959. She graduated from Glenwood Community High School in May of 1978 and is now attending Creighton University in Omaha with a major in Art. The majority of the art work for the Centennial Celebration of Silver City was done by Julie.
     Judson Craig was born June 1, 1966. He was given recognition for his high scholastic standing upon completing the seventh grade in May of 1979. Judson is very active in sports and band. His ambition is to attend Creighton University and to graduate from that University with a degree in Medicine.
     Gerald and Janet have high expectations for the city of Silver City and are planning to open a restaurant in the very near future. The restaurant will be located in the Bank Building on Main Street. (The Mills County Bank will be relocating in a new facility north of the Post Office.)

JONES, WILLIAM
      William Jones, son of Allen P. and Frances Smith Jones, was born May 20, 1872 in Porter County, Indiana. He came to Mills County with his parents. William married Martha Hammer, daughter of Charlie and Anna Deitchler Hammer, on December 29, 1894 and farmed for many years. They later moved into Silver City where he died on November 2, 1926 and she died in 1956. Both are buried in the Silver City Cemetery. They had six children, Lottie, Charles, Alva, Ellsworth, Adah and Allen P.
       Lottie married Thurman Nelson and had six children. She now lives in Glenwood.
      Charles married Minnie Nelson, now both deceased. They had two children.
       Adah married E. M. Hiatt, now both deceased. They had four children.
      Alva — see Gerald Jones history
      Ellsworth — see Ellsworth Jones history
      Allen P. — see Allen P. Jones history

JUDSON, ALBERT B.
      Albert B. Judson was born May 23, 1856 at Vicksburg, Michigan, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Albert B. Judson, Sr. He came to Silver City in 1880 and married Ida Mandigo, also a native of Vicksburg, Michigan on January 9, 1882. He was a successful farmer, stockman, and merchant at Balfour, Iowa. He was a member of Silver Grange and was Master of Iowa State Grange for 25 years. He was also a prominent member of Mills County Farm Bureau and a substantial supporter of the Methodist Church of which Mrs. Judson was a member. Mrs. Judson died May 20, 1919 and Mr. Judson died January 17, 1941. They had one daughter who died young and two foster daughters, Ida Schawler and Cleva Graham.
     Ida married John Reed Graves and lived on a farm near Balfour for many years. After Mr. Graves death. she moved to Glenwood. They had a son Kenneth and a daughter, Joan. Kenneth married Mildred Moses and live in Glenwood. Joan married Max Hammers and has two children, Debbie and Doug.
     Cleva married Claude Brooks and lived on the Brooks homestead for many years. After the death of her husband, she moved to Glenwood. They had one daughter, Irene, who married Faye McManigal, a prominent farmer near Glenwood. They had two sons, Judson and Charles.

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