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From the book:
The Lone Star State
Published in 1896

 

 

M. G. Jones, Highland, Texas--No biographical record of the representative people of Erath County would be complete did it not include honorable mention of this wealthy and influential farmer and stockman, M. G. Jones, who has been a resident of the county for over twenty years and whose identity with the state dates back to 1857. A resume of his life is as follows:

M. G. Jones was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia, September 1, 1835, was reared on his father's plantation, and in the common schools of the vicinity received a fair education. His parents, Moses and Martha (Mathews) Jones, were Georgia people, as also were their parents before them, all occupying prominent and useful positions in the communities in which they lived. Moses Jones and his father were large landowners and slaveowners. Both took part in the Creek and Cherokee Indian Wars, the elder Mr. Jones serving as a captain in the Creek war and in one engagement being wounded in the shoulder. Moses Jones was given the rank of lieutenant, and he too was wounded, a ball piercing his thigh.

Both men were public-spirited and courageous, were by nature suited to the life of frontiersmen, and acted well their part in their day and place.

Thomas Mathews, the maternal grandfather of our subject, was likewise a wealthy planter and a man interested in all measures intended to advance the public good. He served in some important official capacities, distinguished himself for his ability and won the favor of all with whom he was associated. He was a Democrat. The Joneses also have long given their allegiance to this party, our subject not excepted. Moses Jones and his first wife had children as follows: Toliver M., a brigadier general in the late war, was killed in battle at Vicksburg; Mary H., wife of John Jackson; M. G., whose name graces this sketch; Caroline, wife of Dr. Haley; Charles, a veteran of the Civil War, died in Ellis County, Texas; Jane, wife of A. Milligan, an attorney of Alabama; Martha E., wife of John Court; M. 0., a veteran of the late war and now a prominent farmer of Erath County, Texas; C. T., wife of Isaac Print of Alabama; and Alford M., a prominent citizen of Erath County. The mother of this large family died in 1852. By a subsequent marriage the father had other children, namely: Robert, a farmer of Ellis County, Texas; Forest, also engaged in farming in Ellis County; Minnie; and one who died at the age of thirteen years. The father was a man of deep piety, was a member of the Missionary Baptist church, and sought both by teaching and example to rear his children in the straight and narrow way. His wives also were members of this church.

M. G. Jones remained with his parents until after he was of age and in 1857 left the old home and its associations and came to Texas to make his fortune. In Upshur County he secured a position as overseer on a large farm, remained there two years, and at the end of that time purchased a small tract of land in Comanche County, on the Leon River, where he settled and gave his attention to the cultivation and improvement of his place. Game of all kinds abounded throughout this part of the country then, and Indians, too, were not infrequently seen, their raids being a source of dread to the scattered settlers.

And here, farming and hunting and keeping a lookout for the Red Men, was Mr. Jones when the Civil War came on. In the fall of 1861 he enlisted as a member of Company D, Waller's Company, Hopp's Regiment, which was assigned to the Department of Missouri and Arkansas. He was at different times under command of Generals Price, Marmaduke, Fagan, Cooper and Hineman; was in numerous battles and skirmishes, a record of which would cover much of the history of the war in the west; and on one occasion was wounded in the thigh by a miniball, the bone being broken and from the effects of this wound he was laid up in hospital four months. His whole service was characterized by courage and faithfulness; he never shirked a duty; and his war record is one of which he may be justly proud, although the cause for which he fought was lost.

At the close of the war Mr. Jones was at Shreveport, Louisiana. From there he directed his course to Upshur County, Texas, where he married, and, accompanied by his wife, went back to his land in Comanche County. This land was all he had left when he returned from the army. He continued his residence in Comanche County until 1875, when he sold out and came to Erath County, choosing a location on Armstrong Creek and purchasing three hundred and twenty-five acres, he being the outside settler on the creek. Here he commenced opening up a farm, prospered from the first, and from time to time was able to purchase other lands. Soon his acres ran up to a thousand and ere long more then doubled that amount. His several purchases include tracts containing the following number of acres: 325, 493, 246, 646, 324, and 400, amounting to 2,434. Of this he has cleared and put under cultivation six hundred and thirty acres. And all these years he has been more or less interested also in the stock business, usually keeping a large number of cattle and horses. His investments in real estate have not been confined to farmlands. He has valuable property in Dublin and elsewhere, speculates whenever he finds a good opportunity, and thus makes his means bring in the largest possible returns. In all his business transactions he has been straightforward and upright and his word has ever been as good as his bond. Recently, he entered suit against the Dublin Bank. With this exception he never brought suit against any one, nor was he ever sued. Few men who have had as extensive business dealings and come in contact with as many different classes of people as has Mr. Jones, can say as much.

Mr. Jones was married at the close of the war to Miss Mary H. Crowder, who was born in Georgia, August 24, 1846, daughter of Dr. 0. W. Crowder. Dr. Crowder was a native of South Carolina, was married in Georgia, and in 1857 came from the latter state to Texas, settling in Upshur County, where he opened up a farm and at the same time practiced his profession continuing his abiding place there for eight years. In 1865 he moved to Comanche County, where he died the following year. He was the father of eleven children:

[following section taken from different source, HISTORY OF TEXAS:]...Lucretia, wife of Charles Jones, a resident of Ellis County, Texas; William, a farmer and Baptist minister of Erath County; Mary Henrietta, wife of Mason Gribsby Jones; Joseph, who died when young; Louis F., deceased; Henry, who died at about the age of twenty years; John, who died early in life; Francis, wife of J. Vestel, Ellis County; Sarah, wife of F. Parrish, a farmer of Ellis County; Street, a farmer of Ellis County; and Rachel, wife of James Perkins, also of Ellis County.

Mason G. and Henrietta Jones have these children, namely: Cumi, who died at age six years; Henrietta Virginia, wife of James Madison Jones; Mary Lucy, who died at age three years; Mason Overstreet "Street," a farmer; a baby who died shortly after birth; Rachel Martha, wife Samuel Levi Shipman; Ella Nora, wife of Robert Lee "Bob" Burnett; Moses Alford "Modie", a doctor; Mayeppa Ada, wife of John G. Beall; Warren Grigsby, a farmer; Othella Minia, wife of Walter W. Jones; Sarah Viola, wife of Samuel Sanford White; and Cornice Fredonia, wife of Walter W. Jones. [Note: this source updates the original.]

Both Mr. and Mrs. Jones were members of the Missionary Baptist church, her parents, like his, having been active and zealous workers in that church, and thus are our subject and his estimable wife following in the footsteps of their honored parents and bringing up their own children in the same religious faith. Mr. Jones has always been liberal in the support of the church and has also contributed freely of his means for the advancement of educational interests.

 

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Page created for The Jones Family Tree
12 MAY 1999
Page Edited: 27 JUN 1999/2:37 PM CDT