Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1890-02-04
DlED


ary 31th 1880. after trief illness.
w. r. Jones', aged IS years II months
and days
The funeral took place from the resi-
dence ut eleven o'clock, February Srd,
and although the day was very stormy
the remains were followed to the Wes-
ton Masonic cemetery and deposited in
tLeir final resting place by 4 censi,ier>
able nunber OF seFrsw ing friends and
relatives. At the cemetery the following
tribute to his memory Was paid by L. S.
Woods.
FR1ENDs:-We have this day Assem-
bled t. pay the last sad tribute Of rs-
spsct to an honest man.
It is customary ea occasions like
this fer some person to mako remarks
sulsgizing the msmery Of the dead;
what better can b said, if trathfully
said, than that the .Oid Squire" as
hi. friends loved to call him, was an
honest man, fer is net he the nsblsst
work Of Gsa4 We can say Of him.
tee, that hi. religion was not the relig
ion Of Churches and erssds; he believed
in the religion Of doing coed to his
fellow wmaa, and lived it. de not
think his head csald have rested easy
On his pillow at night, if he knew he
owed any man q dsllar. The needy
and distressed never asked hiu for
help and were turned away unrelievsd
from his dosr. He recognized every
man as his brother, and his ideal heav-
en- was big eneugh to contain them all
BE was cast in .uch toe large mold
to be bigot, and he aespised bigotry
in others. He nsver went behind the
door to express his sentiments, Though
not with the majority. and not popular.
Still hs sllew cd others the same hber-
ty of opinion he claimed for himaslf,
and treated it, when honestly given.
with respect Friends, this mans life
since he has bssn citizen Of this tey6
Is like an open beck, known and read
Of all men, and I have never heard
him accused Of single ungenerous,
or mean act. He vas strictly temper
ate in his ->~ha bits, he never
used intsxicants. tebaccs in any
fern never stained his lips; doubts
less he had petty sins and fsllies. who
has them net but he had as few Of
them as any man I ever know. Weigh
ed in balance against bis virtues, they
are IS handful Of feathers against q
cube Of granite.
1t seems to ne, friends, that ". r.
Jones' life car be profisably sxed as an
example by all Of us, that whsn sur
lifs's work is demo, it be as well doas
as his, that when the last dread me-.
ssngsr GENES, We can wrap the drapsry
Of our couch about US and meet death
as bravsly and fsarlsssly as did he
with ne shadow Of fear or demon oi
remsrss to disturb our last reposs.
What can be said new ts confer,
the ssrrswing widow and children o.
eur friend just gene frsm sight2 Alas
words are ina dsquate to describe tn,
sorrow Of the bersavsd, afford csnfsrt
or replace the loss.
We can say Of the ascsas ssd, that h,
believed in great Creating Power
whom we call Gsd; that he believed i,
q future existence; and if future, 9
better stste Of existence. Why's Be
cause he had bsen relieved Of his ole
pain raoksd bsdy he had wern AZ gar
msnt fer 80 many years, he is relieved
Of physical suffering, and why, in hi
case, shsuld there be mental distress
Ne, rather let US hsPs, and reason
points that way, that if the thin vel
could be lifted, and we eeuld sec across
the threshold into tho ether life, ",
should find sur friend adapting himssl
to new conditions, and all is well will
him.
| Mr. Wood thon read the following
brief biography prepared BY the child
rsa Of the deceased:
William R. Jones va. bern ia Gres,
county, kentucky, Feb. 7th, 1911
which would make hi. IS years, l
months and 4 days Of ago at the tim
Of his death. He had three sisters an,
one brother, all of whom ara new Twin,
with the exception Of enc sister, VIII,
died a number Of years age.
Bern Of hardy and courageous par
snts, such as were the men and wone1
who 6rst settled Kentucky, he inherit
ed that spirit Of independence and sell
reliance, which have ever bsen his pre-
dominating characteristics. Threw
upon his swn resources when but YER
small boy, by the death Of his father
he resided with his unclss in Tennessee
and Alabama, till carly manhood
when he married and settled in Bloem
ingten, tewn new known as Dskalt
in Buchanan county, 1hinsis.
In the year 1850 he beanie imbue
with desire to smigrats to the ther
, comparatively saknewn and di.tan
: land Of Oregon, but being toe pssr t
equip himself for such long and ards
Gus journey, he spent that year in mal /
J ins. :. wagon and making such ethe
preparations az wsrs nesdfsl and in th
spring Of 81 he joined one Of thss
J bands OF bravs-heartsd and stroag>arn
cd pisnssrs whs were among the Sr.
to conquer the western wilderness, an
, mark cut pathway fer that advan'
. ing civilization which has since nad
our fair Oregon what it is. Msvin
sle~ly, day by day, suffering inereaibl
, hardships, constantly contsnding wit
} hostile savagss, the party to which /
belonged pressed steadily onward t
ward the setting sun, across the Reel
) les, ever the Blue mountains. passin,
q peslably, within sight Of the spot .