Middletown transcript., 1904-06-04
THE CAREER OF
SAMUEL JONES
A Notable and Valuable OBJ
iect-LeSson to The Colored
People Of Delaware.
HE ACHIEVED PROSPERITY

I MlDDLEIONN, hdy ActIl. - n SbOI.
has appeared in several newspapers re
| Gently about the successful career of Col
ored farmer in a neighboring State, ano
his record has been commented on gen
orally as conspicuous instance of col
ored man making marked success O
agriculture. Colored farmers are few OIL
the Delaware and Maryland Peninsula
and those who have achieved any marked
degree of success may almost be counted
on the fingers of one hand. One of the
few is Samuel Jones, residing near Mid
dletown. The story of the career of this
colored man is interesting in many ways,
and incidentally, in point of what he has
accomplished, places him at the head oil
the really successful colored farmers on
the Peninsula.
"Born 63 years ago in the county
where he still resides, Samuel Jones has
acquired considerable property, and in a
sense has worked out the,problem of "ma-
terial gain'' even while many of his
white friends, with better advantages and
greater opportunities, have made little or
no progress in this direction. The win.
ter he was IL years of age Jones spent at
school, and the two succeeding winters
again found him poring over his books.
In this way he learned to read and write
and many winters since then, when his
work did not interfere, he supplemented
his knowledge gained at school by read
ing such books as are usually to be found
in the ordinary country school. His meth
ods were never of the haphazard sort, for
he took satisfaction in studying each book
thoroughly from the first page to the last.
At the age of 20 Jones engaged as a
farm hand with Sereck F. Shallcross, Sr.,
one of the best-known and most success
full farmers in Delaware. During the
three years he lived with Mr.. Shallcross
he saved $500. The two following years
he worked for different farmers and add
ed 5000 more to his bank account, for he
always believed that ones savings were
safer in bank than anywhere else.
"It was about this time that Jones
married, and that he chose wisely and
well is proved by the fact that much oi
his success since, according to his own
statement, has been due to the aid and
encouragement given him by his wife.
She was plain, sensible woman, with
an eye to saving where saving was pos
sible, and her advise and counsel were
followed with profit many times in after
years. Then came the war and the hus
band was drafted; but he preferred work
ing in the field to fighting in the field
and he willingly gave up $1.50 of his
hard earned cash for substitute. A few
more years as farm laborer followed
and then he came to the same conclusion
that thousands of other men are coming
to every year, and that was that he coult
do better working for himself than fol
someone else, and he decided to rent tht
first available farm.
"By the merest chance this happened
to be the 260 acre farm of the late Col
Joshua Clayton, located about four mile
from Middletown, in lower New Castle
County. Col. Clayton was one of th,
foremost men of the State, near relativ,
of Hon. John NJ. Clayton, and man o
affluence. The fact that he leased hi
large farm to a colored man caused som,
comment at the time among the neigh
bors, for it was almost an unheard O
thing for colored man to manage farm
property, or any other property of value
But Col. Clayton knew his tenant mucf
better than those who criticised, and sub
sequent events proved that he made nc
mistake, for Jones not only lived on the
farm during the remainder of Col. Clay.
toms lifetime, but he tenants it to-day
for the Clayton heirs.
s'The first year on the farm was fal
from being a satisfactory one for many
reasons. Much of the land was swampy
and all of it was poor. The wheat crop
the first season was only 130 bushels.
What was done in after years is evident
by the fact that the wheat yield has been
as high as 1900 bushels. Other farm
crops increased in like proportion!
"Jones' reputation as successful far
Haer is probably not less known at home
than his reputation as the head of large
family. He is the father of 16 children,
IL of whom are living, and as the country
folks would say, call ofthem are well-to-
do" Abram, the eldest son, was sent to
college atSteelton, Pa. ard graduated with
honors. When he returned to the farm
his father built small but comfortable
schoolhouse in the yard near the family
dwelling, and here the college graduate
labored during the winter months to ed
ucate his younger brothers and sisters.
During the busy season the boys who
were old enough worked in the fields,
but always as soon as the crops were har-
vested the shool work was resumed, and
nothing other than sickness was ever