Rev. Greemberry R. Jones
Rev. Greemberry R. Jones was born April 7, 1784, in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. His father, John Jones, emigrated from Maryland in 1768, and settled near Brownsville, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Our subject was brought up in the Church of England, but had never given any serious attention to religion until he listened to the preaching of Rev. Robert Wooster, who preached near Uniontown. There young Jones became a convert to Methodism. He had received a good education, and as a youth, he evinced a great deal of sensibility, and had a very equable disposition. He was the favorite of the family of children to which he belonged. He married Miss Rebecca Connell, daughter of Zachariah Connell.
He was licensed as a local preacher in the Methodist Church in 1810, and preached in the vicinity of his home until 1815, when he removed to Adams County, Ohio, and settled near West Union. He was admitted as a travelling minister in 1818, and removed to Hillsboro. He preached on the Salt Creek Circuit for two years. For two years after that, he was appointed on the Scioto Circuit. After four years' service as an itinerant minister, he was made a Presiding Elder. He had a strong, lively, and discriminating judgment. He came to the quarterly meetings with everything to learn and nothing to impart. He possessed a strong mind, and was bold and enterprising. He never stopped to calculate consequences.
From the Scioto County Circuit, he went to the White Oak Circuit two years as a minister. In 1828, he was made a Presiding Elder in the Miami District for four years. Cincinnati was in his district. He was accessible to and agreeable in the social circle. He was always ardent and decided in his work. His conversation was plain and to the point. He uttered his thoughts with simplicity and great correctness.
In 1832 he was appointed an itinerant on the Hamilton Circuit, and moved to Hamilton, in that circuit. Here he lost his wife, and was married in 1833 to Mrs. Ross, of Hamilton, Ohio. He disposed of all his property in Adams County, and moved to Bethel, Clermont County, where he became superannuated. However, a vacancy occurred in the West Union Circuit, and he filled it. In 1839 his health was despaired of, and he was sick for a long time. He recovered, and accepted service on the New Richmond Circuit, then at Batavia, and afterwards at White Oak.
He was a good penman, and several times was Secretary of the Ohio Conference. As a business man, he was safe and reliable. He was twice a delegate to the General Conference. He attended the Annual Conference at Marietta, in September, 1834. and while there was attacked with a colic, with which he frequently suffered. He was ill six days and died September 20, 1844, and was buried at Marietta. His death illustrated the faith in which he had lived.
From "History of Adams County, Ohio from its Earliest Settlement to the Present Time" - by Nelson W. Evans and Emmons B. Stivers - West Union, Ohio - Published by E. B. Stivers - 1900