The family to which George W. Jones belongs was established in Grant County many years ago by Joshua Jones, father of George W. Jones. Joshua was the son of Lewis Jones, who lived and died in Ohio, was twice married and had children by both wives. Joshua Jones of the first marriage, was born in Greene County, Ohio, March 7, 1819, and grew up on his father's farm. When about twenty years of age he crossed the state line to Indiana and the young man without capital found employment among the farmers of Blackford County for several years. Then moving into Jefferson Township, Grant County, he bought some land, most of which was located in the wilderness, and by hard work cleared up and made a good farm. That was his home for nearly sixty years, and at his death in August, 1909, he was able to look back upon a lifetime of industry and gratifying accomplishments. He was a Democrat and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Joshua Jones was married in Jefferson township to Miss Malinda A. Owings, who was born in Ohio, and came with her father, Nicholas Owings, when a young child to Jefferson Township. Mrs. Joshua Jones died on the old homestead in Jefferson township in 1905. She was an active member of the Methodist church.

     The family record of George W. Jones in his immediate generation is noteworthy in several respects. He was the fifth in a family on nine children, eight of whom reached adult age, and of those only one is deceased, seven living. Mary J. having died when twenty-one. All the four sons and three daughters are still living and are married or have been married, and the youngest is more than fifty years of age and the oldest is now seventy. The record of the children is briefly as follows: Harriet, widow of Michael Houck, living in Upland; Lydia, who is the widow of Edwin Fergus and lives in California, having a sons and daughter; Lewis M., a farmer of Jefferson township, and his four daughters are all married; John W., one of the foremost farmers in Jefferson Township; George W.; Thomas Eli, who lived in Jonesboro, and has a son who is married; Sarah E., the wife of William Ginn, a farmer in Jefferson Township, and they are the parents of two sons.

     Like the other children George W. Jones was born on the old homestead in Jefferson Township, in Section Twenty-two, on February 14, 1853. His youth was spent in the same vicinity, and while growing up on the farm he had the cultured advantages afforded by the local school. He continued to attend school as opportunity offered until about twenty years. To farming he gave his first serious efforts, and in that industry laid the foundation for his subsequent prosperity. In 1891 Mr. Jones gave up active supervision of farming, and for a short time ran a restaurant, but has since been in the feed and grain business at Upland. He built his present yards and buildings, especially adapted for the convenience of the trade, in 1905. His home is located close to his place of business, and he has lived here continuously for twenty-two years. Mr. Jones has always taken much interest in local affairs, has served one term as town treasurer, has been liberal whenever a community undertaking was proposed, but has been reticent as to the honors of political life. In politics he votes the Democratic ticket.

     Mr. Jones was married in his native township to Miss Mary E. Ginn, who was born in Henry County, Indiana, and was fifty-eight years of age on October 1, 1913. When she was a young woman she came with her parents to Jefferson Township, and the Ginn family to which she belongs has suitable representation on other pages of this volume. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and very active in the affairs of their local society. Their two daughters are: Clara, the wife of A.J. Kuhn, who is associated with Mr. Jones in business at Upland, and they have a daughter, Hildred; Ginerva is the wife of Thomas L. Secrist, and they have one daughter, Martha E., and their home is in Santa Barbara, California.