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EDWARD JONES.
Is a native of Madison county, Ohio, and was born February
20th, 1818. His ancestors settled at an early period
on the eastern shore of Maryland, where they lived for
several generations. His father, Thomas
Jones, and his mother, whose name before marriage was
Mary Dale Truitt, were both natives of
Worcester county, Maryland. His maternal grandfather
was a sea-captain. In the year 1816 his parents moved
from Maryland to Ohio, and at first located in Ross county,
and in 1818 settled in Madison county. The subject of
this biography was the third of a family of seven children.
The schools which he attended in his boyhood were held in
log school-houses of rough external appearance; but it was
his fortune to be under the instruction of thorough and
capable teachers, among whom was a man named Miskey
and one Peter Smith, who died recently in
northern Illinois, both men of superior qualifications.
In 1838 Mr. Jones came to Illinois with an
elder brother for the purpose of buying cattle. He
subsequently usually spent a part of each year in this
state, and in 1854 made it his permanent home. On
coming to Macon county he purchased land in Maroa and Austin
townships and other parts of the county, and settled at his
present location on the Bloomington road, north of Decatur.
At that time the settlements in the county were along the
timber. It was then thought that considerable portions
of the prairie would always remain uncultivated, and Mr.
Jones’ purchases of land in the northern part of the
county were made with the idea of securing a cattle ranch.
He has altogether improved about three thousand acres of
land in Macon county, and has been engaged in farming and
dealing in land and stock. Mr. Jones has
been interested in agricultural matters, and with the Macon
County Agricultural Association he has been connected since
its first organization. He was its second president,
assisted in the purchase of the present grounds, and has
subsequently been associated with it as a director or one of
its general officers.
Mr. Jones began his political course as a
member of the Whig organization, but became a Republican on
the first formation of that party, and has acted with it
ever since. He was married July 1st, 1852, to
Margery F. Elkin, of Springfield, Illinois. Her
father, William F. Elkin, was born in Clark county,
Kentucky, came to Illinois in 1825, and settled in Sangamon
county, on Fancy creek, eight miles north of Springfield,
where Mrs. Jones was born.
Source: History of Macon County, Illinois, Published
1880 - Page 153 |
