WILLIAM L. JONES

     	WILLIAM L. JONES is an old and highly respected citizen of Coryell 
county, in whose honor Jonesboro is named, was born in the state of 
Mississippi, in Claiborne county, in 1827, the oldest of a family of 
thirteen children. His parents, Milton H. and Kisiah (Culbertson) Jones, 
were natives of Tennessee; they removed to Mississippi at an early day, and 
were married in Claiborne county: later they removed to Yalobusha county, 
where they resided a few years, and in 1839 they came to Texas and located 
in Shelby county; here Mr. Jones engaged in farming. He was a preacher in 
the Methodist Episcopal Church and was a very earnest and enthusiastic worker 
in cause of his Master; he died January 22, 1875, in Hood county, Texas; his 
wife died February 10, 1847. William  L. Jones received his education in the 
pioneer schools of the Lone Star State. After the death of his mother, in 
1847, he volunteered in the Mexican war, and served with General Scott; he 
led a most exemplary life while on the campaign, never indulging in the habits 
which the life of exposure encourages; he participated in many skirmishes, 
but was in no battles. Upon his return from the war he engaged in farming, 
and the following autumn he entered school and attended one term. He then 
went to Corsicana, Texas, in 1850, and with his brother-in-law, C. B. Lindsey, 
embarked in mercantile pursuits; he followed this business until 1852, when he 
went back to Rusk county, and was employed as clerk for Mr. John Abney for a 
year; he was at Mt. Enterprise the next year, clerking for C. Vincent, and 
then removed to Bosque county, where he again conducted a store in partnership 
with J. A. Goodlet.  At the beginning of the Civil war he secured a permit and 
operated a mill until the close of the conflict. In 1866 he purchased a tract 
of land, 320 acres, on the line of Coryell and Hamilton counties, and set up a 
saw and grist mill; this small industry soon became the center of a settlement, 
and goods shipped to the point were marked for Jonesboro, so that by common 
consent the town was christened in honor of the founder. In 1872 Mr. Jones brought 
his family here, and in the same year he established a general mercantile trade, 
which he carried on successfully until 1833, when he closed out the business. The 
land which he bought is the present site of Jonesboro, and most of it has been 
sold in town lots; he has been one of the prime factors in developing the resources 
of the surrounding country, and has aided very materially in the growth of the place. 
Every laudable enterprise has found in him a liberal and enthusiastic supporter, and 
his country has found in him a loyal and patriotic citizen. His dealings in the 
commercial world have been characterized by the most upright and careful methods, 
and the successes he has made have been fully merited. 
	Mr. Jones has been twice married: in Bosque county, February 4, 1858, he was 
united to Miss Mary C. Loyd, a native of Hempstead county, Arkansas; she died April 
25, 1864, leaving two children: Fountain E., who is now engaged in the drug trade 
in Arizona, and Allie K., wife of Thomas J. Atkinson, a citizen of Hamilton county; 
the second union was to Miss Susan R. Thomas, a native of Alabama; three children 
have been born to this marriage: Mary C. Hall, William L., and Wiley P., who died 
May 26, l879; Alfred M., a son of the first marriage died May 29, 1864. The family 
are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South; Mr. Jones is superintendent of 
the Sabbath-school, and takes a deep interest in all the efforts toward the elevation 
of humanity. He belongs to the Masonic fraternity, having joined more than thirty 
years ago. He is active in the temperance cause, and since early manhood has had the 
courage of his convictions upon this subject. He is a man of so many excellent traits 
that he numbers his friends to the full number of his acquaintances, and is well 
worthy of the admiration he arouses.


JONESBORO.


	"In the year 1866," says a recent letter from William L. Jones, who has been 
a Texan for fifty-three years, "David Jones and I erected a steam saw and grist mill 
on the Coryell and Hamilton county line, at which time there were very few persons 
living in the valley of the Leon nearer than Gatesville, and none where the town of 
Jonesboro now stands." Homeseekers, whom the war had ruined or left penniless, began 
to come in, and sought employment about the mill. These were: David Jones, P.P. Jones, 
James Pennington, Simmons & Green, blacksmiths, Daniel and Tom McCarty, Dr. J. R. 
Smallie, W. A. Chancey, Daniel Murray, J. L. McElroy, Charles Pate, T. J. Neil, J. 
F. Stickney and John Nall. Mr. Nall opened a store at once, but it soon passed into 
other hands; Joseph Key had it awhile; then J. F. Stickney; then Mr. McElroy, and 
finally, in 1872, W. L. Jones and M. J. Strickland. It was about 1869 that those 
interested in a church and school, and the society of Masons, struck upon a plan of 
building a two-story frame building, the lower part of which should be used for school 
and church purposes, and the upper part for the secret order. This was done, and in 
June, 1873, the Masonic lodge was chartered. The place had no name, except Jones' Mill, 
and the first post office bore that name, with Charles Pate as Postmaster. The real name 
of the place was given to it by some wholesale dealer's packer, for this packer had 
addressed the first box of goods ever received there, as "Jonesboro, Tex." This suited 
the people, and soon the post office was changed to that name. The town suffered some 
from the Indians in 1869 and 1871, as it was on the border. It has grown slowly but 
surely, and now has four general merchandise stores, two drug stores, one implement, 
and one furniture and hardware store, a boot and shoe shop, two blacksmith shops, two 
grist mills and gins. It has two churches, and a stone building 34x60 feet, the lower 
story of which is used for school purposes and the upper for Masonic ends. The Knights 
of Honor also have a lodge. 
	The population of 1890, the first census that quoted the town separately, 
showed 207 people. Mr. Jones, however, estimates it now as having a population of about 
650." 
	As an illustration of the other larger places, it may be mentioned that The Grove, 
which began in 1869, has two general stores, two wagon shops and a mill and gin. It is 
the seat, however, of four churches and a Masonic lodge, and a school for a large 
settlement. This is given to illustrate the character of the other towns not quoted in 
the census. The present growth will, however, make a far different record for the next 
census.

Submitted Nov 12 2000 by: Frances Patterson (sandycrk@ctesc.net), 
GGgranddaughter of William L. Jones.  His siblings were Candace Benton Jones, Sarah Jones, 
Samuel Jones, John Wesley Jones, Matilda Jones, Milton Henry Jones Jr., Martha Elizabeth 
Jones, Benjamin Franklin Jones, Wiley Jones, Francis Wilson Jones, Wiley Palmer Jones, and 
John Culbertson Jones. 
                   

From "A Memorial and Biographical History  of McClennan, Falls, Bell 
and Coryell Counties Texas", published by the Lewis Publishing Co., 
Chicago, 1893, p. 471-472, p. 320-321:

  
 







copyrighted by Frances Patterson and Bobbie Ross Nov.2000