My Genealogy Hound

DARIUS B. JONES, ex-commissioner of Buffalo county, was born in Chautauqua county, N. Y., August 9, 1834.

His father, Miles Jones, was a native of Massachusetts and settled in Illinois, in 1859, where he died in 1881. His mother, who bore the maiden name of Pamelia K. Turner, was born in Canada, and died in 1879.

At the age of eighteen young Jones concluded to learn the blacksmith trade and accordingly went to Canada, when he served an apprenticeship. In 1856 he went to Kansas and joined an emigrant company, under the direction of the Massachusetts Aid Society. It was during the great excitement concerning the extension of slavery into Kansas, and when John Brown and Jim Lane were popular leaders of the anti-slavery movement. He knew both of these men and for a time shared in the kicks and cuffs received by these heroes. He spent several years on this battle-ground, during which he received his share of the hardships inflicted by the Kansas raiders. In 1862 he went to Illinois, where he remained for ten years; during which time he was engaged in the mercantile business at Elmwood. His next move was to Iowa, where he spent five years as a merchant at Emerson, Mills county. In 1879 he moved to Buffalo county, Nebr., and took a homestead in Armada township. He has since purchased considerable additional land and now has four hundred and forty acres. He like many others had to hustle when he first came here, and has hauled cedar posts for one hundred and thirty miles to market and there would receive small pay for his labor; but it was the only way there was of making money in the winter time.

He was married November 29, 1857, to Margaret B. Cowan, who was born in Canada, in 1832, and is the daughter of Hugh and Mary Cowan. This union has been blessed with fourteen children — Mary P., John A., Laurence P., Ella, Hettie, Arthur, Annie, Effie, Willie, Alice, Fred, Addie, Flora and Frank (deceased).

Mr. Jones has served one term as county commissioner, having been elected in the fall of 1882. He is a republican and quite prominent in the councils of the party in the county. He is a Mason and Odd Fellow, and one of the well-known and popular men of Buffalo county.