John William Jones
John William Jones was born January 25, 1861, near Mineral Springs, Adams County, Ohio. He was reared on a farm and attended the Public Schools in Winter until seventeen years of age, when he began his career as an educator. After having taught five terms in the country school and having raised his grade of certificate to the first class, he was elected Principal of the Village schools of Rome, Ohio. After serving here for one year, he relinquished his position in order to enter the Normal school at Lebanon, Ohio. In 1885, he was graduated with the degree of Bachelor of Science, and in the Fall of the same year, was elected Superintendent of the Manchester schools, where he remained for ten years, being elected each successive time without ever having a vote cast against him. During the tenure of his position as superintendent of these schools, Prof. Jones spent his vacations teaching Normal schools, preparing teachers for their work, and fitting pupils for college. These schools were first conducted at North Liberty, and afterwards at Manchester. He also spent a portion of his vacation instructing in the Teachers' Institute. In 1888, he went before the Ohio State Board of School Examiners and was granted a high school life certificate, having successfully passed in twenty-three branches of study. In 1893, he received the degree of Bachelor of Pedagogy from the Ohio University at Athens, at which institution he had taken a post-graduate course. Prof. Jones was re-elected, in 1895, to the Superintendence of the Manchester schools for a period of three years, but before entering upon this term, he was called to his present position, Superintendent of the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, assuming the duties of his office in September, 1895.
Prof. Jones was a man of high standing and influence in school circles, being recognized as one of the progressive educators of the State. He has been untiring in his devotion to the interests of the institution since assuming the reins of authority, and has given much prominence to the work being accomplished by the Ohio School for the Deaf. Being of a sympathetic disposition, he is well qualified for his present position. He is a member of the First Presbvterian Church, of the Order of Free and Accepted Masons, and of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In 1885, he was married to Miss Cora A. McPherson, of Mineral Springs. They have three daughters, Marjorie McFerran, Carrie Louise and Rela Pauline.
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