My Genealogy Hound
Below is a family biography included in the book, Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Company. These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary. Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more. There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.
* * * *
OLIVER K. JONES, a well known and representative citizen and retired agriculturist of Freemansburg, is a native of Northampton County. He was born November 26, 1838, to Joseph B. and Eliza (Keck) Jones, the former a native of this county, and the latter born in Lehigh County. John Jones, the great-grandfather of our subject, was said to have been a native of Wales, and was one of the early settlers of the Lehigh Valley, having come to America when a young man. Our subject was reared to manhood in his native county, receiving his education in the common schools near his home, and later attending the private schools of Bethlehem. He has been a life-long agriculturist, economical and industrious, and therefore prosperous, and now owns one hundred and twenty-six acres of well cultivated and finely improved land, where he still resides, though living a retired life. He has served as School Director for several years, and has held other local offices. In politics he has the interests of the Republican party at heart, and is active in public affairs, both national and local.
Mr. Jones was married, February 3, 1863, to Miss Clara Oberly, a daughter of John S. and Catherine (Shimer) Oberly. The mother is still living and is in her seventy-eighth year. The parents of Mrs. Jones were natives of Northampton County, and her great-grandfather Jones was a native of Wales, having come to America in an early day. He settled in the Lehigh Valley and took up a tract of land, which he cultivated, and on which he reared his family, spending the remainder of his life with his children in that place.
Our subject and his estimable wife are active members of the Lutheran Church at Freemansburg, and are deeply interested in the cause of Christianity. Mr. Jones is an Elder in the church and is well known in this locality. Two sons have been born to him and his wife, Harry O. and Charles, both of whom are employed in the War Department of the United States Government at the Bethlehem Iron Works in Bethlehem, under Captain McNutt.
* * * *
This family biography is one of numerous biographies included in the book, Portrait and biographical record of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties, Pennsylvania published in 1894 by Chapman Publishing Company.
View additional Northampton County, Pennsylvania family biographies here: Northampton County, Pennsylvania Biographies
View a historic 1911 map of Northampton County, Pennsylvania
View family biographies for other states and counties
Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of other family biographies.