Siskiyou
County
Biographies
THOMAS JONES
One
of the enterprising business men and influential citizens of Siskiyou County
was the late Thomas Jones, who established the large general merchandising
business now conducted by his widow at Hornbrook. He was not only a man of initiative and
executive ability in business affairs, but was also a leading figure in matters
affecting the civic welfare of his community, and he long held a foremost place
among the progressive and dependable citizens of his locality. He was a native of South Carolina, from which
state he came at the six of six years, with his mother to Myrtle Creek, Oregon,
by way of the isthmus of Panama, in an early day,
where he remained but a short time. The
father had preceded them some time. He
had acquired a tract of land there, but gave it to a man in payment for his
service in transporting the family to Deadwood, Siskiyou County,
California. Sometime later he formed a
partnership with David Horn, under the firm name of Horn and Jones and they
engaged in a general mercantile business at Henley, a short distance away from
the present town of Hornbrook. They
remained there, doing a very successful business, until the South Pacific
Railroad built its line through here and established the town of Hornbrook,
which was named after Mr. Horn. They
brought their business to the new town and it is still, after a period of over
forty years, one of the most important commercial establishments in this part
of the valley. Since Mr. Jones’ death,
which occurred January 13, 1921, Mrs. Jones has entire charge of the business
and has proven in every way qualified to carry it on successfully.
Mrs.
Jones was born and reared in Siskiyou County, California, where she became the
wife of Thomas Jones, and during all the years of their companionship, proved a
helpmate in the truest sense of the word, assisting and encouraging him in all
his affairs, and commanding the high esteem of her acquaintances. She is carrying a stock of goods valued at
about sixty thousand dollars, and owns the Hornbook Hotel, which is not leased
at present, but will probably soon be again in active operation. Mrs. Jones is now seventy-four years of age,
but retains her physical and mental faculties to a remarkable degree for her
years. While devoting her attention
primarily to her business, she takes a keen interest in local civic matters and
gives her support and assistance to every worthy cause.
To Mr. and Mrs. Jones were born eight
children, as follows: William T., Bernard
and Gertrude Susie, all of whom died within a brief period during a diphtheria
epidemic; Albert H., who is assisting his mother in the store; Raymond, who
died at the age of thirteen years; Willard Frederick, who is engaged in the
hotel business in Los Angeles; Joseph Roy, who is an eye, ear, nose, and throat
specialist in Sacramento; and Helen Margaret, the wife of Myron H. Grover, who
is in the lumber business in Oakland, this state.
Albert
H. Jones, son of Thomas and Susan R. (Crooker) Jones, was born in Siskiyou
County, California, on the 1st of October, 1883. He received his education in the public
schools and in boyhood began his business career as an assistant in his
father’s store. Later he was employed at
various occupations and also worked for a while for the Southern Pacific
Railroad. Eventually, however, he
returned to merchandising, which line of activity most appeals to him, and he
is now working for the T. Jones Company, of which his mother is the sole
owner. He is steady and dependable in
everything he does, is a most valuable assistant to his mother, and throughout
the community is well liked for his splendid personal qualities and his
straightforward and friendly manner.
Transcribed by
Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Wooldridge, J.W.Major History of Sacramento Valley
California, Vol. 2 Pages 244-245. Pioneer Historical
Publishing Co. Chicago 1931.
© 2010 Gerald Iaquinta.
Golden Nugget Library's Siskiyou
County Biographies