Jerry Jones

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Jerry Jones is an intelligent, practical and progressive farmer residing in Union township, Monroe county, not far from Lovilia, where he owns and operates one hundred and forty-two acres of land. He is one of the native sons of the county, his birth having occurred within its borders May 17, 1847. His parents were Lewis and Sarah Ann (Hughes) Jones, the former a native of Tennessee and the later of Ohio. In early life, however, they became residents of Lee county, Iowa, and were there married. In 1844 they came to Monroe county, when it was opened up for settlement by the white race, and took up their abode upon a farm near that upon which our subject now resides.

All around them for miles stretched the unbroken prairie, and wild animals were frequently killed in the district. Hardships and trials incident to frontier life were to be borne, but the father persevered in the work of developing a farm, and eventually his land became quite valuable, owing to the care and cultivation he had bestowed upon it. He voted with the Democracy and both he and his wife were members of the Christian church. In their family were seven children: John and Henry, both deceased; Jerry; Martha, who has also passed away; Martin, deceased; and Levi and Mary, who complete the family. The father died in 1894, at the age of seventy-two years; and the mother died in 1900, at the age of seventy-four. Both were interred in the Osborn cemetery.

Jerry Jones, the eldest of the living children, was reared in his native county and at the usual age entered the public schools, thereby acquiring the education which fitted him for the duties of a business career. He early worked upon the home farm, and when a young man he began farming on his own account and has since followed this pursuit. He won Miss Nancy J. Chance as a companion and helpmeet for life’s journey, the marriage taking place in 1867. Her parents were John and Lettie Chance, natives of Illinois and Tennessee respectively.

They became early settlers of Monroe county, where they remained for many years, and in 1883 removed to Oregon, where they are still living. In the same year our subject took his family to the Sunset state with the intention of locating there, but at the end of fourteen months they decided that they preferred Iowa as a place of residence and came to their present farm, which has now been their home for twenty years, and the neat and thrifty appearance of the farm indicates the careful supervision of Mr. Jones, who keeps in touch with the progress continually being made along agricultural lines and uses the knowledge which he gains concerning agricultural methods for the betterment of his place. In 1901 Mr. and Mrs. Jones made a visit to Oregon, spending two months with relatives there.

To this worthy couple have been born five children: James E., John L., Charles E., William Burton, Willis Vernon. They have also reared Anna L. Jones, a daughter of Mr. Jones’s brother Levi; her mother died when she was an infant. Mr. Jones keeps well informed on the political issues of the day and gives his political support to the Democracy, but has never been an office seeker, preferring to give his time and energies to his business affairs.

He served, however, as school director in his township for twelve years, and the cause of education found in him a warm friend, who labored effectively for the best interests of the schools of his locality. He possesses the progressive spirit of the west, the spirit that has led to the rapid development of this section of the country, and whatever concerns the welfare of Monroe county elicits his interests and gains his co-operation.