Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-31


for many years. The reason for this name,
as told by Mr.. Jones. was that while run
ming the FIRST survey OF the land he found
himself in the bottom OF a rather deep
%ravine. clothed with a heavy growth Of
trees. 90 that the only direction in which
he could look was upward, with thoughts
Of Indians ever in his mind. a danger from
ambush not being impossible. he said that
between that place and pGrgatory there
would be little choice.
In 1854 the Omaha Town company was
formed and under the direction Of the
board Of directors MIR. Jones made the
original survey Of the city. II is not gen.
orally known that the base line Of this
survey was taken at what is now Davenport
street. A year ago Mr.. Jones said that
one Of the cornerstones. placed by him at
that time, could be found at or near the
present Union Pacific headquarters.
After the survey OF the town site i'm
migrants began to arrive from the eastern
states and for some time there was con-
siderable trouble over the conflicting
claims Of persons who had endeavored to
settle upon the same tracts Of land. All
Of the residents we're 'squatters," without
rights which could be enforced in any
kOaANf hhNf III AaNAg z q hV VI
competent Jurisdiction to hear and deter
mine causes. with this condition confront
Ing the settlers they decided to form a
court OF claims to adiudicate between the
conflicting interests Of the "squatters." OF
that court Mr.. Jones was made Judge and
a clerk and sheriff were selected to en-
force the DEGREES. This court continued
only until the land was made subject TO
entry under the land laws Of the United
States, when It was formally dissolved, but
out Of II grew the claim clubs which -four
ished for several years afterward.
First Postmaster of Omaha.
In 1854 after the town had been sur
veyed there was an attempt made to have
q postofhce established at Omaha. Through
the efforts Of Bernard Hem Of Iowa this
was done, but no arrangements were made
for the transmission Of mail between the
new postoflce and the outside world, the
most western route at that time in this
part Of the country being Council Bluffs.
In this contingency Mr.. Jones acted as mail
carrier, he having been appointed post
master May s, 1854. The carrying Of the
mail by the postmaster without a contract
with the government resulted In a claim
for a comparatively small amount, which
has never been paid. When the late j..
Sterling Morton was a member of the cabi-
net of Grover Cleveland he looked over
some old records relating to the territory
Of Nebraska in the archives in Washing
ton and wrote to Mr.. Jones, complimentlng
him upon the correctness and lucidity Of
his reports as postmaster at Omaha, and
referred to the claim for compensation as
mail carrier, which at that time had fallen
into oblivion.
In nocamhar 1QSA Govarnor CuuinO
called for an election of territorial officers
and Mr.. Jones was chosen as a member Of
the council, or upper house OF the as
sembly, December 20 Of that year. He
served for one term and then resigned. In
1858 he was elected as a member of the
city council, but resigned that position a
short time afterward.
Always Had Faith in Omaha.
Mr.. Jones was always enthusiastic over
the future Of Omaha and at the first cele-
Dration or the Fourth or July which was
ever held upon the soil Of Douglas county
he proposed the toast which has since
become a fact, Omaha, the Future Me.
tropolis OF Nebraska but then Mr.. Jones
has since said, he had no idea that he
would ever see the town which was then
only so on paper have more than 10, 1000
inhabitants, which was the ultima thule OF
the sanguine hopes of the founders.
Aside from his work in laying the foun-
dations of the city which outgrew his warm
est hopes, Mr.. Jones took an active interest
in the affairs OF the state. In 1855 he was
elected secretary and treasurer Of the Old
Settlers society, which Office he held as
long as the organization continued active.
He was one OF the first members Of the Me-
braska Agricultural society and until very
-
terest in the work of the State Historical
society. He was one OF the first residents
Of the state to take prominent part in the
work Of the Independent order OF Odd Fell
lows, but in later years was not promi-
nently identified with the organization.
When Capitol lodge No. 8, Ancient Free and
Accepted Masons, was organized in Omaha
he was the second man to receive the Blue
lodge degree in the city. The lodge then
met en- Dodge street near the nome of
George Armstrong.
After the admission Of Nebraska as a
state OF the union Mr.. Jones retired from
political life. and for a time conducted a
general store on Twelfth street near Dodge.
He was a man of varied business expert
ence, not content with the slow gains OF or
binary commercial life and travelled much,
trading and handling property. These trips
took him over much OF the great west and
even to the republic of Mexico. but from the
time he arrived on the western bank Of the
Missouri Omaha was his home.
In 1s47. in Jackson county, Missouri. he
married sophronia Reeves Of Virginia, who
survives him. They had no children. but Mrs,
Macksy. a foster child, resides at the home
with the widow.
Not Over-WIse.
There is an old allegorical picture Of q