Omaha daily bee., 1902-08-31
ALFRED D. JONES IS DEAD
suoCumbs to Congestion Of Lungs, Brought
on by Close Confinement.
FIRST WHITE MAN TO SETTLE IN OMAHA
Padded Across Biz Muddy in n Canoe
in Is53-HaIf Century OF His
Life a Resident of
Omaha.

Alfred d. Jones died at his residence,
201S Writ street. yesterday morning at las
o'clock, death being the result Of conges-
tion Of the lungs, consequent upon close
confinement which followed an injury re-
ceived two months ago. At that time Mr..
Jones was attempting to walk upstairs
when he fell and broke his shoulder blade.
II was feared that this injury would cause
his death, but he rallied from It and was
believed to be progressing toward reeov-
cry when his lungs became congested.
The funeral will occur at the family
residence, 201s Writ street, at $3.50 o'clock
Tuesday afternoon, after which the re-
mains will be inferred at Forest Lawn
cemetery. Rev. Luther NJ. Kubns. pastor
Of the Grace Lutheran church, will on
ciAte.
Mr.. Jones had for a number Of years
been a member Of the Independent Order
Of odd Fellows and representatives OF
this organizations will be invited to be
among the active pallbearers, though the
lodge as an organization will take no part
in the funeral services.
The pallbearers have not yet been
chosen, but will be among the close per-
sonal friends of the deceased. Rev. Kuhns
has charge OF the funeral arrangements.
sketch of His Career.
A. d. Jones was born on a farm which
Is now incorporated within the limits Of
the city Of Philadelphia eighty-nine years
ago. within four miles Of Independence
hall. The early years of his life we're
spent upon the farm. and from there, after
more than the average amount Of study
generally secured by a farmers son, he
entered the ranks of the pedagogues as a
school teacher, keeping ahead OF the per-
manent settlements of the west, teaching
frontier schools and trading with the pio-
neers, Of which he was so excellent a
type.
While teaching school he studied sur
veying, and when he arrived in the state
Of Iowa in the early SOS he began to prac-
tice that profession. He made a survey
Of the original townsite of Des Moines and
surveyed the proposed town of winterset
before coming to Council Bluffs, in which
place he arrived in 1852. At that TIM
there was little of the town of Council
Bluffs. 1t was known to the residents Of
the frontier counties of Iowa as Kanes.
willie and consisted of a settlement Of per
sons more or less nomadic in their hab.
its, who had constructed in irregular form
a number Of houses, where they engaged
principally in trading with the Indians
who then held ~undisputed sway on the
prairies OF Nebraska and made life haz.
aTdous f5T the early settlers in Inc north.
ern part Of the state. the massacre al
Spirit Lake taking place several years
after Mr.. Jones came to western Iowa
The first regular survey Of the town o.
Council Bluffs was made By him and hi
suggested the present name OF the place
which was at that time used to designate
a community long since dispersed, which
---- -
Iowa BLUFFS opposite Bellevue, Neb. The
suggestion of the surveyor was almost i'm.
mediately adopted and the town Of Council
Bluffs became the postofice of that name
The grass-covered prairies lying beyond
the morass along the Missouri river wesi
OF that stream had an attraction for many
OF the residents of western Iowa, and
from time to time at various points alonS
the river they made unsuccessful at.
tempts to establish homes, but they wer,
foredoomed to failure. as the title to tn,
land was in the Indian tribes. and unit
the Indian title could be extinguished b.
treaty the government looked with jealou,
eye upon the white squatters, who wer,
regarded as interiopers by the aborigines
the Indians making loud clamors for theiI
removal.
First Settlers in Omaha.
In 1853 a number Of residents Of Coun.
ell Bluffs determined to brave not only
the dangers OF trouble with the Indians
but the displeasure Of the government and
to settle themselves as squatters upon the
Indian lands within what is now the Dor.
ders OF the city Of Omaha. The thre,
men to make the first attempt at ~iocatinl
land upon the present site Of the city wert
A. d. Jones and two brothers by the name
Of Brown. In November. 1858, they pad
died in a dilapidated canoe across the river
landing near the foot OF Davenport street
and made q rapid survey of the land. Mr.
Jones shortly after this 'squatted' upon q
tract Of 100 acres OF land. the eastern Dor.
der Of which included the we'll known VII,
low springs, the land in Forest Hill ad.
dition being part OF that tract. This CLAIM
he called Park Wild, by which It wal