USA > Iowa > Howard County > Lime Springs > History of the Welsh in Minnesota, Foreston and Lime Springs, Ia. gathered by the old settlers > Part 23
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JONES, BUGHI HI .- Born at Tan-y-Coed, Angust 3rd, 1828, within two miles of Betws-y-Coed, Carnarvonshire, Wales. Son of Rev. Hugh Jones. Emigrated to near Columbus, Wis., in 1845 with his parents. Married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of Wm. and Elizabeth Roberts, October 1st, 1859, at Bangor, Wis., where Mr. Jones had been in business two years in a general store with his brother, R. HI. Jones. In May, 1860, they removed the store to Mankato, Minn. In the fall of 1862 they returned to Cambria, Wis., where they remained one year. Thence Mr. Jones went to Watertown, where he was for three years in the dry goods business with his brother, Evan II. Jones, now of Lime Springs, Ia. In 1869 Mr. and Mrs. Jones returned again to Mankato where Mr. Jones died October 21, 1885. Their two sons also died there in their early manhood -John in 1886, and William in 1885. Mr. Jones was a man of excellent business ability and was well informed, especially in scriptural knowledge. He was an elder of the Mankato church. His widow is a worthy member of the Mankato Presbyterian church and has given largely of her means to the support of God's cause.
JONES, JOHN A .- Born May 15th, 1817, at Llanwren, Montgomeryshire, Wales, In May, 1542 he emigrated to the United States and the fall of that year located at Emmet, Wis. In February, 1851, he was united in marriage to Miss Hannah Pugh. January, 1855, in company with David and Evan J. Lewis he visited Blue Earth county, and located on a claim in the Blue Earth Valley near South Bend village. Returning in March he led a large colony of Welsh people from Emmet to South Bend. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have always been renowned for their generous hospitality. They also took great interest in the religions affairs of the com- munity, and the South Bend Congregational church was, in great part, indebted to them for its origin and maintenance. For many years Mr. Jones was not a member, but he was just as active and interested in the work as though he were its special patron, in so much that Rev. Jenkin Jenkins, used to call him his "outside deacon". December, 1893, he removed with his wife to National City, Cal., where they now reside,
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Their sons Richard and Jeremiah reside on the old homestead in South Bend. Another son, John E., is a successful mer- chant in Washington state.
JONES, REV. JOHN A .- Born at Rheidiol. near Aberyst- wyth, Cardiganshire, Wales, in the spring of 1828. His parents, John and Catherine Jones, removed when he was a child, to a farm called "Wantyrhydd" near Nanteos. This was also the home of Rev. Thomas Edwards, Dr. Lewis Edwards and the eminent Welsh musician "Icuan Gavlit". The influence of the last and of his cousin Evan Roberts begot in young Jones a great love for music. In 1851 he married Miss Anne, daughter of Daniel Davies, leader of song, school- master and land surveyor at Gwynle. The young couple emi- grated at once to Utica, N. Y., where they were kindly received by Rev. E. Griffiths, Congregational minister. In 1853 they moved to Waukesha. Wis., and for ten years was agent for the American Tract Society, of N. Y. In 1857 he visited the Welsh settlement of Blue Earth county. Minn. He com- menced preaching in September, 1859, at the Welsh settle- ment near Berlin, Wis., but went to minister to English con- gregations. In the fall of 1863 he visited Foreston, Iowa, and preached to the English church there and also at the house of John R. Williams, Filmore county, Minn, to five Welsh fami- lies. On his return home to Berlin he received a call from the English Congregational church, of Foreston, and removed there with his family in the spring of 1864. He preached in English to the Foreston church every Sunday morning and in Welsh to the few Welsh families at Bristol Minn., in the afternoons. . The only Welsh families then in that now populous Welsh settlement were: David J. Davies, Win. Davies, J. Jones, John R. Williams, Owen Jones and Richard W. Jones. His next move was to Floranceville, nine miles south of Foreston, where he organized a church of nine mem- bers. Before he left the membership increased to fifty and a church edifice was built at a cost of $4,000. He was sent in 1871 by the Home Missionary Society to Nebraska and there organized an English church and helped to found the Welsh settlement of "Gwvalia Deg". In 1874 he removed to Salem, Neb., where he labored with great success for six years. In 1880 the Home Missionary Society sent him to California and he ministered two years in Calaveras county, then at South Vallejo and Crockett. In 1881 he visited the Welsh of Ore- gon City, Oregon, and there preached the first Welsh sermon
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in that state. In 1886, at the request of the Home Missionary Society he spent one year at Jennings, La., and organized a Congregational church there with twenty-eight members and built a fine church. In 1887 he removed to Cottonwood, Cal., where he organized a Congregational church for which he still ministers. His has been an eminently successful life-as a preacher of the gospel-as an organizer of new churches-as a teacher of music. Mrs. Jones, and all the family, are also fine musicians, and wherever they have been, they have crea- ted a musical interest with their singing schools, which have greatly benefited young and old. Their oldest son, Prof. Richard Jones, graduated A. M., from Grinnell College Ia., and Ph. D., from Oxford, England, and Heidelberg, Germany, and now occupies a professor's chair in Swartmere College, near Philadelphia. Herecently published an interesting book, entitled, "The Idylls of the King". The second son, William O. Jones, graduated from the Nebraska University and is editor in chief of the "Nebraska State Journal". The third son, David, will soon graduate Ph. D. from Heidelberg, Germany. The two daughters, Eliza and Catherine, have been very suc- cessful as teachers in the graded schools and of music, and reside, the former in Iowa and the latter in Nebraska. The youngest daughter, Katie, will soon graduate from the Cali- fornia University.
JJONES, JOHN C .- Born in Montgomeryshire, North Wales, in 1837. Son of John and Margaret Jones ( Oshkosh ). Emigrated with the family to near Waukesha, Wis., in 1846, and thence in 1850 to near Oshkosh, Wis. From there the family came to Blue Earth county, Minn., in August, 1854, and located on a farm in South Bend. In 1862 he married Rachel, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Morris Lewis, of Cambria, Minn. In 1887 they located on their farm in Cambria. Mr. Jones was a member of a volunteer company during the Ink- padoota war and again during the Sioux war of 1862 and par- ticipated in the battle of New Uhn. In 1863 he enlisted in Company E, Second Minnesota Cavalry, serving two years in the Indian campaign. He has held a great many offices in his town and always taken a prominent part in public affairs in his community. Ile is a man of strong convictions, of sterling integrity and of excellent character and habits. Ile has one of the largest and most valuable farms in the settle- ment. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have been blessed with twelve children, viz: Maggie, Mary, Sarah, Esther, William, Mor-
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ris, Thomas, Emma (deceased ), Tudor, Idris, Arthur and Rachel.
JONES, REV. JOHN C .- Born at Peithill near Aberystwith Cardiganshire, Wales. He received a good biblical training in his youth at Capel Dewi, a C. M. church near his home. The lives of the godly elders of this church made a lasting impression on his mind. He was received into full mem- bership of the church when only ten years old, His mother died about this time, and his father died when he was only fifteen years old, leaving five orphan children. He attended the Penllwyn Brittish school for several years, where Prof, John Rhys, Ll. D .. and Rev. J. Cynddylan Jones, D. D., had been pupil teachers. He also attended the National school at Penrhyn Coch until fifteen years old. At his father's death he was appointed pupil teacher of the Talia- sin school. In June, 1872, he accepted a position as govern- ment clerk in the Rhyl P. O. In September, 1878, he entered Bala college to study for the ministry, graduating in June, 1882, and in the following October passed the Synodical examinations equal first with another out of a class of twenty- five young ministerial candidates. The following winter he attended lectures at the Liverpool University and had charge of a new English church in the neighborhood of Bootle. Dur- ing his university career he was appointed missionery to Khassia Hills, in Assam, India, but, owing to one objection- able condition then required, but since abolished, he resigned and came to the United States, landing in New York, June 24,.1883. After spending a few weeks in Ohio, Wisconsin, Dakota and Minnesota, he located for four months in the Blue Earth county Welsh settlement to teach Tonic Sol Fa system of music in the various churches to the young people. In January, 1884, he accepted an unamimous call to the pas- torate of the Mankato, Zion, and Carmel churches, whom he served with great acceptance and success until 1888, when he became pastor of the Minneapolis Welsh church for one year. He returned to his old field in Blue Earth county in February, 1889. In October, 1886, he married Miss Lizzie. daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Wigley, of Judson, Minn. His beloved wife died in March, 1890, During his stay, the Mankato church built a fine brick edifice and paid for same, Zion and Carmel liquidated large debts they had incurred in building their churches. In February, 1894, he resigned the Blue Earth county churches and took pastoral charge of the C. M.
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church, of Chicago, where he now labors. Mr. Jones is one of the ablest of the young Welsh ministers of America.
JONES, REV. JOHN E .- Born at Pensengrig, Troed-yr-aur- parish, Cardiganshire, Wales, March 9, 1828. Son of Wmn. and Frances Jones. Educated at the grammar school of New Castle Emlyn and at the private college at Llanelli, Carmar- thenshire. Began preaching at Glyn Arthen, Cardiganshire, about 1851. In the fall of 1854, while at the college in Llanelli he received a call from the Congregational churches of Belmonte and St. Clair, Pa., which he accepted. There he was ordained January 7, 1855. July 26, 1855, he married Catherine, daughter of Rees and Mary Williams, of Pottsville, Pa., the noted Welsh minister, Rev. Roderick R. Williams, officiating. About 1860 he moved to Lansford, Pa., thence after two years he went to Minersville, Pa. In the spring of 1865 he paid a visit to his native land. His next charge was at Newburg, O., where he remained six years. There he con- tracted hay fever and on his physician's advice removed to near Granville, O., and thence to Oak Hill, O. In 1876 he went to Andenried and Janesville, Pa., where he labored over six years. Thence he moved to Long Creek, Iowa, where he ministered eight years, thence to Old Man's creek for four years, and thence in July, 1894, to Lake Crystal, Minn., to take charge of the Salem Congregational church at Cambria, Minn. Mr. Jones is an able preacher and a most worthy christian and has been eminently successful as a pastor. IIe has always taken a great interest in the Welsh Eisteddfodau and won many prizes for essays. He has also been a frequent contributor to Welsh periodicals. His children are: Mary, wife of John L. Jones, of Lake Crystal, Fannie, ( deceased) late wife of Edward Jones, Annie, wife of Cyrus Tudor, of Iowa City, Iowa, Kate, wife of Rev. J. Alexander Jenkins, of Mount Carmel, Pa., Gwen, Evan and John IL.
JONES, JOHN 1 .- Born at Llwyn Bedw, Pen-y-Cae, parish of Llangwyryfon, Cardiganshire, Wales, November 13, 1813. His father's name was Isaac Jones. Like most Welshmen he had strong religious convictions from his youth, and at the age of thirteen years united with the Calvinistic Methodist church. About 1836 he emigrated to Jackson county, Ohio, where in 1838 he married Miss Esther Jones, daughter of Wm. Jones ( Cofadail ). He was an active worker there in Bethel church and helped to organize its Sunday school and for three years was its superintendent. He was a very strong
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anti-slavery agitator and an aggressive temperance worker. May 10, 1856, he came with the Jackson colony to South Bend, Minn., and located on a claim on Minneopa creek, near Seion church, which church he helped to organize and of which he was made one of the first elders. In 1864-5-6 he was county commissioner of Blue Earth county. About 1872 he removed to Chester, Minn., and there helped to organize a church of which he was an elder for two years, when he returned to Blue Earth county, in 1875. In 1884 his wife died. He re- moved to Tracy in 1886 and there died on January 2, 1887. His children are: Wm. D. Jones, of Tracy, Minn., Jane, wife of Rees Davis, of Marshall, David R. Jones in Idaho, Edward F. Jones, station agent of N. W. Ry., at Canton, S. D., and Lizzie, wife of Win. Morgan, of Idaho.
JONES, JOHN J .- Son of John and Elizabeth Jones. Born September 10, 1840, at Tynllwyn, Merionethshire, N. Wales. Came with his parents to Welsh Prairie, Wis., in 1848. In 1860 he attended school at Portage, where later he entered the dry goods store of Mr. Forbes, as a clerk. In 1865 he went to Berlin, Wis., where he was engaged in the dry goods busi- ness with Mr. Forbes for seven years. From there he went to Marquette, Mich., and was with Watson & Palmer for twelve years. In 1884 he came to Minneapolis and opened a business on Franklin and Twelfth avenue south, with R. II. Jones, under the name of J. J. Jones & Co., where a large trade was secured from the start. In order to have a building adapted to the stock carried, the Jones block was built in 1886 on Franklin and Fourteenth avenue south, where the store still continues. In 1891, Mr. J. J. Jones became sole owner and carries a well selected stock of foreign and domestic goods and is doing a good business. Mr. Jones was brought up in the Calvinistic Methodist church, in which his father, John Jones, Tyn//eyn, was a faithful deacon for many years at Welsh Prairie, Wis., and Bristol Grove, Minn., but having spent years away from any Welsh church he became an active worker in the Presbyterian church, and now is a member of the First Presbyterian church of Minneapolis.
JONES, HON. JOHN N .- Born at Dinas, Cwm Rhondda, Glamorganshire, Wales, April 13, 1850. His parents, Thos: and Mary Jones, emigrated to America when he was quite young, and settled at Youngstown, Ohio. On the Sth of June, 1872, at Chestnut Ridge, Ohio, he married Miss Jemima Jen- kins, daughter of Edward and Mary Jenkins. He removed to
J. J. Jones. MINNEAPOLIS.
C. E. Davis. MINNEAPOLIS.
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W. R. Edwards, Editor. TRACY, MINN.
Richard Bumford. MARSHALL, MINN.
Wm. Jones. MANKATO, MINN.
Peter Lloyd. TREASURER OF BLUE EARTH COUNTY, MINN.
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Owen Pritchard. LAKE .CRYSTAL, MINN.
John C. Jones. CAMBRIA, MINN.
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Danville, Ill., in 1873, and represented the state of Illinois at the grand lodge of Foresters at Lonisville, Ky., in 1879. In the spring of 1880 he settled at Red Wood, Minn., where he still resides. He was elected a member of the Minnesota leg- islature in 1886. During President Harrison's administration he was appointed to a clerkship at Washington, but after four months' service resigned to accept a position as special agent of the Interior department. In the fall of 1894 he was again elected to the legislature by a good majority. He is well posted in all the political issues of the day and is a ready and able public speaker, and during a number of the late political campaigns has been employed to stump the state in the inter- est of the Republican party, which he has always done with great acceptance. In 1895 he was made deputy labor in- spector.
JONES, JOHN P .- Born near Conway, Carnarvonshire, Wales, in 1809. Son of Henry aud Jane Jones, of Rhyw Goch. Married Miss Elizabeth Davies, of Rowen, same shire. In 1838 they emigrated to Minersville, Pa., and thence in 1854 to Cambria, Wis., and thence to Judson, Minn., in 1863, where Mr. Jones died December 30, 1889, and Mrs. Jones, January 31, 1893. They were honest, pious people, Mr. Jones being a very 'zealous and faithful member of the Congregational church, and Mrs. jones of the C. M. church. Their children are: William, Jane, wife of John Edwards, Henry, Hugh and Thomas.
JONES, JOIN R .- Born at Stratford, Fulton county, N. Y., April 1, 1844. His father, Richard P. Jones, was a native of Tyddyn-Eugan, near Treflys, Carnarvonshire, Wales. His mother, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Williams, was born at Bodaden, two miles from the city of Carnarvon. She was related to the distinguished authors and scholars, Wm. Owen (Gilyn Hafren), John Pugh (loan ap Hu Feddyg) and David W. Pugh. After attending school for a time at Dolgeville, Herkimer county, N. Y., young Jones removed with his parents to Columbus, Wis., in 1856. There he spent three years in the district and village schools, and was appren- ticed to Daniel E. Basset, of Danville, Wis., to learn the drug business. During the Rebellion he enlisted in the Forty-first Wisconsin. October 28, 1867, he married at Waupun, Wis., Miss Josie O. Squires, a most estimable lady, formerly from Elmira, N. Y. He served one year as assistant purchaser for the U. P. R. R. Co,, at Omaha, Neb., and then returned to
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his favorite occupation of pharmacy. In 1881 he located at Mankato and started a large drug store. He carried on the drug business at the same time at Burlington, Wis., and Lit- tle Rock, Ark., but these he soon closed out to concentrate all his business at Mankato, and in a short time he had the largest drug house in Southern Minnesota. He was elected president of the Minnesota State Pharmaceutical association in June, 1886. He was public spirited and largely interested in various business corporations at Mankato. July 26, 1889, his beloved wife died and on May 9, 1893, he passed away at Denver, Col., whence he had gone for his health. Ile was a man of splendid business ability and genuine christian char- acter, greatly loved and esteemed by all. He left surviving two daughters: Edna P. and Esther E.
JONES, SERGT. LEWIS P .- Born January 6, 1830, in Cardiganshire, Wales. Son of Thos. J. Jones, late of Cambria, Minn. In 1836 emigrated with his parents to Jack- son county, O., where in 1855 he married Miss Mary Davis. In May, 1856, he came to Minnesota with the Jackson colony, aud settled in the Big Woods settlement in LeSueur county, where his wife soon died. About 1861 he married his present wife and soon after removed to Cambria, Minn. In Angust, 1862, he enlisted in Co. E. 9th Minnesota, and took part in the battles of Guntown, Tupelo, Holly Springs, Nashville and Mo- bile. For gallant conduct in the charge on the rebel fortifica- tions at Nashville he was promoted from the ranks to be ser- geant. Ile was one of the best and bravest sokliers in the regi- ment. Since the war he has been engaged in farming, most of the time in Blue Earth county, but for the past three or four years at Bluffton, Otter Tail county, Minn.
JONES, MRS. MARGARET-(Oshkosh). Born at Cefnhir Bach, near Llanrhaiadr Mochnant, Montgomeryshire, Wales, in 1804. There she was married to John D. Jones. In 1846 they emigrated to near Waukesha, Wis., and from there in 1850 to near Oshkosh, Wis. In the spring of 1854 the family moved to Minnesota and for two or three months located in the Welsh settlement of LeSuenr county, and in August of the same year moved to a claim by Rush Lake in section 25 of Judson. Here Mr. Jones died in June, 1863, and Mrs. Jones followed him July 8, 1876. They were thrifty, honest, godfearing people. Noble examples of our sturdy Welsh pioneers. They left surviving five children: Thos. J. Jones, South Bend, Minn .; John C. Jones, Cambria, Minn .; Wm,
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Jones, Mankato, Minn .; Mrs. Margaret Jones, of Winchester, S. Dak., and Mrs. Sarah J. Culbertson, of Red Wing, Minn. JONES, RICHARD-Born at Llwynddewi, parish of Llan Badern Fawr, near Aberystwyth, Cardiganshire, Wales, Feb- ruary 29, 1832. Son of John and Elizabeth (Rees) Jones. Came in 1849 to Licking county, O., and thence to Marquette county, Wis. In February, 1866, moved to Judson, Minn. July 13, 1868, married Mrs. Elizabeth Breese, of Cambria, and the same year settled on his present large farm in that town. Through industry and wise management he has acquired con- siderable property. Ile is a man of the strictest integrity and kindest impulses His children are; Gomer, Alice, Dora, Everett, Gwesyn and Abbie.
JONES, MRS. RICHARD-Born at Newport, Herkimer county, N. Y., September 12, 1840. Daughter of John E. and Dinah Davies, the first settlers of the present town of Cambria. In the summer of 1858 she taught in a log school house on her father's farm, the first school in Cambria. March 16, 1863, she married David Breese, then a soldier in Company E, Ninth Minnesota, and who died in Andersonville prison September 4, 1864. July 13, 1868, she was joined in marriage to Richard Jones, of Cambria. She is a woman of excellent christian character and a member of Salem Cong. church.
JONES, RICHARD F .- Born at Utica, N. Y., August 25, 1857. Removed with parents to Cambria, Wis., when about eight years old. Lived there about eighteen months and then moved to Bangor, Wis., where they stayed live years. Thence they went to Big Creek, Wis., for five years. Left home about 1874 to learn the trade of carriage ironer at Sparta, Wis. In the summer of 1880 came to Mankato and worked in the carriage shop of II. P. Jensen for one year. He then accepted positions as salesman in the clothing houses of Pond Bros., and L. Henline, and in 1886 started in the cloth- ing business for himself, buying ont McConnell. Married Miss Mary E. Evans, daughter of D. D. and Elenor Evans, of Mankato, February 23, 1887. IHis wife died Nov. 30, 1892.
JJONES, REV. RICHARD G .- Born May 14, 1818, in Dyffryn Ardudwy, Merionethshire, Wales. Son of John and Gwen Jones ( Cacgarwe). February, 1841, he married Ellen, daugh- ter of William Jones, of Pantgwyn, Llanegryn, and a month later emigrated to America. After a short stay at Newark, O., they came to Racine, Wis., where they made another short sojourn and removed to Waukesha, where Mr. Jones
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began preaching. After four or five years he moved to Blue Mounds, Wis., and while residing here he was ordained to the full work of the ministry by the Synod of the C. M. churches, which convened in June, 1850, at Seion church, Welsh Prai- rie, Wis. In 1860 he moved to Cleveland, Le Sueur county, and was prominent in organizing Elim church. He ministered to the Welsh churches of Le Sueur and Blue Earth counties the balance of his days. His wife died February 24, 1889, and in 1891, he married Miss Miriam, daughter of Richard Rowlands. late of Judson, Minn. Mr. Jones was a great student and very fond of books. His library was worth several thousand dollars, and the largest in the settlement. His integrity was above suspicion and in all his many financial transactions his word was always accepted with the fullest confidence and never betrayed. Ile was a good financier and by economy, thrift and foresight had accumulated quite a fortune, Ile died May 19, 1894, leaving him surviving his second wife and five children by his first wife, viz: John G., William, Mary, wife of John C. Evans, Elizabeth J .. wife of Wm. Thomas, and Ellen, wife of Evan Morgan.
JONES, REV. RICHARD G .- Born in Earlstown, Lan- cashire, England, in 1860. His parents are Richard and Su- sannah (Jones) Griffith, now living in Manchester; his father being an honored deacon in the Welsh Congregational church, Booth street east. Educated first in the National school of Bagillt, Wales, where his parents resided, then at the Gram- mar school of Holywell, from whence he graduated to enter upon a professional career. Ile was articled as an architect to the Architectural department of the Lancashire and York- shire railway in the city of Manchester. remaining with the company for thirteen years. During this time he took ad- vantage of the evening sessions of the Victoria University. He was brought early under religious influences and was some- what actively engaged in church work all his life, He was received into full connection in the old Gartside street Con- gregational church, of Manchester, by the Rev. Richard Rob- erts, the first Sunday in May. 1875. Removing to the other side of the city he united with the Queen's Road church where his future christian work began to develop. This church be- ing unable to support a minister, all the male members of the church turned pastors and preachers, and it was here he first exercised his "dawn." He was set apart as a lay preacher in the Booth street east Congregational church at the age of
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