Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-01-07
Queer Career.

General John Sidney Jones, one OF the
uueerest characters in the United States,
died yesterday in the State Insane Asylum
at Harrisburg, Pa The General was king
of crauks, and one of the most eccentric OF
the many eccentric men known in the his.
tory of Philadelphia. He was born in 1911
in what was afterwards known as the old
district Of Spring Garden. He was indus
trious aud thrifty in his youth, ard in spite
of some singular vagaries at that early date,
soon became possessor of considerable means
earned in carpet manufacturing, OF which
industry he was one of the pioneers ~ the
o;tu she,a.-I2-Uf ,I. auiyo"" plan, and about
The same time began to be vo!uble disciple
of queer outgrowth Of Fourieri ism, one
phase of which was his hiring Of a grove
uear Frankford, where be had Sunday pic
MICS, participated in by his workmen and
their families, who foaud That it paid to
humor him, and by goodIy sprnkIing OF
the cranks Of the day. He was also about
this time elected br;gadier general Of
militia. There were many brigadiers in those
days, arrayed i'll uniforms of marvellous
design, and of so great cost that the Office
generally went begging. General Jones,
like other brigadiers of his day, did not like
his valuable military services both in Mex
leo and The Sunny South, nor did he appear
in arms in the riots of 1914, nor the later
one known as the California House riot. AT
the close of the late civil war General
Jones branched out into q new evangel
known as the Noachic Adamitic gospel dis
pensation, the believers in which were to
spend their souls 10 yachting and fest wash
ing The advertisements Of the meetings
of the disciples were wonderful productions
of worded nonsense. General Jones
having taken to himself hepmate in the
person Of Fanny Lee Townsend, an ancient
and decayed priestess offree love, purchased
at an eXorbitant price wornout and worm
eaten oyster-boat, upon which he and his
followers, composed principally Of free
loving oystermen, who ale aud drank at
the apostles expense and borrowed much
money Of him, sailed up and down
the river. There were at this time meet.
ings Of free-thinkers held in an upper
room at the northeast corner of Second and
Pine streets, in which Professor Jackson, of
fireworks fame, took principal part. Gen.
Jones, his wife and his oyster.catching fol-
lowers, when not sailing on the Delaware
or feet washing at Gloucester h1unted these
meetings, and after scenes of disorder, many
very funny, took possession of them, Prof
Jackson aud his friends moving to Hay
Hall, at Sixth street and Passayunk avenue.
Hither repaired General Jones one Sunday
afternoon, and, being refused admittance, "a
ladder was obtained and placed against
into which the General was climb |
lug when he was overhaued by the police
and locked up. A few days after the carpet |
store of the General on Second street, near
the Commercial Exchange, was burned out !
Fire Marshal Blackburn arrested the Gen
oral OH the ire ground, on the charge of
setting his store on fire. The evidence was
but the General escaped convic.
ion through a commission of lunacy which
ound him insane, and he from that time
Until his death was confined at Harrisburg,
except some days of wandering following
wo escapes from the asylum His estate,
which is considerable, has since been man.
'ged by trustees.