The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-03-28
COL. John A. Jones.


evening, March Goth, the immortal soul
of Col. John Archibald Jones left its
earthyHtabernacle and took up its abode
in his Fathers house. AS the news of
his death spread over our city many an
eye was seen to moisten and many a heart
suffered the pangs of sorrow. Col. Jones'
health had been gradually failing for
more than a year. For several month it
had confined him to the narrow limits of
his apartments at the college, and for
several weeks he had not risen from the
bed on which he breathed his last.
Col. Jones, had he lived until the 10Th
of the next month, would lave celebrated
his sixty-6fth birthday. He was born in
Fayetteville, N. c., in 1881, and when but
a child of one year he was taken by his
parents to Montgomery, Ala, where he
resided until after his graduation from
the University OF Alabama, in 1855. In
1856 he was a tutor in his Alma Mater,
and on May 18th, 1856, was married to
Miss Mary Vincent Scott. While visiting
his parents at Tuskegee, Ala, he was
called to the chair of mathematics in the
Alabama Conference Female College, OF
which the celebrated DIR. A.. A. Lipscomb
was president. After occupying this
position for two years he went into the
manufacturing business at Scottsville,
Ala, which business he followed until
the call to arms in 49,, when he entered
the army of the confederacy as a captain
under General Robert E. Lee. His dis
tinguished service soon won for him the
promotion to major, and shortly after
wards to the colonelship of the 44th
Alabama infantry, Lees army, Hoods
division, Longstreet's corps. Though
wounded three times he was with the
exception OF a few days in active and
continuous service until the surrender of
Lee to Grant at Appomattox. He was in
ever fought on battlefield. He was in the
battles of The Wilderness, Second
Manassas, Chicamaugua, Harper's Ferry,
Richmond and others.
He was born of wealthy southern par
entage, and counted his wealth by the
hundreds Of thousands before that terrible
conflict between the north and south
arose. When he returned home from the
four years. war he found his factories
destroyed and his immense fortune gone.
His earthly possessions consisted of a
horse, a gold watch, which is now a
precious keepsake in the possession OF
President A. A. Jones, and a few dollars
in gold. With a self sacrificing and
devoted wife, his son, Archibald. then
but a few m old, a rood character,
an indomitable will power and a t~ireless
energy it may be said that in '65 he began
life anew.
He first engaged in farming on the
Alabama river. His children arriving at
school age, and feeling that he was with
out means to properly educate them. he
returned to teaching school. He taught
at Havana, Ala, for two or three years
and afterwards at Uniontown for four
years. In 1886 he was elected president of
the Dalton (Ga.) College, which position
he held until he moved to Lexington and
became associated with his son in our
own beloved Central. Here he occupied
the chair of political economy and con-
Quoted the correspondence of the college.
He Joined the Methodist church in 1855.
Col. Jones and his devoted wife were
nearing the celebration of their fortieth
wedding anniversary. Their union was
blessed with eight children, two of whom,
Scott and Albert Houghton
Jones, died in childhood. Archibald A,
president of Central College; Bessie H.,
of this city; DR.. Paul NJ, Vanderbilt
University; Elliot H., of the firm of
Scarritt, Griffith Il Jones, OF Kansas City;
Ernest s., now a student at Vanderbilt,
City High school, mourn the death of
their departed father, while their loving
and faithful mother Is bowed with grief
md charao NTH fhann fha ooA ooH
affection.
Thus briefly is written the sketch OF q
sufficiently eventual to justify the
of a volume. Did we know of
all the good deeds of his life, and were we
to record them they would I'LL many,
many volumes and demonstrate the fact
his was a life v orthy of the highest
emulation. His funeral services were
conducted from the Methodist church, of
which he was q consistent and faithful
member, on last Sunday afternoon.
Beautiful tribute were paid to his
manly character by Rev. A. r. Faris and
Rev. c. NJ. Bishop, and his body borne to
the silent tomb by Capt. w. D. Rankin,
Judge T. A. Catron, Hon. John 8. BLACK
we'll, Leroy Farmer, J. G, Crenshaw and
L -. 6IONCby nuCEC u LhS PTCSChCc vi al
assembled multitude of friends and adj
nirers he was laid to rest.
Those who knew him will bear testi- I
to the fact that Col. Jones was a |
nan of the highest, noblest and best
,ype. First Of all he was a Christian man
He worked In the vineyard of his Master, 1
Ind the seed that he has sown, like the
influence of his lofty character, will bear I
abundant harvest in the ages yet to come. 5
lie was not merely a church member, he
vas a church worker. To him his Savior 1
familiar. With his Savior he COM
puned in prayer, and when the final J
luminous came it foqnd lin ready to ]
appear before the Judgment Throne. He
vas happy to depart and be with God. t
Col. Jones was a Southern man. Not I
,nly were his sentiments linked with the
Iunny Southland, but his character was s
he incarnation of all that was Southern. I
lie possessed that true hospitality SO g
characteristic of the South. '
He did not owe the South to the ex- {
luslon of the North. When Lee surren- !
Tered, he became a loyal citizen of a I
eunited country, and bore nc malice to 1
ny section. '
Col. Jones was an honest man. lie
would have severed his right arm before !
lie would have accepted a dollar to which !
lie was not justly entitled, and would !
forfeited bis life before he would l
betrayed the confidence of his G
riends. q
Col. Jones was as free from deception az !
ny man we ever knew. He despised I
hypocrisy. He was an enemy to decep- G
ion In any form. Humbuggery and
emagogy found in him a tireless foe.
lie was candid and open in every act, and r
schemes and Questionable meth +
found in him a continuous and EN-, (
opponent. {
COL. Jones was a generous man. II 1t
ould be said, he was generous to a fault. [,
le was always ready to share his means h
nth a friend in need always willing to
lake any sacrifice for a worthy end. -,
Col. Jones WAS a brilliant man. His =
was of the highest order. With y
i'm, "reading made the full man." He u
a BROAD minded man. His excellent