The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-01-26
From Thursdays DaIiy.

From thursdays OdIU.
The San Jose Mercury of Janu-
airy 2 contained this account of the
death of William Jones, a former
well-known resident of Blue Earth
county
civilian Jones, a well-known bus
mess man of this place, was found
dead in bed by his wife shortly be-
fore seven o'clock this morning at
their residence on Jackson near
Franklin street. He had been in
poor health for many years and on
the advice of his physician in the
east he came to this coast. Yester-
day he complained of severe pains
in his side but toward evening he
felt better and when he retired last
night he was in his usual health.
This morning when his wife attempt
ed to awaken him she found that
he was dead. DIR. Paul was imme-
diately summoned and stated that he
had been dead several hours.
+. Mr. Jones was a native of Wales
and was in his seventy-third year.
At an early age he removed with
his parents to Blue Earth county,
Minnesota. AT the outbreak of the
Civil war he enlisted with one of
the Minnesota companies and he
served with great credit for two and
a half ytars, when his health failed
him. Later he was elected treas
urer of Blue Earth county and held
the office for a period of eight years.
Later he engaged in business there
and, owing to failing health, he
came to California with his family
in 1902. They first located at Santa
Rosa, where they remained until six
years ago, when they came here, and
shortly after his arrival he opened
Racket Bazaar in the Widney
block, which he conducted with sue
cess. ~,
He is survived by widow and four
daughters, Mrs. l.. w. Jordan, of
Santa Rosa, Mrs. Joy Kelly of Sac
remento, Miss Lottie Jones of Wat
sonville and Miss Lille Jones of
Portland. An inquest was held this
evening over the body and the jury
returned a verdict that the cause of
death was arterial schlerosis. .rs
The following reference to Mr..
Jones is found in "The History OF
UhC wv Oioll III
William Jones was born near
Llanrhiadr-Mochnant, Montgomery
shire, Wales, in September, 1910.
He was a son of John and Margaret
Jones lOshkosh). Emigrated with
his parents to America in 1916 and
settled on a farm near Waukesha,
Wis, whence they moved to Osh-
kosh in 1850, and to a farm near
South Bend, Mimi, in August, 1854.
In December, 1868, he enlisted in
Company E, Second Minnesota Cav
airy, and was promoted to first SER
geant. His regiment served in the
Indian campaigns. At the close of
the war, in 1865, he accepted a POI
sition as clerk in the store of Isaac
Marks of Mankato. In 1867 he
formed co-partnership with Isaac
Cheshire in the dry goods business
in CMankato, which continued until
1878, when he bought out Mr..
removed the store to Lake Crystal,
where he continued in business un-
til January, 1882, when he became
treasurer of Blue Earth county. He
held this office for seven years,
and then entered the firm of Boyn-
ton, Piper e Jones, and conducted
it's business of general merchandise,
at Garden City, for two years. He
next moved to Lake Crystal and in
connection with Edward Washburn
organized the Lake Crystal Mercan.
tile company, and conducted it's bus
mess until December, 1884, when it
was closed out and Mr.. Jones
moved back to Mankato. Forming
partnership with William H. Jones,
they opened a grocery store in
April, 1895. Mr.. Jones was married
to Miss Ella H. Dean in the fall of
1877 and they have one daughter.
John c. Jones of this city and
Thomas Jones of South Bend are
brothers of the deceased.