Douglas County IL Archives Biographies.....Jones, Malden February 8, 1818 - 
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Norma Hass http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00013.html#0003021 February 24, 2017, 11:28 am

Source: Source: Historical and Biographical Record of Douglas County, Illinois, pages 225-227
Author: Gresham, John M

In touching upon the history of Douglas county for the past sixty years, none
have been more prominently connected with its growth and industrial expansion
than the Hon. Malden Jones. He endured all the hardships incident to the tough
pioneer life and has passed through a most honorable and enviable career. He is
a native of Lee county, Virginia, and was born February 8, 1818. When a child he
went with his parents to Kentucky, where he was reared and where, at about the
age of seventeen, he entered a store as clerk and remained three years. In 1840
he came west, making the trip on horseback, settled with his brother, Alfred,
five miles southwest of Arcola, and there engaged in farming and the live stock
business. In 1848 he removed to his present locality and, in company with Mr.
Gruelle, opened a general store about half a mile north of Bourbon, his store
being the only one west of Charleston. He was engaged extensively in buying and
selling cattle and horses, and drove them from his home to Wisconsin, which at
that time was the only market worthy of the name in the west. They continued at
this point about one year. Mr. Jones then built a store in Bourbon and laid out
the town. He continued merchandising here about six years. In 1858 he was
elected sheriff of the county of Coles, and removed to Charleston. There he
resided for three years, returning to Bourbon in 1861. He was elected to the
Legislature in 1864 and re-elected in 1866, and was the first member elected
from the new county of Douglas. In 1870 he was elected state senator and served
four years. He was also a candidate for the Senate in 1880, but was defeated by
a few votes.

On coming to Coles, now Douglas county, he had but forty dollars and a pony. He
now owns fifteen hundred acres of land and the finest residence in the township,
which cost over six thousand dollars. He was married in 1880 to Mary, daughter
of Isaac Gruelle, who was one of the earliest settlers of the county. Eleven
children have blessed this union, nine now living, four sons and five daughters.
His wife died June 23, 1895, in her sixty-first year. Amongst Mr. Jones'
neighbors, when he first settled in the vicinity of Bourbon, might be mentioned
the Abbots, Stovals, Ellises, and the Chandlers. Mr. Jones and Lemuel Chandler,
in the 1860 days of old, were the leading stump speakers and authorities of the
day, and being on opposite sides of the important political questions, made the
old brick school house in Bourbon fairly ring with the eloquent pros and cons of
political debate, the condiments of which were not a little personal feeling,
which, to the knowing ones, lent an added zest to their enjoyment; but, happy to
say, old time fixed them with his glittering eye at last and the foolishness of
political animosity gracefully gave way to the sober philosophy of increasing
years. In a public career of about forty-five years, Mr. Jones, while occupying
positions of trust and responsibility, such as sheriff, representative and state
senator, has retained his integrity and, consequently, the respect of his fellow
citizens. His character has never been assailed and he stands before the world
to-day retaining the reputation of an hones and influential man. Mr. Jones is
universally respected. He has seen many changes in the county and at the sunset
of life still takes an active and influential part in the political, social and
industrial life of the day.

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