Hugh O. & Mary Jane (Evans) Jones, 2006 Bio

JONES, EVANS

Posted By: Danny Evans (email)
Date: 3/5/2006 at 14:54:30

Following is some information on my great grandparents who lived and died in Stelapolis / Williamsburg. They are buried in the Willimsburg cemetery.

Best Regards,
Danny Evans
Muscatine

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HUGH O.2 JONES (HUGH M.1) was born Abt. 1842 in N. Wales, U.K., and died May 17, 1887 in Stellapolis, Iowa Co., IA. He married MARY JANE EVANS Oct 29, 1866 in Columbus City, Louisa Co., IA, daughter of DAVID EVANS and JANE WILLIAMS. She was born Nov 1853 in Cincinatti, OH, and died Feb 23, 1884 in Stellapolis, Iowa Co., IA.

Hugh O. Jones was born the eldest of four children. He was born to Hugh M. and Jane Jones. He came to the US with his family at the age of 15.

Hugh fought in the Civil War (Grand Army of the Republic). He was 19 when he enlisted, living in Columbus City, IA at the time. Hugh served in Co. C, the 11th Iowa Regiment, in the Iowa Volunteer Infantry. He entered service Sept. 23, 1861, and mustered Oct. 3, 1861. He was discharged Oct. 17, 1864 at Gaylesville, Alabama as Private. He received a pension from his participation in military service.

They had five sons:

Thomas Edward Jones (my great grandfather, buried in the Cambrian Cemetery outside Columbus City)
David R. Jones
John Jones
Clifford Jones
William Jones

Hugh and Mary Jane died early in their marriage - 15 & 17 years respectively. Thomas and David had left home by then, and Clifford had died while still young, so William (then aged 14), and John (then aged 11) were sent to live with their maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. David J. Evans, who lived in rural Columbus City, IA. These grandparents acquired legal guardianship for the boys, and raised them as their own.

Mary Jane died Feb 23, 1884 of unknown causes. Hugh died May 17, 1887 from Dropsy, Liver Cirrhosis, and Chronic Diarrhea contracted during the war. Hugh, Mary Jane, and Clifford were buried side-by-side in the Williamsburg, Iowa Cemetery.

An obituary from a Columbus Junction newspaper: Hugh O. Jones, who formerly lived in the Welsh settlement in this township, and who has for a long time been suffering with dropsy, died at Morning Sun Sunday last. He was 45 years of age, a soldier in the late war, and a man respected by all who knew him. Milt Shearer went to Morning Sun Monday and embalmed the body and it was shipped to Williamsburg for interment. Funeral services in charge of the Morning Sun G. A. R. Post, were held in the Presbyterian Church Monday.