Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-01
OWEN JONES, VETERAN
OF CIVIL WAR, MARKS
HIS 74TH BIRTHDAY
Philadelphia Believes This
State Would Be First to
Rally to Flag in Hour
of Need
POINTS TO CRISIS OF 1861

POINTS TO CRISIS OF 1861
When the Civil War started the Penn
sylvania Legislature appropriated $1,000
900 as a war fund and proceeded to equip
and drill soldiers AS consequence
Pennsylvania was the first State to fur
nish military aid to the North, and when
the citizens whipped into soldiers passed
through Washington President Lincoln
made this speech after reviewing them:
God bless Pennsylvania. God bless
Pennsylvania, the only State in the
Union that l could call on and receive
assistance. You have cleared away =
the dark clouds that surround the
capital God bless your loyal Iand
far-seeing Governor. ~
One of the men who heard that speech
and who fought in the ranks of those
Pennsylvania reserves is today celebrat-
ing his 18th birthday. His Is a quiet cele-
braton and very thoughtful one He
has never forgotten that speech of Lin
coin, and he is thinking that If war should
break out now Pennsylvania would again
rally round the flag that her men and
her boys, too, would be the first at the
front ready to do and to die for Old Glory.
LAUDs VOLUNTEERS.
The celebrator is owen Jones. He is a
tipstaff in the Orphans Court and lives
at 1925 North 10th street.
Mr.. Jones never so much as carried n
gun before he enlisted in 81, and in the
light of his experience of nearly three
years of warfare believes that the volun-
teer makes the best soldier.
$50 the country has nothing to fear just
now" he said today. II believe in pre-
parednesS, all right, but If war should
break out in a week we would have an
army of citizen-soldlers who would be un-
eXcelled anywhere. The trouble with the
regular army Is that there are too many
men in it because they are too lazy to
work, and the trouble with the militia is
that too many men are in it because they
like to wear a uniform. But when you
call for volunteers in time of war every
man who enlists does so because he wants
to save the nation. because he is ready
to give up his life for his country"
When Mr.. Jones, at the age OF 10, went
away to join the army of the Union he
and his comrades did not even wear uni
forms They marched in sack suits and
straw hats, but after drilling two months
upstate they were ready for the fray.
There were 13 infantry regiments, one of
cavalry and one of artillery.
WAS NEVER WOUNDED.
Jones was in the battle of FredericSs-
burg in the seven days fighting around
Richmond, at the Battle of Bull Run and
at Antietam He was never wounded,
and he is fond of telling the joke about
the Irlshman who told how he (the Irish
mani ran from the field of battle.
What You ram? asked a friend,
Sure 1 ran, responded the Irlshman,
and them as didn't are lying there yet
That's the way I feel Let me tell
you that the soldier who says he never
ran is a lia-. / ran more than once, and
I'm not ashamed to admit it."
Mr.. Jones did not fight at Gettysburg,
for at that time his regiment was stationed
in Virginia. He has great love and re-
spect for General Meade,
"A braver man than General Meade
never fought" he says
MEADE, LINCOLN AND CURTIN
Meade, Lincoln and old Governor Cur
tin. the loyal and far seeing governor"
referred to by Lincoln In his speech, are
Jones' heroes. He carries a watch with
Lincoln's portrait on the back and a fob
with Meade's picture. He bought them
when he went to the 50th anniversary en-
campment at Gettysburg, and since then
has had them set in gold.
II guess I can afford to have men like
them framed in gold" he said
Governor Curtin was the man who
Back in 'ss. at a State encampment, the
former Governor said to the G. A. r.
men:
II hope when I'm gone one OF you will
lay red rose on my grave"
Mr.. Jones stepped forward and said:
I'm lay rose on your grave, Gov
ernor"
He likes TO tell the story
Il kept that promise when he died In
1, g." he says. "And every year 1 lay
wreath on the old Governors grave. And
I hope to keep on doing it for 20 years |
yet"
II the old soldiers present appearance |
and state OF health is any criterion he'll |
do It. He won't be the first in his fam
lily to live to be 80. He Is a big man. |
stalwart and erect, and-this Is no ex- |
look a day over So. |
The peculiar part OF Mr. Jones' career |
as a soldier is that he comes from |
Quaker stock. His ancestors came TO this |
in 1920, from Wales. There |
were three brothers who settled in Bucks |
and Montgomery counties. 1t Is said |
that one OF them built the first brick |
house in Montgomery county. The /
Quakers. of course, are against war
But / must have been kind OF fight
Ing Quaker" says Jones. Il consider 1t
an honor to protect Old Glory. I want
peace. but l want an honorable peace"
Since the war Mr.. Jones has served
nine years on the police force and was
with the Gas and Water De-
oartments at different times. In 1904
Judge Ashman appointed him tipstan IN
he Orphans Court, and ne has held this
position ever since.
He never talks about his experience IA
he war without saying how glad he Is
hat he fought beneath the stars and
;tripea