Among the most respected residents of Grant County, Indiana, is Burtney R. Jones. He was born in this section of the state and has lived here all of his life, being a member of a family that is well known throughout the northern part of Indiana. He has spent the greater part of his life as a farmer and has opened up and developed much valuable property in Grant County, not only farming lands but also city realty, and although he has now retired from business he is still keenly interested in the life of the community and his advice is frequently asked in matters of public concern.

     Burtney R. Jones is the only surviving member of the family of Joseph and Catharine (McCormick) Jones. His father was born on the 15th of April, 1816, and grew up in his native State of Ohio. When he was a young man he removed from Preble County, Ohio, to Grant County, Indiana, this being in 1833. In 1839, on the 15th of November, Joseph Jones was married to Catharine McCormick. His wife was a daughter of Robert and Anna McCormick, who had been the first settlers in Fairmount Township, Grant County, Indiana, settling here on August 15, 1829, and coming from Fayette County, Indiana. Joseph Jones died as a comparatively young man, on the 16th of September 1856, and his wife died on the 4th of December. 1889. They were both prominent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and took an active part in these early pioneer days of northern Indiana.

     Five sons were born to Joseph and Catharine Jones, Burtney R. Jones being the third in order of birth. The eldest son, George W. Jones was born on the 25th of September, 1841, and served in the Fifty-fourth Indiana Regiment during the Civil war. He was taken prisoner at Vicksburg, Mississippi, in the spring of 1863 but was paroled the following June. His parole was of little moment to him, however, for he died at Annapolis, Maryland, July 25, 1863. He married Sarah J. Secrist, October 17, 1861.

     Hiram A. Jones, the second son, was born October 18, 1843. He also served in the Civil war, being a solider in the Eighty-ninth Indiana Regiment from August, 1862, until August, 1865. He had his right eye shot out in the battle of Pleasant Hill, Louisiana, on April 9, 1864, but continued to serve until the end of the war. He was married on April 21, 1867, to Anna Hardy and died on March 31, 1908. Robert L. Jones, the fourth son, was born September 1, 1849. He became sheriff of Grant County in November, 1888, and on December 9, of the same year, after successfully capturing an escaped horse thief, he was shot and died from the wounds on the 11th of December. He was away from home at the time and died at Jerome in Howard County, Indiana. He married Louisa C. Jadden, on the 25th of September, 1870, and left two sons, Sanford C., of Marion, Indiana, and Robert P., of Whitefish, Montana. Joseph A. Jones, the youngest son, was born on March 5, 1852. He was married to Sarah J. Whitson on the 7th of January, 1885, and she died February 8, 1890. He died on April 25, 1893, at the home of his brother, Burtney R. Jones, in Marion.

     Burtney R. Jones was born on the 2nd of October, 1846, at the old Robert McCormick Hotel, which stood at the crossing of the Fort Wayne Muncie and Indianapolis state roads. This was the first house to be built in Fairmount township and was erected by his maternal grandfather. His mother entered eighty acres of land from the government on August 5, 1837, and Burtney Jones grew up on the farm. He was married to Eliza J. Duling, a daughter of Solomon and Jane Duling, on the 9th of December, 1869, and after his marriage settled on eighty acres of timber land in section twenty-four in Fairmount township. Here he built a house of hewed logs and there lived until the death of his wife on April 12, 1872. She left one child, Minnie A., who was born on November 7, 1871, but the baby died on August 31, 1872. Mr. Jones continued as a farmer and made a decided success of it. He lived on the farm which his mother had homesteaded and to which he had added until 1881 when he came to Marion and here he has resided ever since.

     He married Sina M. Duling, who was also a daughter of Solomon and Jane Duling, on September 1, 1887, and to this union have been born two children, namely, Edith D. Jones, who was born on the 31st of July, 1890, and Burtney Ralph, whose birth took place on September 1, 1899. Mr. and Mrs. Jones together own two hundred and sixty acres of valuable farming land in Grant County, located in Fairmount, Jefferson and Center Townships.

     Mr. Jones has himself cleared and brought into cultivation one hundred and twenty-five acres of Grant county land. They also own three valuable pieces of residence property in the city of Marion which they have developed and improved, and which is considered some of the best paying property in the city.

Source: CENTENNIAL HISTORY OF GRANT COUNTY INDIANA 1812-1912 The Lewis Publishing Company, 1914