General John S. Jones
General John S. Jones was born February 12, 1836, in Champaign County. Ohio, and died in Delaware. Ohio, April 11, 1903. He lived on his father's farm and was educated in the public schools until his great desire for an education led him to the Ohio Wesleyan University, where he completed his course of study in the year 1855, supporting himself in the meantime by teaching school. In the autumn of the year 1855 he began the study of law in the office of Thomas W. Powell and was admitted to the Bar in the autumn of the year 1857. He immediately entered upon the practice of his profession in Delaware, Ohio, with gratifying success and was soon elected prosecuting attorney of Delaware County. He had not served out his first term when the Civil War began. He was among the first to volunteer from this county in the Union army. He enlisted as a private in Company C. Fourth Regiment O. V. I., but was immediately elected first lieutenant of the company and on the twenty-fifth day of September, 1862, he was promoted to captain of Company B, of said regiment and served until the expiration of his term of service. He returned to his home and again in the autumn of the year 1864, he organized the One Hundred and Seventy-fourth Regiment, becoming its colonel, and which he commanded until the close of the war. He was breveted brigadier-general at the close of the war, for meritorious service and gallant conduct in the war.
General Jones was mustered out of the service, July 27, 1865, and returned to Delaware and entered upon the practice of his profession and was on the second day of April, 1866, elected mayor of the city of Delaware. In October of the same year he was again elected prosecuting attorney of the county, which office he held for four years. In the year 1872, he was appointed trustee of the Ohio Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home, one of the most noble institutions of this State. He was president of its Board of Trustees for many years. He gave to this institution much of his best though and many hours of his most valuable time and cherished for it a most kindly feeling up to the date of his death. He was presidential elector on the Grant and Wilson ticket in the year 1872, representing the Ninth Congressional District. He was elected to Congress in the year 1876 from said Ninth District, serving as a member of the Forty-fifth Congress, but was deprived of a second term by a "gerrymander" of the district. He was elected to the Sixty-fourth and Sixty-fifth General Assemblies of the State of Ohio, in which assemblies he served as chairman of the Judiciary Committee. Having served his county, district and State so well and faithfully, his neighbors and fellow citizens called upon him to serve them in the City Council, which position he filled with as much zeal and ardor as the more responsible positions he had heretofore held. He was afterward, by reason of his faithfulness, chosen a member of the Board of Education, which position he held for many years. He was the instigator of the City Library Association and was a member of its board of Trustees at the time of his death. This organization was the means of bringing to our city the beautiful Carnegie Library building of which our citizens are so justly proud. Notwithstanding the many positions he held, General Jones was a faithful student in his chosen profession and he became one of the best lawyers in central Ohio. He entered into a partnership for the practice of law, with Jackson Hippie, about the year 1866, which partnership continued for four years. The firm was known as Jones & Hippie. In the year 1870, he formed a partnership with the writer of this sketch. This firm was known as Jones & Lytle and continued for twenty-five years, the partnership having been dissolved by mutual consent, on the first day of April, 1895. At this time both his sons having been admitted to the Bar, he formed a partnership with them and the new firm was known as J. S. Jones & Sons. This partnership continued until about the year 1899, when Carroll H., the younger son, withdrew and went to Chicago, where he is now located. He then continued the practice with his elder son, William B. This firm was known as Jones & Jones, which partnership continued to the time of Mr. Jones' death, he having appeared in court but a few weeks prior to his death.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, Edited and compiled by James R. Lytle, Delaware, Ohio, Biographical Publishing Co., Chicago, 1908