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BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM EDWARD JONES

This biography was possible through the generous consideration of Mrs. Gina M. Reasoner.  

Email:  greasoner@prodigy.net

Source:  History of Ohio, The American Historical Society, Inc., 1925 Volume IV, page 187:

WILLIAM EDWARD JONES has been a resident of Youngstown, Mahoning County, the greater part of the time since he was a lad of twelve years. Here he learned in his youth the trade of carriage trimmer, and he found his technical knowledge and skill of equal value after the carriage had been almost entirely replaced by the automobile. In the handling of all kinds of trimming work on automobiles Mr. Jones has built up in Youngstown a substantial and prosperous business, and erected and owns the building in which his manufacturing and repair work is carried on with the best of modern facilities. Mr. Jones was born in Staffordshire, England, in the year 1867, and about twelve years later, in 1879, he accompanied his parents to the United States, the family home having immediately been established at Youngstown, Ohio. He is a son of Lewis and Priscilla (Green) Jones, and his father was a skilled artisan in connection with the steel and iron industry, with which he was long identified in the capacity of puddler in the steel mills at Youngstown, where he died in 1923, at the age of eighty-four years and six months, and where his widow, now eighty-five years of age (1924), is a loved member of the family circle of her son William E. of this review, she being a devout communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church, as was also her husband, and his faith being virtually that of the Church of England, in which they originally had membership. The earlier educational discipline of William E.Jones was acquired in the schools of his native land, and he continued to attend school for a time after the family home was established at Youngstown. At the age of fifteen years he entered upon his apprenticeship to the trade of carriage-trimmer, and after becoming a skilled workman he continued to follow his trade until the advent of automobiles, when he made a prompt adaptation of his work to meet the new conditions. In the capacity of trimmer he was employed in various automobile shops in the City of Cleveland, and upon his return to Youngstown in 1913 he opened a shop of his own on Garfield Street. Since 1917 he has maintained his well equipped establishment in the substantial cement-block building which he erected for the purpose at 170 West Chalmers Avenue, this building being 30 by 40 feet in dimensions and constituting the stage of a vigorous and prosperous business enterprise. Mr. Jones is independent in politics, is affiliated with the local Blue Lodge, Chapter and Council bodies of the York Rite Masonry, as well as with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and he is a member also of the engaging Youngstown organization known as the Coon Hunters. He and family are earnest communicants of Saint Andrew's Church, Protestant Episcopal. In the year 1897 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Jones and Miss Emma Davis, who was born in Wales and who was a daughter of Thomas H. and Jane (Danks) Davis. Mr. and Mrs. Jones became the parents of three children, of whom the first, Duane, died in infancy; Edith M. is the wife of Henry Bennett of Youngstown; and Miss Lillian remains at the parental home. Mrs. Jones died in June, 1908.