Marshall County KS Archives Biographies.....Jones, Arthur T. 1885 - 
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Author: Emma E. Forter (1917)

ARTHUR T. JONES.

    One of the well-known and successful farmers and stockmen of Guittard
township, Marshall county, is Arthur T. Jones, who was born in the township on
March 27, 1885, and is the son of Peter and Emma (Totten) Jones, pioneers of
Marshall county, the former of whom died in 1911 and the latter of whom is now
living on the old home place.

    Peter Jones came to Marshall county when the land was still open for
pre-emption and when there were but few settlers in the district. On coming to
Kansas he first settled in Nemaha county, where he remained but a short time,
after which he came to Marshall county and pre-empted land in Guittard township.
Here he obtained one hundred and sixty acres of land and established his home.
At the time he made the settlement he had a team of oxen and no wagon, and it
was necessary for him to drive to St. Joseph in order to obtain one. Before
starting home he loaded his wagon with doors, sashes, flooring and roofing, to
complete a stone house that he had erected on his claim. The house is still
standing and with the many improvements that have been made to it, is still the
residence of the widow, who is one of the honored pioneers of the county. After
completing his house, Peter Jones proceeded to break up his farm and prepare it
for the crops which he later planted. In time his farm became known as one of
the best developed and most highly improved places in the township. He always
took great pride in the upkeep of his farm and buildings, and at his death, the
place was a splendid monument to his energy and ability as a farmer. When he
first settled in this community, the Indians were still very numerous, and at
one time there were two hundred encamped on the farm, and there is still
evidence of their camp on the farm at the present time. At that time the nearest
market was at Beatrice, Nebraska, to which place Mr. Jones hauled his first
grain from the farm. The wheat of that first crop was cut with a scythe and
threshed with a flail. Deer were numerous along the timber tracts and there were
numerous herds of buffalo on the plains. Mr. Jones often engaged in the hunt for
the deer and on different occasions he took part in a buffalo hunt, in the more
western part of the state, where he was for some time manager of a large ranch.
The home was near the old trail, over which the government trains would make
their slow progress toward "Pikes Peak," and the slowly moving wagon trains
could be seen from the house. Those caravans were eagerly watched for, as they
had much to do with breaking the monotony of the lonely life on the plains at
that time. Mr. Jones always took much interest in the development of the
district and in the civic life of the township in which he lived, and in which
he and his wife had so much to do with the general development and growth.

    Arthur T. Jones received his primary education in the district schools and
later graduated from the high school at Beattie and in 1907 he attended the
business college at Grand Island, Nebraska. That same year he returned to the
home farm, which he operated for two years, when he then rented a farm for three
years. He then came into possession of eighty acres of land, a part of his
present farm. This he farmed and in addition he operated a tract of eighty acres
of the old Thorn place. He later rented eighty acres from his brother, A. G.
Jones, which he continued to operate until 1912. He then built a splendid house
and barn on his own place, where he now lives and where he is the owner of one
hundred and sixty acres of prime land. Here he is engaged in general farming and
stock raising and is meeting with much success. He keeps a fine lot of cattle,
Duroc-Jersey hogs and Percheron horses, and is today recognized as one of the
substantial men and successful farmers and stockmen of the county.

    On March 10, 1909, Arthur T. Jones was united in marriage to Bertha A.
Stevenson, who was born in Richland township, Marshall county, on August 7,
1885. She is the daughter of Milton L. and Mary (Easterly) Stevenson, prominent
residents of the county. They were natives of the state of Iowa, where they
received their education in the public schools, grew to maturity and were there
married. They later came to Marshall county, where they now live two miles west
of Axtell.

    To Arthur T. and Bertha A. Jones have been born two children, Stewart L. and
Dwight A. Stewart L. was born on May 7, 1913, and Dwight A. on September 19,
1915. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal church
and are active in all moral, social and religious work of the township. They
take the greatest interest in the educational development of the district and
are strong advocates of the best class of public schools that it is possible to
have. Mrs. Jones, having graduated from the local schools, attended the Emporia
Normal school and was for four years one of the successful teachers of the
county, fully realizes the great importance of the high standard school. Mr.
Jones, a graduate of the high school and having taken work in a business
college, is also in accord with a high standard of schools. To him good schools
and well-built roads are two of the essentials in the development and growth of
any community. Politically, Mr. Jones is identified with the Democratic party,
and while he is not an office seeker, he has always been active in the affairs
of the township, and is a firm believer in selecting competent men to administer
the affairs of the township and the county, rather than voting for men because
they are identified with any particular party.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

History of Marshall County, Kansas: its people, industries, and institutions
by
Emma E. Forter

Indianapolis, Ind.: B.F. Bowen & Co. (1917)


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