|
Page 140 |
|
county, Ohio. Having a desire to see Kansas he left Ohio and arrived at Topeka in March 1869. There he remained a short time and finally permanently located in Macon county, Missouri, where he was in business and merchantile [sic] pursuits until he returned to Kansas in 1879, arriving in Norton, via WaKeeney, on the 14 day of February. He immediately selected the west half of section eighteen, township two, range twenty three for his homestead and timber claim, entrusting his business to M. J. Fitzpatrick, who promptly swindled him out of his land and money too. He then bought two other claims on which he subsequently made proof and now owns. In August 1874 he was engaged by Mr. G. E. Griffin in his general store in Norton where he remained until the fall of 1882 when he took the position of county treasurer; having been elected to that office on the "low salary" ticket the previous November. In 1883 he received the republican nomination for county treasurer for the second term and was elected by the unanimous vote of the county. In 1889 he unfortunately run for county treasurer for the third term but was overwhelmingly defeated by N. L. Johnson, the present incumbent. After serving his second term of office he was employed by Mr. Griffin in the Farmers' Exchange bank for the period of a year and a half, after which he entered the service of F M. Snow as deputy county treasurer and remained with him during his term of office. Since which time he has been farming, excepting for a short time in the employ of E. Broquet at Beattie, Kansas. He was the first to receive Masonic rites in Norton Lodge No. 199, A. F. and A. M. and was secretary of said lodge for many years. Mr. Jones has never been married and now lives on his farm six miles west of Norton. The first sermon preached in Norton county was in June 1872, by Elder Towns of the Christain [sic] church. Services were held in Jim Hall's house east of Almena. Mr. Towns never settled in this county although he came for that purpose. He afterward lived in Kirwin and preached there for several years. Elder Gibbs settled on the head of North Fork, four miles northwest of Almena in the spring of 1874. He preached the first sermon in this county, on the farm now owned by Sid Case, shortly after his arrival. He afterward preached regularly in Norton and other places in the county. He preached for the Baptist church and was the first minister to locate permanently in the county. He moved to Nebraska in 1881. His present residence is unknown. The first sermon preached in Norton was by Rev. Wainright in June 1873; he delivered his sermon from his wagon, |
|
Page 140 |