Thomas Jones Biographical Review

THOMAS JONES, a retired farmer of Schuyler county, residing at Rushville, was born in Herefordshire, England, October 7, 1825. His father, John Jones, was a native of Radnorshire, Wales, and when a young man removed thence to Herefordshire, England, where he was married. He remained there until 1850, when he emigrated to America; for a few months he lived in Pennsylvania, and thence came to Illinois and located in Brown County; he purchased forty acres of land near Mount Sterling, and for a number of years was engaged in agricultural pursuits; later he moved to Mount Sterling, and died there, in the ninetieth year of his age. His first wife, the mother of the subject of this notice, was Lydia Trull, a native of Herefordshire, England; she died in Brown County, Illinois, having reared a family of four children: Eliza, Thomas, John and William, – all of whom emigrated to the United States. Thomas Jones was reared in Herefordshire, and at the age of sixteen years went to learn the carpenter’s trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years. In 1850 he crossed the sea to America with his family; they sailed from Liverpool in March, on the vessel William Rathbun, and landed at New York city after a voyage of two months. Mr. Jones went directly to Newcastle, Pennsylvania. His means were exhausted, in fact were worse than exhausted, as he had borrowed the money for his passage to America. He worked at his trade in this place until the following year, and then came to Illinois; he traveled by stage and canal to Pittsburg, and thence via the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois rivers to Meredosia, and thence by team to Mount Sterling. He purchased eighty acres of land in Brown county, the greater portion of which was heavily timbered; there he began his career as a farmer, and has met with more than ordinary success; he rented a house for a time, but finally built on his own place, and as his means increased made additional improvements in land until he is now the proprietor of 430 acres; he also owns a residence in Rushville, built after a modern style of architecture and surrounded by beautiful grounds. Here Mr. Jones lives a retired life, having earned the repose due his years. He has been three times married: In Herefordshire, England, at the age of twenty-two years, he was united to Jane Preece, a native of that shire; she died March 27, 1871. The second wife was Minerva Gillenwaters, of Schuyler county, Illinois, a daughter of Joel and Margaret Gillenwaters, pioneers of the county; she died January 3, 1890. In September, 1890, he was united to Ann J. (Nall) Ford, who was born in Rushville township, July 24, 1835, a daughter of Gabriel Nall. Mr. Jones has eleven children living: by the first marriage were born: America J., wife of Henry Bartlett; Elmina A., wife of Henry Henhoff; Henry Clay; Walter W.; Thomas P.; Orvilla A.; Susan W. and Lilly May; the children of the second union are, Robert W., John P. and Margaret M. Mrs. Jones has one child by her first marriage, George William Tutt. Mr. Jones was reared to the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but in later life he joined the Presbyterian Church. In early days he was a Whig, but for many years past he has affiliated with the Democratic party. Gabriel Nall, father of Mrs. Jones, was born in Scott county, Kentucky, December 23, 1811, son of Lewis Nall, a native of Virginia, who was a pioneer of Scott county, Kentucky. Her grandfather purchased land nine miles west of Georgetown, and there passed the remainder of his days; his wife’s maiden name was Jane Nall, also a Virginian by birth. Gabriel Nall emigrated from Scott county, Kentucky, to Illinois, in 1835, and engaged in agricultural pursuits; he owned different tracts of land, and was very successful; in 1887 he retired from active pursuits and came to Rushville to live. He was married in 1834, to Catherine Curtis, who was born in Harrison county, Kentucky, April 25, 1818. Four children were born to them: Ann, Drusilla, Marietta and William F. They have twenty-six grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Mrs. Jones has been married three times; her first husband was George W. Tutt, a native of Kentucky; he died in 1852; the second marriage was to Jared P. Ford, a native of Indiana, who came to Illinois in 1857; he died in 1881. Mr. and Mrs. Nall are consistent and worthy members of the Missionary Baptist Church.