John and Sarah probably were living with Sarah’s family in 1840 as John Jones does not appear in the Madison County Census, and the Thomas Taylor household included persons John and Sarah.90

JOHN C. JONES. P. O. London, a prominent and well-known retired farmer and stock-raiser, of this township, was born in East Tennessee June 11, 1817. His grandfather. Solomon Jones. was a native of England, and came to the United States at an early day. One child, Zacheus Jones, the father of our subject, was born and reared in Tennessee. He came to Ohio in 1821, locating in Somerford Township. of this county, in the " Arbuckle neighborhood," on Deer Creek. He owned a farm of 110 acres, where he resided till his death in 1823 or 1824. He was buried in the old "Baptist Churchyard," now the present site of the " Link Mill." on the " Wilson land." His wife was Elizabeth Key, also a native of Tennessee, who bore him four children, of whom two are now living-Sarah Ann (widow of John Bradley, now residing on Spring Fork, in Darby Township), and our subject. Mrs. Jones subsequently married Charles Atchison, who died five years later. She departed this life August 24, 1853. " Squire Jones," as he is familiarly known, grew to manhood on the home farm, receiving only a common school education. Having been reared to an agricultural life. he resolved to devote his further time in life to that useful occupation. On October 30, 1829, he married Sarah A., daughter of Thomas and Isabella Hume. a native of Ross County. Ohio. near Chillicothe. Mr. Jones resided in Deer Creek Township until ten or twelve years after marriage, when he removed to his present farm. He has been an active laborer through life, and has accumulated some property. He is the owner of 390 acres of fine land in this and Union Townships, and 600 acres in Southern Missouri. He was an earnest Whig until the formation of the Republican party, when he united with the latter organization. He served two terms as Infirmary Director of Madison County. and one term each at Township Trustee and Justice of the Peace. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of nine children. seven of whom are living-Mary E. (wife of David Watson, a member of the Board of County Commissioners and a very prominent man in agricultural and stock circles). William (married Sallie Minter, and resides on a farm near La Fayette. in Deer Creek Township), I. Dewitt (an attorney of Columbus. Ohio. who married Laura Harringer), Marion (at home), George (an attorney at law, of Columbus, Ohio, married Eva Lattimer). Ada, Flora and Fannie. John and Thomas are deceased. Mrs. Jones is a worthy member of the Methodist Episcopal Church of London. Squire Jones and wife are well known throughout the county, and equally respected for their admirable traits of character.84

George D. Jones, who is widely known by reason of efficient public service in Columbus, as well as through his prominent connection with the bar of the city, was born near London, Madison county, Ohio, in 1856. His parents were John C. and Sarah A. Jones, the former born in Tennessee in 1817 and the latter in Richmond, Virginia, in 1820. The paternal grandfather of our subject came to America from England in the latter part of the eighteenth century. Prior to the Civil war both Mr. and Mrs. John C. Jones were ardent advocates of the abolition of slaverv and aided in carrying on the operations of the underground railroad. The father was a well educated man for his time, was a ready and fluent talker and forcible in the argument of vital public questions. His political allegiance was originally given to the whig party and when the republican party was formed to pre-vent the further extension of slavery he joined its ranks and continued to support it until his demise in 1893. His wife, who passed away in 1887, was a. woman of great benevolence and beloved by all who knew her. She was regarded as a most interesting and entertaining conversationalist and possessed moreover a deep love of literature, especially of poetry and history.



John C. Jones, an enterprising and progressive farmer of Paint Township, Madison County, owns fore than four hundred and fifteen acres of land, which he has under a high state of cultivation and well improved. The good buildings, the well-tilled fields, and the neat appearance of the place, indicate the industry, which has been one of the prominent characteristics of Mr. Jones through life.
He was born in Cumberland County, Tenn., June 11, 1817. His parents Zacheus and Elizabeth (Key) Jones, were natives of Tennessee, and after their marriage emigrated to London, Ohio. The family is originally of English descent. The father of our subject died soon after coming to this State. He had secured some wild land but left his family in limited circumstances. The mother taught our subject to plow and he became her main support until she married Charles Atkinson, who lived but a few years.
Mr. Jones of this sketch remained with his stepfather, and at his death had charge of the Atkinson farm. At the age of twenty-one, he was married October 31, 1839, to Sarah A. Taylor, who was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, September 5, 1820. Her parents, Thomas and Isabel (Hume) Taylor, were early settlers and prominent citizens of Madison County. Mr. Jones continued to reside on the old farm in Deer Creek Township with his mother for a few years. In the meantime, he bought one hundred and twenty acres of land and began the development of the farm on which he now resides. It is now one of the most desirable places in the community, and its boundaries have since been greatly extended.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Jones were born eleven children: Mary Elizabeth, born September 11, 1840, is the widow of Capt. Watson. She had three children and resides in London, Ohio. William H., born May 23, 1842, is a farmer of Deer Creek Township, Madison County, and by his marriage has three children. Isabel was born June 1, 1844. John C., born August 29, 1846, died July 27 1867. DeWitt Clinton, born September 5, 1848, married Miss Laura Hoeriger, of Columbus, and is a practicing attorney of that city. He served as Postmaster of Columbus under President Cleveland, and is a prominent Democrat. By his marriage he has two children, Eldon and Norma. Francis M., born June 3, 1852, is married and resides in Paint Township. George D., born May 25, 1854, is a well-known lawyer of Columbus. He married Eva Lattimer, of that city, and they have two children: Grace, born April 3, 1879, and Margaret Fuller, June 24, 1886. Thomas T. died at the age of three months. Flora born April 21, 1861, is the wife of Freeman Murray, by whom she has one child. Ada, born October 7, 1863. Fannie, born October 20, 1865, is the wife of C. W. Adams, a lumber dealer of Cincinnati, and they have a little daughter, Hazel. Mrs. Jones, the mother of the family, was called to her final rest, November 18, 1886.
In connection with his home farm, Mr. Jones owns six hundred acres of well-improved land in Bates County, Mo., and is a stockholder in the National Bank of London, Ohio. He cast his first vote in 1840 for Gen. Harrison, and supported the Whig party until 1856, since which time he has been a stanch Republican. He has never failed to support a Presidential candidate of his party, although at one time, when in ill health, the doctor told him if he went to the polls his death would result. He has filled the offices of Justice of the Peace, Town Trustee and Director of the Infirmary. He has always been found on the side of morality, temperance and integrity, and is regarded as one of the valued citizens of the community, respected by all for his sterling worth.