Samuel Jones
Samuel Jones is one of the earnest settlers of Meigs Township, having resided there for sixty-four years. He is the son of Matthew and Sarah Jones, and was born December 2, 1825, in Tiffin Township. His father was one of the early farmers of Adams County, and raised a family of seventeen children of whom Samuel was the tenth child. His parents being poor and having so large a family, it was necessary for the children to "work out." His father sold the farm of two hundred acres when Samuel was ten years old and moved to Meigs Township where he bought another. Samuel remained with his parents until he was seventeen years old. He then hired himself to Wm. Metz, a thrifty farmer on the Ohio River, and worked for him a year at eight dollars month. Later he was employed by Samuel Breadwell on a farm at thirteen dollars per month, by James Moore at sixteen dollars per month, and by John Gorman at eighteen dollars per month. In each case his earnings went to his parents, except what was necessary to buy clothing, which was never expensive.
The iron furnaces of Lawrence and Gallia Counties, and the coal pits necessary to supply them, offered better wages to young men and Samuel sought employment at Mt. Vernon Furnace, where he received twenty dollars per month cutting wood, hauling wood and working in the coal pits. Here he saved his money and purchased forty-nine acres of land on Turkey Creek, Meigs Township. He gradually added to this until he owns two hundred and fifty acres, and on this farm he has reared a large family.
His education was limited to the country schools of that day, although his good judgment and general information made what learning he had very useful to him. His school teachers, as he remembers them, were Hannah Irvin, Dorcas Taylor, L. D. Page, Benjamin Black, Samuel Thoroman, Henry Williamson, John Williamson, and he says they were all good teachers. His mother was Sarah Thoroman, who was a daughter of Samuel Thoroman and Ann Crawford. The latter was a relative of Col. Crawford, who was burned at the stake by the Indians. The Thoromans are of Scotch ancestry.
In 1851, he married Sophia Clark, daughter of James and Jane Clark, residents of Meigs Township. They settled on the land spoken above, and there reared a family of eight children, five sons and three
daughters, all of whom, with the exception of one daughter, are living. In 1868, his wife died of typhoid fever, leaving him a baby ten months old, Edward, who is now Superintendent of the Public schools at Nelsonville, Ohio. In 1869, he married Mrs. Margaret Callaway, who had four sons. Six children, two sons and four daughters, were born to the new marriage and all are living.
Mr. Jones has always taken a deep interest in public affairs. In politics, he has been a Republican since the organization of that party. During the War of the Rebellion, he enlisted in the 141st O. V. I., and was a member of Company K.
In church matters he holds liberal views and is a member of the U. B. church. He has never united with any secret orders except the G. A. R.
For the past twenty years his health has been impaired and he has left off the hard manual labor necessary for a successful farmer and has devoted his time to the duties of a notary public, giving special attention to pension claims in which he has met with great success.
The leading traits in the character of the subject of this sketch are his sturdy honesty, sympathy and liberality. He believes in his own rights and will contend for them, but he recognizes the rights of others. He loves frankness and practices it. He despises deception of any kind. The writer of this sketch knows from an every-day intimacy with him for twenty years that he would not practice a fraud nor cheat a neighbor even though he knew the wrong would never be discovered. The latchstring has always been on the outside of his door. Neighbors, friends and relatives have been welcomed and urged to remain. He loves friends and companions. His conversational powers are good and he is always a welcome visitor among his neighbors. He has lived an exemplary life before his large family of children. Owing to lack of means, he could not offer more than a common school education to his children. Three of his first family became teachers; two of these have attained success as superintendents of schools. One has already been referred to, and the other now holds the responsible position of Superintendent of the Ohio Institution for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, at Columbus.
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