My Genealogy Hound

M. F. Jones is a prosperous hardware merchant of Versailles, Mo., and established his business in 1883, and keeps a large and select line of stoves, tinware, etc.; also a full line of Fairbank scales, Eclipse wind-mills, pumps, paints, oils, etc., his establishment being on the north side of the public square, one door east of the Bank of Versailles. Mr. Jones was born in Moniteau County, Mo., in 1856, being a son of W. B. and Malinda J. (Dunlap) Jones, who were born in Pennsylvania and Tennessee, respectively, and were early settlers of Moniteau County. In 1865, fifteen years after their arrival in Moniteau County, they came to Morgan County, and here they resided until their deaths, April 19, 1885, at the age of seventy years, and August 15, 1883, aged fifty-six years. While residing in Moniteau County the father was engaged in merchandising at Windmill, his store being the first in this part of the country. He was an active man in politics and public affairs, and was of strong religious nature, he and wife being earnest members of the Baptist Church. M. F. Jones was reared on a farm and educated in the public schools, and made his home with his father until twenty-two years of age, having been previously engaged in farming on rented land, and also clerked one year in a drug store. He is an excellent business man, enterprising and public spirited, and ranks among the first men of the county. In September, 1879, he wedded Annie W. Woods, a daughter of John E. Woods, of Moniteau County, by whom he has three children: Mord W., Ethel and Archie Q. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Christian Church.