Royal H. Jones Biography


	This biography appears on pages 708-709 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				ROYAL H. JONES.  

	In taking up the personal history of whose who have contributed 
to the development, upbuilding, progress and prosperity of South Dakota 
it is imperative that mention be made of Royal H. Jones, of Yankton, 
who after long years of active connection with important business 
interests is now living retired. He was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
October 10, 1845, a son of James F. and Adelphia (Moon) Jones, both of 
whom were natives of the state of new Yolk, born in the vicinity of 
Syracuse.  

	Removing westward to Wisconsin, James F. Jones purchased a farm 
three miles from the city of Milwaukee and there carried on general 
agricultural pursuits for a time. He finally purchased another farm in 
Rock county, Wisconsin in 1852 and continued its cultivation and 
improvement for a number of years, becoming an important factor in the 
agricultural development of that district. Eventually, however, he 
purchased a hotel in Magnolia, Wisconsin, and also entered mercantile 
circles in that place, establishing and conducting a store. In 1857 he 
removed to Geneva, Minnesota, where he built a hotel and laid out the 
townsite, also starting a general mercantile store. He made a great 
success in his various undertakings there as a farmer, financier, 
merchant and banker and became a very prominent, influential man of the 
community. He was a most practical business man in all that he 
undertook. He never theorized concerning possibilities but set at once 
to work to utilize the practical phases of a situation and often by 
coordinating seemingly diverse elements brought about a harmonious and 
unified whole, that produced splendid financial results. His was, 
indeed, an active, useful and well spent life and his death was the 
occasion of deep regret to many friends when he passed away in 1900, at 
the age of seventy-seven years. For a decade he had survived his wife, 
who died in 1891. In their family were six children, of whom Royal H. 
is the eldest, the others being: D. E., a resident of Geneva, 
Minnesota; Helen M., the wife of J. W. Howard, of California; Adele C., 
the wife of Robert Miller, of Santa Barbara, California; J. E., a 
resident of California; and Mark M., a prominent insurance dealer of 
Albert Lea, Minnesota.  

	Royal H. Jones accompanied his parents on their removal to 
Geneva, Minnesota, where he acquired a limited education, owing to the 
primitive condition of the schools of that period. He pursued his 
studies, however, to the age of sixteen years and then began active 
work with his father, being employed upon the farm and in the store 
until he attained his majority. In 1866 he came to South Dakota with 
Charles McIntyre and the Lee and Morey families. For a time they 
operated a sawmill in Yankton, after which Mr. Jones secured a 
preemption and then a homestead claim three miles west of Yankton, 
making in all three hundred and twenty acres. For six years he farmed 
that property without success owing to the many handicaps caused by 
drouth, the grasshopper scourge and other unsurmountable and 
unavoidable difficulties. About the termination of that period he 
rented his farm and crops began to grow, so that the rental made an 
assured income. Taking up his abode in Yankton, he dealt in horses for 
one year and then went to the San Juan district of Colorado to look 
after mining interests, remaining in that region for a year. He then 
returned to Yankton and soon afterward went to Meckling, South Dakota, 
where he established a stock ranch. At that point he embarked in the 
cattle business, in which he continued for four years, but in 1881 his 
entire stock was drowned in the great flood of that year on the 
Missouri. This completely bankrupted him and he was forced to begin 
business life anew. With the assistance of his father he purchased 
three hundred cattle and started in again at Meckling as a dealer in 
live stock, but did not remain there. In 1882 he went to Bon Homme 
county, where he owned some land, and remained in that district for 
four years, during which time success attended his efforts in 
considerable measure and he recuperated his losses.  

	In 1886 Mr. Jones again went to Geneva, Minnesota, with the 
intention of joining his father in business and remained for a year. In 
1887, however, he was in Duluth as an inspector for the state of 
Minnesota as a member of the warehouse and railway commission. He 
continued to act as an inspector for ten years, or until 1897, and 
during that period he erected a pleasant residence in Duluth, which he 
still owns. When a decade had passed he went again to Albert Lea, 
Minnesota, where he remained with his father, assisting him in the 
management of his large business interests, continuing at that point 
until 1902. In the meantime, or in 1900, his father died and Royal H. 
Jones assisted in settling up the estate. He returned to Yankton in 
1902 and made extensive investments in city property, since which time 
he has here lived retired, giving his supervision to the management of 
his real estate interests and the direction of his other business 
affairs. He is the vice president of the Yankton Telephone Company and 
has large realty holdings, which return to him a most gratifying annual 
income.  

	On the 12th of January, 1868, in Yankton, Mr. Jones was united in 
marriage to Miss Adelia C. Guild, a native of Syracuse, New York, and a 
daughter of James and Sarah (Merril) Guild. There were two children: 
Mrs. Jones; and Emory R. Guild, a printer by trade, who went to 
California and died in Bakersfield. Mr. Guild died in New York and Mrs. 
Guild married James D. Prentice, who went to Yankton in 1864 and 
started the first shoemaker's shop there. Mrs. Prentice died in March, 
1900, and Mr. Prentice passed away in 1898. He was an active Mason The 
only child of Mr. and Mrs. Jones, Lottie D., died in 1890, at the age 
of nineteen years, but they are now rearing an adopted daughter, Mabel 
Layton Jones. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Congregational church and 
Mr. Jones belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen. In politics 
he is a progressive republican- in fact, he has been a progressive in 
every relation of life, never content to stand still but always 
advancing along lines which have given him a broader outlook and wider 
opportunity. There have been times when disasters have threatened him 
and when business failure seemed imminent, but with characteristic 
purpose and determination he has pursued his way, making the best 
possible use of opportunities, and today he is numbered among the 
capitalists of Yankton, possessing a handsome competence that enables 
him to live retired save for the super" vision which he gives to his 
property.