Sacramento County
Biographies
THOMAS R. JONES
Thomas R.
Jones, superintendent of the Southern Pacific Railroad and its western
divisions, Sacramento, Cal., is a native son of the state, his birth having
occurred in Jackson October 31,
1853. His father, Thomas Jones, was a
native of Wales,
where he received his education.
Immigrating to the United States in early manhood, he was employed at
various occupations until 1849, when, in company with others, he started by
water via Vera Cruz and overland through Mexico and southern California. The perilous passage occupying six months was
completed in safety, after which he located on a ranch near Jackson, Amador county. In New
York, in 1844, he had married Eleanor Owen, also a native of Wales,
and of their four children Thomas R. Jones was the second in order of
birth. Until attaining his fifteenth
year he attended the public schools of his native town and then took up the
study of telegraphy, which he completed, and in 1871 was appointed postmaster
for the state legislature. Upon the
completion of his term in this position he entered the employ of the Southern
Pacific Railroad Company on the Sacramento
division as telegraph operator and agent, receiving promotions from time to
time until he was made superintendent, having now served the company for
thirty-three years. He is very
successful in his work, enjoying the esteem of all officials as well as of
those who serve under him.
September
2, 1878, Mr. Jones married Lilian Poole, of Sacramento,
daughter of John W. Poole, and of this union were born
the following children: Charles B. (a
medical student), Florence E., Leita M. and Leslie
H. Mr. Jones is a Republican in
politics, but his attention has been so closely taken up with his business
interests that he has never sought official recognition, although his father
was a prominent man in the councils of the Republican party, serving as
chairman of the Amador County Republican central committee for several years
and being internal revenue collector for fifteen years. Mr. Jones stands high as a citizen and holds
a prominent place among the representative men of the city. He is a member of the Benevolent Protective
Order of Elks and Native Sons of the Golden West.
Transcribed
by Kathy Porter.
Source: “History of
the State of California and Biographical Record of the Sacramento Valley,
California” by
J. M. Guinn. Pages 667-668.
Chapman Publishing Co., Chicago 1906.
© 2007 Kathy Porter.