Desoto County FlArchives Biographies.....Jones, Cyrus 1839 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/flfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 4, 2008, 1:46 pm Author: B. F. Johnson Cyrus Jones Prominent among the representative citizens and successful business men of Florida, and identified with its political, moral and industrial interests, is Cyrus Jones of Bowling Green, DeSoto county. Mr. Jones is a native of Kentucky, and was born in Union county, in that State, January 19, 1839. His father was Joseph Jones, a well known and prosperous farmer, of Kentucky, his mother, Olivia (Robertson) Jones, also of that State. He is a grandson of Col. Fielding Jones, who was a member of an old Virginia family of the Revolutionary period, and a noted civil engineer of his time. Receiving a public school education and deciding to become a merchant, in 1860 Mr. Jones took a course in general business and bookkeeping at the Evansville Commercial College, where he graduated within one month from the date of his entrance. Soon thereafter he accepted a clerkship in a store in Uniontown, Ky., and three years later opened a business for the sale of general merchandise in Uniontown, which he conducted with success for a number of years. Believing that brighter prospects awaited him in the West, in 1875 he moved to Missouri, locating in St. Louis, where he embarked in the wholesale crockery business, under the firm name and style of Campbell, Jones and Company. Becoming interested in the advantages of a residence in the "Land of Flowers" in 1886 he moved thither, settling in DeSoto county, at Bowling Green. Here he opened a general merchandise business, and at once became identified with the activities of the people in their development of the industrial and economic welfare of his community and county. He is prominent as a dealer in real estate properties, and to orange growing he devotes much attention being the owner of 2000 trees which will yield 5000 boxes a season. A member of the Florida Orange Growers Association, he is an enthusiast concerning the development of the orange industry in Florida. Energetic, untiring, and ever awake to the public interests, Mr. Jones is a zealous advocate of all matters looking to the mental, moral, and religious advancement and welfare of his county and State, and especially does he consider the public schools of supreme importance. For two terms, 1901-1902-1903-1904, he was a member and Chairman of the DeSoto County School Board, and in the discharge of his duties as such, fulfilled every expectation and hope of his friends, reflecting credit on himself, his county and constituents. As a member of the Board of County Commissioners, to which he was once elected, 1897-1898, his services proved eminently satisfactory. Believing that the highest political and industrial interests of the people, both State and national lie in a strict adherence to the principles of Jeffersonian democracy, Mr. Jones is a Democrat, of the stalwart and unterrified type, scorning always every attempt of any party whose policies are antagonistic to those proclaimed by the sovereign people in the platforms of the State and national Democratic party. In religion Mr. Jones is devout and earnest, a member of the Christian denomination, and prominent in the councils of his church. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity though now non-affiliated. Mr. Jones has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Mary Hyne, of Kentucky, to whom he was united in marriage in 1865. His second union was with Miss Josephine Andrews, whom he married in 1903 and who was a daughter of Dr. David Andrews and Harriett Embry Andrews of Alabama. Of his first marriage there are five children, Ida Ella, now Mrs. L. Boyd Robertson, in Kentucky, Cyrus H. Jones, has been with A. C. L. as agent several years, Rebecca O., Leslie Casey, in mail service in Jacksonville, and Aurelia B., in Jacksonville. Mrs. Jones comes from the Andrews family, which of English origin first settled in Virginia and in 1790 counted thirty families in that State, whence they spread over the South and Southwest. The original surname was adopted in honor of Andrew, the apostle. The Jones family is of Welsh origin, and the surname also was originally derived from an apostle, John. Mr. and Mrs. Jones therefore, come from people of such strong Christian faith that when surnames came into use they went back to the apostolic college for family names. Additional Comments: Extracted from: FLORIDA EDITION MAKERS OF AMERICA AN HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL WORK BY AN ABLE CORPS OF WRITERS VOL. III. Published under the patronage of The Florida Historical Society, Jacksonville, Florida ADVISORY BOARD: HON. W. D. BLOXHAM COL. FRANK HARRIS HON. R. W. DAVIS SEN. H. H. McCREARY HON. F. P. FLEMING W. F. STOVALL C. A. CHOATE, SECRETARY 1909 A. B. CALDWELL ATLANTA, GA. COPYRIGHT 1909 B. F. JOHNSON Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/fl/desoto/photos/bios/jones41gbs.jpg File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/fl/desoto/bios/jones41gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/flfiles/ File size: 5.4 Kb