My Genealogy Hound

R. D. JONES, grocer, McKeesport, was born in Newtown, Montgomeryshire, North Wales, and is a son of Rowland D. and Mary (Henry) Jones. He was reared in Wales, England and Scotland, and is an iron-worker by trade. He came to America in 1853, located in Pittsburgh, and for twenty-one years worked at his trade in that vicinity and elsewhere. For five years he was foreman of Everson & Preston’s mills. In 1869 he became a member of the firm of Wright, Griffitt & Co., who operated the galvanized-iron works on Gist street, Pittsburgh, several years, and superintended the construction of their new works at Irondale. When the latter were completed our subject sold his interest, after five years’ connection with the firm, and managed the mills of Harbaugh, Mathias & Owen, at Wood Run, five years. He was also manager of a mill at Paducah, Ky., for six months, and for two years was foreman of the Lochiel Iron works, at Harrisburg, Pa. In 1874 he settled at Demmler, now a part of McKeesport, erected the first dwelling at that place, and was one of the original stockholders of the U. S. Tin-Plate works. He has been in the mercantile business since 1874. In 1852 he married Elizabeth, daughter of John Jones, of South Wales, and has one son, Isaac L. Mr. Jones is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of the I. O. O. F. and K. of P. He held the office of justice of the peace five years, and politically is a republican. He was president of the school board for two years in the Ninth ward, Allegheny City, when the new schoolhouse was built; also a member of the board of health from said ward; and represented the Eighth ward, Pittsburgh, in council one year.