My Genealogy Hound

JAMES B. JONES, the subject of the following biography, was born December 25, 1825, in Hamilton County, Ohio, and at the age of seven emigrated with his parents to Montgomery County, Ind., where he aided them upon the farm until 1836, when his father, George W. Jones, died, and the following year James emigrated with his mother and family to Iowa, where again he aided his mother on the farm until the year 1846. In 1849, emigrated overland to California, where he remained in the mines until the year 1852, when he returned by way of Central America to Louisa County, Iowa, and in 1853 was married to Hettie Key, of Iowa, and in 1854, engaged in the mercantile business. Quit the business the following year and commenced clerking in a store, where he continued until 1860; entered the army in 1861, where he remained one year, when he was discharged for disability. He then emigrated to Omaha, Neb., and emigrated the following year to Boice City, Idaho Territory. The following year he returned to Kansas City, Mo., where he remained until the year 1869, when he came to Kansas and located on his present farm of 160 acres, which he opened and improved. He is engaged in raising stock and grain and has a good supply of all kinds of fruits. They have four living children— Charlotte, Frances, James B., Jr., and Gustavus, and have lost four sons and one daughter— Ralph P., Hortense, Oscar A., William and Joseph.