Lewis County, West Virginia         Biography of SAMUEL C. JONES

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The History of West Virginia, Old and New
Published 1923, The American Historical Society, Inc.,
Chicago and New York, Volume III,
pg. 458
Lewis

SAMUEL C. JONES. The home and farm of Samuel C.
Jones is ten miles southeast of Weston, in the vicinity of
Vandalia, Lewis County.  Mr. Jones is now eighty-one
years of age, was a soldier in the Civil war, has spent most
of his life in West Virginia, and the success he has made
at farming and the performance of his duties as a citizen
has commended him to the respect and esteem of all who
know him.

Mr. Jones was born in Highland County, Virginia, April
3, 1841, son of Henry and Sallie C. (Eagle) Jones. His
father was born in Highland County, May 18, 1812, son
of Joseph Jones, who served as a soldier in the War of
1812. Mis wife was a daughter of James Trimble, a native
of Ireland, who was conscripted by the English to fight
the Colonists in America, ana after the war never returned,
but became a citizen of the United States. Henry Jones
and wife were married in Highland County, Virginia, lived
on a farm there for some years, and subsequently moved
to West Virginia and settled in Upshur County, where he
remained until after the Civil war, when he sold out and
moved to Lewis County, where they spent the rest of their
lives. They owned a farm of 250 acres in Lewis County,
and were accounted successful. Henry Jones was a tile-
long member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and for
many years a class leader. He voted as a democrat until
after the Civil war, when he became a republican. He was
the father of five children: John, deceased; Mary E., wife
of William Reger; Lydia, wife of Charies W. Tolbert;
Margaret Ann, widow of William E. Tolbert; and Sam-
uel C.

Samuel C. Jones grew up on a farm, had a public school
education, and in Septemuer, 1862, enlisted in Company
E, of the First West Virginia Light Artillery. He was
with that command until the close of the war, and par-
ticipated in several historic battles. When the war was
over he returned to Upshur County, but soon afterward
moved to Vandalia, where he became interested in mer-
chandising and also served as postmaster,  Selling his
interests there, he went back to a farm in Upshur County.
While a merchant at Vandalia he married Catherine E.
Peterson on December 26, 1866. She was reared in Lewis
County. Mr. and Mrs. Jones returned to Lewis County
in 1869, and for half a century they have made their home
on their farm of seventy-nve acres near Vandalia.

They are the parents ot eight children: W. T. Jones,
a farmer on akin Creek and married Kate Roach; Ida L.
is the wife of John C. Chidester, Cora is the wife of B.
E. Wells, Retta May is the wife of A. O. Harper; J.
Ralph is a glass manufacturer at Bridgeport, West Vir-
ginia, and married Mintie Horner; Mary is the wife of
J. S. Ocheltree; and H. G. and Sallie Gay, twins, the
former married Mamie West and the latter is the wife
of Fred A. Linger.

Mr. and Mrs. Jones have been faithful members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church through a long period of years.
He is a republican, though he has never sought any office.

Mrs. Jones, whose maiden name was Catherine E. Peter-
son, is a daughter of E. D. Peterson, one of the prominent
farmers and citizens of the Skin Creek community of
Lewis County. As a republican he represented his home
district one term in the West Virginia Legislature, and
helped write the constitution of the state. He was a
prominent leader in the Methodist Church. He was the
father of eleven children, five of whom are still living:
Sarah J., widow of Acil Casto, who was a Confederate
soldier; Catherine E., Mrs. Samuel C. Jones; Mary, widow
of Thomas Eckes; Job B. lives in Missouri; N. E. Peter-
son is a farmer; David T. was a captain in the Union
Army during the Civil war; Samuel T. fought on the
Confederate side; the other deceased children were: John
D.; Charles Peterson; Matilda, who was the wife of
Leroy Horner; Christina, who was the wife of James W.
Duncan.