Los Angeles County
Biographies
CLAUDE MORRIS JONES
JONES, CLAUDE MORRIS, Manufacturer, Los Angeles, California, was born in McKiney, Collin County, Texas, December 7, 1861, the son of Martin Van Buren Jones and Bettie (Morris) Jones. He married Jessie Fair Van Sickle at Los Angeles, November 4, 1891, and to them have been born two daughters, Margaret Lucile and Marion Ellen Jones. He is of Welsh-English stock, the families on both sides of the house being among the oldest of British record. On the maternal side he is descended of the Tunstalls, many members of the name being noted in the history of England and on record today in Westminster Abbey. Among them are Bishop Tunstall, Bishop of London during the reign of Queen Anne, and Bishop Tunstall of Fontaine Abbey, one of the historic ruins of England. Another was Sir Cuthbert Tunstall, Knight of the Garter, whose portrait may be seen today in the Hall of Knights, in Windsor Palace. American members of the family were prominent in the South before and during the Civil War as Cabinet officers, and, like many others, they lost their fortunes as the result of that struggle. Mr. Jones’ paternal grandfather was Jesse R. Jones, prominent in Masonic circles of Texas, and the owner of a large plantation near Houston. His own father was a physician and a soldier in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.
Mr. Jones received the basis of his education in the public schools of Milford, Texas, and supplemented this with a commercial course in the Tehuacana Hills College, graduating in the class of 1880.
Upon completing his education, Mr. Jones went to work as clerk in the mercantile establishment of his uncle, N. R. Rutherford, at Milford, and for the next few years devoted his attention to this business. Like many others, however, he had a desire to see California, and this ambition persisted so strongly that in 1883 he left his Texas home and went to Los Angeles. He has remained there ever since and is to-day one of the substantial business men of the Southwest.
The day after his arrival in what is now the metropolis of the Southwest, Mr. Jones obtained employment as orange picker and packer for J. C. Sheppard, at Washington Gardens, afterwards known as Luna Park. At the conclusion of the orange season he went to work for the Los Angeles Furniture Company in the carpet department, remaining there for about two years.
With the knowledge gained in this position and the money he had saved from his earnings, he was able to take a half interest in a carpet establishment, having for his partner one John Bloeser. He was engaged in this business from 1885 to 1887, selling out his interest at the latter time to organize the Milwaukee Furniture company. He had for associates in this venture two experienced furniture men and he served as President of the concern. He was just well established in this business, however, when he got the oil fever and decided to go into the oil business. He was among the pioneers of the industry in California, beginning operations about the year 1889. In this he was associated with his uncle, Humboldt Tunstall Morris, the enterprise being known as the Morris-Jones Oil Company, and for many hears they were among the leading oil men of Los Angeles.
In addition to producing petroleum they were engaged in the refining business, being associated with a large refinery at Los Angeles under the name of the Hercules Refining Company. Mr. Jones was a Director of this company and also acted as President of the Morris-Jones Oil Company, continuing in the oil business with remarkable success for eighteen years, selling out in 1907.
Mr. Jones then decided to devote his time to Los Angeles real estate. In 1891, he had purchased, for $1200, a five-acre tract in what is now a thickly populated section of the city. He began by putting this property on the market. He has been an extensive operator in real estate ever since, but in addition is President and a heavy stockholder in the Knox Auto & Wagon Manufacturing Co., of Los Angeles.
Mr. Jones has been an enthusiastic worker for Los Angeles and her upbuilding, and in addition to his own business enterprises, which have formed a part of her development, has aided various public movements. During the early part of his residence in Los Angeles, he was a member of the Eagle Corps, at that time a leading military organization. A home lover he finds his greatest pleasure in the association of his family.
Transcribed 9-4-09
Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: Press
Reference Library, Western Edition Notables of the West, Vol. I, Page 329,
International News Service, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles,
Boston, Atlanta. 1913.
© 2009 Marilyn R. Pankey.
GOLDEN NUGGET'S LOS ANGELES BIOGRAPIES