The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-10-05
PALACE ON A MOUNTAIN TOP

Joy there is in Litchffeld county,
Conn.,, over the decision of Frank w.
Jones to build a towering mansion on
a mountain top in his native town of
New Hartford. There is joy because
from a pension clerkship in Washing
ton he has graduated into law, thence
into business, became manager of great
telephone enterprises and finally preSi-
dent of companies with large holdings
of stock, and he now returns to build
a grand chateau on the mountain at
which he looked with wondering eyes
when boy running about the village.
He has bought square mile of land
for his house and grounds, embracing
the entire summit of the mountain.
Since he left his native town and
began life as clerk in a Hartford
dry goods store Mr.. Jones has Travelled
in many lands, lived in London and
South American capitals and seen the
sights of the world. He told me the
other day that after all his journeys
he had found nothing, not even among
the lake regions of England and Scot
land more beautiful than the noun
tains of New Hartford.
The statement that Mr. Jones left
home a poor boy is untrue but the
story Of his achievements is peculiarly
interesting, and his rise to wealth and
influence in the business world is al
most as wonderful as fiction.
Mr.. Jones was born fifty-two years
ago in New Hartford. His parents
We're prosperous and of the best Puri-
tan. stock His father, Henry Jones,
began as a manufacturer, but so broad
was his mind and SO great his ability
and honesty that he was sent to the
legislature many times, was several
years a senator and later probate Judge
He was a friend and adviser of Gov.
Buckingham, Connecticut's famous war
governor, and welded a beneficial in
huence in public affairs. He was twice
married, his second wife a Miss Will
liams. Her ancestors founded Will
liams college and signed the declara-
ton of independence.
Mr.. Jones family were not only pros
porous and among the first families in
the state, but his elder brother, Capt
Henry r. Jones, early in life won a
handful of medals in the civil war, was
filed with Confederate lead at Antie-
tam, after moving down a few Of his
enemies, and later, enlisting for the
third time, was seriously wounded and
retired on pension, with more medals
of honor. He still lives, has fine
family and one of the handsomest
mountain residences in New Hartford
and edits the only newspaper in the
town. The Washington connections of
Capt Jones opened the way to his
brothers aspirations.
There was little to do in the quiet
hamlet of New Hartford, and young
Jones, the subject Of this sketch, hav-
ing an active mind, preferred business
to law. Like most country boys he
fancied clerlling in a store would open
the way to a wider career. So he went
to Hartford, found employment in a
dry goods establishment and learned
the business, then got a position in the
pension Office at Washington. He soon
displayed genius for details and rou-
tine affairs. He was promoted until he
became chief clerk of his division in
the pension Office. He was not long in
mastering the intricacies of the pension
bureau, but, seeing no future there, he
turned to law, was admitted to the
bar and became practising attorney
He was doing we'll when an incident
changed his whole life. That was in
1SS1-1SS2.
The Bell telephone was being intro
duced to the world. and a friend en-