My Genealogy Hound

NELSON JONES, farmer and stock-raiser, Sec. 16; P. O. Towanda; one of the pioneers of Towanda Township, McLean Co.; born in Clark Co., Ohio, April 5, 1826, where he was raised to farm labor. In the spring of 1848, he came to Smith’s Grove, McLean Co., and, in 1849, he and his brother J. R. purchased 600 acres in Towanda Township. In 1850, Cyrus Jones purchased a one-third interest, and the three brothers continued farming and stock-raising in partnership until 1854, since which time Mr. Jones has continued the same alone. His capital, upon arriving here, consisted of $342 cash, and one horse and saddle. In 1854, he entered some two hundred acres of land. He now owns nearly one thousand acres, upon which he has three sets of good farm buildings, his large private brick residence being erected in 1869, at an expense of upward of $12,000; his main barn was built in 1873, at an expense of some $4,500, and, with the house, are second to no farm buildings in the county. He is one of the prominent men of the township, in which he has taken a deep interest since its organization, and is now the second oldest settler and voter of the township. Aside from farming, he is largely engaged in raising and feeding stock, making a specialty of blooded short-horn cattle, feeding yearly some two hundred head of cattle, one hundred hogs, two hundred sheep and some horses, some seasons purchasing as high as seven thousand bushels of corn for feeding, aside from the productions of one hundred acres or more which he raises upon his own farm. His marriage with Eliza A. White was celebrated March 4, 1857. She was born in La Fayette, Ind., Nov. 20, 1830. They have five children, viz.: Ward B., born June 17, 1858; Lottie G., April 5, 1863; Julia A., Sept. 7 1866; Elmetta M., June 21, 1869; Mark C., Sept. 24, 1871. Mrs. Jones is a daughter of George C. White, of whom mention is made in the biography of George W. White in this work. Mr. Jones is a son of Abram R. Jones, Sr., who is mentioned in the biography of Frank M. Jones in this work.