William Jones Biography


	This biography appears on page 1885-1886 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.


	WILLIAM JONES, deceased, bore a prominent part in the upbuilding 
of South Dakota during its territorial days and deserves special 
mention in a work of this kind. He was a native of the old Buckeye 
state, born in 1831, and acquired a common-school education in his 
native state. Concluding that the west had better opportunities for 
advancement, he came to this section and engaged in railroad 
contracting, having aided in the construction of the Union Pacific 
Railroad. He operated and owned the first stage line from Denver, 
Colorado, to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Later he went to Colorado and 
engaged in merchandising at Georgia Gulch, also giving some attention 
to mining interests which he had acquired. He made money and used it to 
good purpose. During the war of the Rebellion, he equipped and paid the 
entire expenses of a regiment of Colorado troops which were sent to the 
front and during the first two years of the struggle he acted as 
quartermaster. After the close of the war he engaged in freighting from 
St. Joseph, Missouri, west, and in 1872 he went to Utah where he 
remained four years, coming to Black Hills, Dakota territory, in 1876. 
Here he engaged in farming and stock raising, which he followed up to 
the time of his death, which occurred at Spearfish, February 16, 1886. 
A Republican in politics, he always took an active part in the 
interests of his party and did much to strengthen party lines in his 
section of the state.

	Mr. Jones was married in Denver, Colorado, in 1863, to Ellen 
Keliher, who survives him, now living at Sioux Falls at the age of 
seventy-three years. Their children are Linnie B., widow of Bernard 
McCrossan, of Sioux Falls; Henry M., of Sioux Falls; Nellie, wife of O. 
R. LaMontague, of Lead, South Dakota. Mr. Jones possessed a character 
which won for him universal esteem. A man of strong convictions, he had 
the courage to express and maintain his opinions at all times. 
Possessed of indomitable energy, he was always at the front in 
everything that obtained to uplift his fellow man and advance the 
community in which he lived. He won for himself a reputation that kept 
him to the forefront among his fellow citizens throughout his active 
days. In his family he was a generous provider, a kind husband and 
indulgent and kind father and possessed the attributes of character 
that unconsciously win respect and admiration.