Dickinson Co., KS AHGP-Portrait and
Biographical Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and
Marion Counties-John R. Jones
Portrait and Biographical
Record of Dickinson, Saline, McPherson and Marion
Counties
Chapman Brothers, Chicago, 1893
JOHN R. JONES, an honored veteran of the
war, now owns and operates one hundred
and sixty acres of arable land on section 8,
Flora Township. His residence in Dickinson
County covers a period of twenty-one years,
dating from 1871. He has therefore witnessed
much of the growth and development of this com
munity, and has proved himself a valued citizen
by aiding in this development. His life record is
as follows:
Mr. Jones was born February 26, 1830, in
Greene County, Pa., and is a son of James Jones,
also a native of the Keystone State, and a cooper
by trade. His father married Elizabeth Robinson,
also of Pennsylvania. The family removed to
Ohio when our subject was about six weeks old
and settled in Williamsburg, Guernsey County,
and was numbered among its pioneers. The
mother died when John was a lad of thirteen
years. The death of the father occurred at the
age of fifty-six years.
Soon after losing his mother, Mr. Jones of this
sketch started out in life for himself, and since
that time has been dependent upon his own resources.
He learned the blacksmith's trade, and
worked as an apprentice and journeyman for
about live years, after which he went into the patent
business, and subsequently engaged in setting
up boilers and engines for about seven years. On
the expiration of that period, he turned his attention
to farming, which occupation he followed
in Noble and Washington Counties, Ohio, and was
thus employed until the 20th of November, 1861.
Responding to the country's call for troops, Mr.
Jones became a member of Company G, Seventy seventh
Ohio Infantry. He participated in the
battle of Pittsburg Landing, and afterward
marched with his company around the country to
Corinth and Cold Water, and to Alton, Ill., where
they were engaged in guarding prisoners for about
a year. He was then sent with his command to
Helena, Ark., later marched across the hills to Little
Rock, and thence back to Columbus, Ohio, where
he re-enlisted. He then returned to Little Rock,
and from there went to Camden, Ark., and started
to Pine Bluff, but at Marks' Mills was captured,
April 25, 1864, by Pagan's troops, together with
eleven hundred of his comrades and two hundred
mule teams.
The boys in blue marched five hundred miles to
Camp Ford and four miles north of Tyler, Tex.,
where they were placed in prison. They were
kindly treated at first, but afterward the prisoners
were placed under the charge of another Colonel
and received very rough treatment. Mr. Jones
had charge of cutting out the tunnel No. 101
in that prison, by which thirty-three made their
escape, only one being captured. While cutting
the tunnel, he also bribed the guard, who permitted
nine men to get away. To make the tunnel, he at
first used only a hard stick, but afterward secured
a sprouting-hoe, from which he made a pick. The
troops were working so that all the four thousand
might be released. One hundred were to make
their escape through the tunnel, then go to an old
shed, secure arms and attack the guard. This plan
failed, but thirty-two succeeded in making their
way to freedom. At length Mr. Jones was discharged
from his prison. While there he was engaged
in the manufacture of combs, and by the
sale of these was enabled to supply his comrades
with necessities. After being released, February
26, 1865, he continued in the service until the 8th
of March, 1866, when he was discharged in Brownsville,
Tex., as Corporal. He endured all the hardships
of prison life, suffering greatly, and from
the effects he has never fully recovered. For
fourteen years after the war he was a cripple.
(c) 2009 Sheryl McClure for
Dickinson County KS AHGP