Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 288-289; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Lewis Lloyd Jones, a prosperous farmer and mine owner of Orion
Township, having a fine farm, underlying which is a valuable strata of
coal, is one of the prominent citizens of Fulton County and is active
in its public life. He is of Welsh origin and antecedents, born
in Merthyr-Tydfil, Glamorganshire, Wales, March 16, 1827. His
parents, Thomas and Hannah (Lloyd) Jones, were natives of the same
town, and there they spent their entire life dying at an advanced
age. The father was a miner by occupation. They had a
family of twelve children, of whom the following is the record:
Thomas, born October 31, 1820, now lives at Dutch Gap, Luzerne County,
Pa.; Benjamin, born September 11, 1822, is now a resident of Australia;
William, born January 16, 1825, was killed by one of his subordinates
while in English Government employ; Lewis L., our subject; Catherine,
born January 31, 1829, died at home unmarried; Noah, born February 1,
1830 went to California and engaged in gold mining, and was there
murdered in 1853 or 1854; Ruth, born January 1, 1833, married Thomas
Jenkins, and died near Scranton, Pa.; Ebenezer, born December 10, 1834,
now resides in Mason County, Mo.; Nahomi, born November 30, 1836,
married John Blamey, and lived in Scranton, Pa.; Myriam, born September
1, 1838, is married and lives in Scranton, Pa.; Joseph, born March 20,
1841, now lives in Canton; Hannah, born September 26, 1843, married
William Jones, and lives in Russia.
The subject of this biography received a limited education in
his native town, where he subsequently followed the occupation of a
miner until 1849. Ambitious to see more of life and to better
his financial condition, in the opening years of a vigorous manhood, he
left his old home on the 26th of February, in the year just mentioned,
and embarking on a sailing-vessel at Liverpool, England, crossed the
Atlantic to this country, landing at New Orleans about the 16th of the
following April. From there he proceeded up the Mississippi and
Missouri Rivers to Council Bluffs, and thence went by ox-team to Utah,
where he engaged in farming the succeeding eight years. He was,
however, not satisfied with the county and his prospects there, and he
then came eastward as far as St. Louis, Mo., and for five or six years
was engaged in mining in that vicinity. He next came to Canton,
in this State, and followed the same calling there until 1870. In
that year he bought the place where he now resides on section 30, Orion
Township. It comprises one hundred and sixty acres of excellent
farming land, which is well cultivated and is amply supplied with neat
and substantial buildings, and is in all respects a well-ordered
farm. After locating on this place Mr. Jones soon began to
prospect for coal, and finally developed a five foot vein of excellent
quality, which he has continued to work up to the present time, and
derives from that source a good income. Some hears he has
employed as many as thirty miners, but at present is working only five
or six men in the winter season.
While in Utah Mr. Jones was married, in November, 1849, to
Elizabeth (Morgan) Davis, widow of James Davis, who is a native of the
same town as himself, and came to America in the same vessel on which
he crossed the Atlantic. She has been to him a true wife, and is
thoroughly devoted to his interests. Of their family the
following is noted: Lewis M., now a farmer in Sheridan County,
Neb.; Elizabeth, wife of Ephraim Girm, of Canton; Catherine, deceased;
Thomas, of Canton; Margaret, wife of George Gilmore, of Canton; David,
who died in infancy; and Hannah, who married Albert Kiser, and lives
near the homestead. Hannah was adopted when a babe of a year
old. William Davis Jones, a son of Mrs. Jones by her first
marriage, lives at home and assists our subject in the management of
the farm.
Since Mr. Jones has resided here he has been prominently
identified with its public and political life, and is a sound and
consistent Democrat. He is a man of much energy, tact and
business capacity, and his fellow-townsmen have not failed to recognize
his superior merits and qualifications and have called him to
responsible offices. He has filled the position of Supervisor for
four years, and is now prominently mentioned by his party for County
Treasurer. Mr. Jones is a member of the Josephite, or
Anti-polygamist branch of the Morman Church, and is considered one of
the most substanstantial as well as one of the best-respected citizens.
