The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-20

enthusiasm. He was ready to talk about
himself.
It wanted to be a great lawyer. While
a boy ] lived in Nashville and took every
opportunity to attend the sessions Of one
of the courts the presiding judge of which
was a close personal friend of my father
and the family.
1.-THE judge often called me on the
bench with him and I sat for hours at
a. time watching the proceedings of the
court
THE speeches and work of the law
yers fascinated me and / determined to
follow the profession.
But at the age of 10 my father died
and I had to leave school and go to
work. | got employment in a large whole
sale hardware store in Nashville and
have been in the business ever since. ]
went to work on February 8, 1872, just
a few days after was Is years old
It was put on the road for this
same firm when I was II years of age.
In 1884 l was assigned to the alabama
territory with headquarters at Birming
ham, then a struggling town. My
headquarters were at the old Florence
hotel.
I'm 1886 I resigned my place with the
Nashville firm and took a position on
the road with the Birmingham firm of
Moore, Moore & Handley.
II am afraid / will never have the
opportunity to become the great law
yer of my boyish dreams"
Harry Jones was born at Knoxville,
Tenn, January ~. 1859. The elder
Jones served through the war as a cap
tain of one of the east Tennessee COM
panies in the Confederate army. During
the war the family was refugeed to
Cincinnati, where they were Joined by
the husband and father at the close
of hostilities
Captain Jones engaged in the whole
sale shoe business in Cincinnati, In
1868 the family removed to Nashville,
Tenn, where the elder Jones continued
in the shoe business until his death
In 1872.
Harry had limited education In the
public schools of Cincinnati and Nash
Vile.
Mr.. Jones married Miss Bertha Ruff
ner In Nashville In 1884. Mrs. Jones
comes from a distinguished family of
Virginia. She is the granddaughter of
the late Gen. Louis Ruffner of Charles
ton, w. Va, and Is also close rel
alive of Professor Ruffner of the Uni
versity Of Virginia.
Mr.. Jones Els the only living blood
relative of the late John Sewer, the
hrst governor of Tennessee.
Mr.. Jones was the first alderman
elected from the town of Highland
when that suburb was annexed to Biz
mingham as the Sixth ward. His col
league was the late James 7. Meade
This was during the administration of
David J. Fox as mayor of Birming-
ham. With the exception of two terms
Mr.. Jones has served continuously on
the City Council OF Birmingham and
has been one of the most active mem
bers of that body, having served as
chairman OF some OF the most import
ant committees.
He was elected president of the coun-
ell by the people in 1908. being the
first president of the Birmingham City
Council to be so elected.
Mr.. Jones is member of the Central
Presbyterian church of Birmingham
He Is a member of a number of fra
ternal and secret orders in a number
of which he has been frequently hon
ored with high positions
He is one of the best known trav
cling men In Alabama and has MANY
friends. His rule of life is quality.
He gauges a man by what he is worth
In character, not in dollars. He has a
keen insight into human nature and
chooses his friends with rare discre
ton.
He is a good companion and an op-
tmist.