Araphahoe County, History of Colorado, BIOS: JONES, Jacob Calvin (published 1918) *********************************************************************** USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003643 September 15, 1999 *********************************************************************** "History of Colorado", edited by Wilbur Fisk Stone, published by The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co. (1918) Vol. II p. 179, 182 photo p. 180 photo of Mrs. Mary Ann Jones p. 181 JACOB CALVIN JONES. Jacob Calvin Jones is numbered among Colorado's honored pioneer settlers, having arrived in the state in 1860. In the years which have since come and gone he has borne his part in promoting the agricultural development of the state and also has done much in behalf of public progress, especially while serving as mayor of Englewood, in which city he makes his home. He was born in Danville, Pennsylvania, September 21, 1838, a son of William and Elizabeth (Abel) Jones. The father was of Welsh parentage, while the mother was of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry. William Jones became a boot and shoe manufacturer and also devoted a part of his time and attention to farming. His father-in-law lived to the notable old age of one hundred and twelve years. Jacob Calvin Jones was one of a family of ten children, but only two are now living, his brother being W. W. Jones, of Littleton. It was in the year 1859 that Jacob C. Jones left home with two of his brothers, with whom he traveled as far as Quincy, Illinois, from which point he made his way alone to Colorado in the year 1860. The journey westward was made with an ox train. He had three yoke of oxen and a wagon, which he purchased in St. Joseph, Missouri, and with this equipment he accompanied a train of twenty-one wagons. He had thoughtfully considered Horace Greeley's advice: "Go west, young man, go west," and it was his purpose to establish his home and build up his fortunes in this part of the country. He already had two brothers here, William and Cyrus, who were engaged in hauling lumber over Bradford hill. For three months Jacob C. Jones remained in his brothers' employ, driving seven yoke of oxen. He then staked a claim on the Platte river, after which he made his way to Georgia gulch, where he remained during the summer of 1861 and until the following January. Later he and his brother William improved a farm of three hundred and twenty acres on the Platte river and owned and further developed the property until they sold out. They then took another tract of land on the east side of the river, improved it and remained thereon for two years. They next removed to a place where the powder works are now located and there resided until 1871, when the partnership between the two brothers was dissolved, William Jones going to Colorado Springs, while Jacob C. remained upon the farm until twelve years ago. He also had a property of eighty acres on South Broadway in Englewood which was well improved, but he disposed of this in 1883 and took up his abode at his present place of residence. On the 11th of August, 1872, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Jones and Miss Mary Ana Marshall, of Marathon county, Wisconsin, and to them have been born a daughter and two sons: Eleanor Valencia, the wife of E. O. Raup, living upon the old Jones homestead farm; Clifford Maxey, who is a wireless telegrapher in the government service at Norfolk, Virginia, and is thirty-three years of age; and Woodie Fisher, who is completing a radio-wireless course at Cambridge, Massachusetts, preparing to enter the United States service. He is thirty-one years of age. Mr. Jones is a progressive republican and has long been prominent in shaping public thought and action in the community in which he lives. He was once appointed sheriff of Jefferson county but would not accept the position. He was, however, the first sheriff of Douglas county and assisted in organizing that county. For three terms he filled the office of mayor of Englewood and gave to the city a businesslike and progressive administration. In fact, his course was of the greatest benefit to the community, for he was directly responsible for driving the lawless and immoral element from the town. His first election to the office was a contest between the gamblers and notorious resort keepers on the one hand and the better citizens on the other, Mr. Jones being made the standard bearer of the latter element. All subterfuges were tried by the sporting crowd to defeat him, including bribery, ballot box stuffing, threatening gun play and persuasion, but all in vain. He was elected to the office and his work as chief executive of Englewood did much to restore law and order. Moreover, he introduced many progressive elements into the city life and did much for public benefit along various lines. Mr. Jones is a Mason of high rank. He has become a Knight Templar, has attained the thirty-second degree in the Scottish Rite consistory and he has also crossed the sands of the desert with the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine of El Jebel Temple. His life has been an exemplification of the beneficent spirit upon which the order is founded. There is no resident of Englewood who more surely deserves prominent mention in a history of Colorado than Jacob Calvin Jones, who for fifty-eight years has been a resident of this state and has therefore been a witness of practically the entire growth, development and improvement of this section of the country. His memory forms a connecting link between the primitive past and the progressive present. Here he has been a witness of the coming of modern-day civilization and at the same time has borne his full part in all movements and projects which have made for constant development- movements which have not only recognized immediate needs but have looked to future expansion.