My Genealogy Hound

John W. Jones, M. D.. is one of the oldest and best known physicians in Izard County, Ark., and was born in Giles County, Tenn., on the 1st of March, 1832. He inherits Welsh blood from his paternal ancestors, his grandfather, Wiley, and his great grandfather, John Jones, having been born in that country. They came to America a short time prior to the Revolutionary War, and John took an active part in that struggle, taking sides with the colonists in their struggle for liberty, serving throughout the entire war as a private. He afterward settled in Virginia, near the North Carolina line, but after these two States were divided his home was found to be on the North Carolina side, and in this State he died near Charlotte in 1807. Wiley Jones and his wife, who was also born in Wales, removed to the State of Tennessee at a very early day, and there he reared his family and engaged in farming, being the owner of a large amount of property, both personal and real. He died in 1827. His son Cebern was born in North Carolina, and in his youth learned the boot and shoe maker’s trade, which business he conducted in Nashville from 1863 to 1871, his death occurring in the latter year. He was married, in 1827, to Miss Selina W. Mealor, and their marriage was blessed in the birth of four children, John W. and William being the only ones now living, the latter a farmer of Greene County, Mo. The mother’s death occurred in 1837, and Mr. Jones took for his second wife Miss Sarah Stephens, their union resulting in the birth of four sons and three daughters: Mary A., the widow of James Cash; Sarah A., Christina, George W., Thomas N., Newton J. and Louis E. Mr. Jones and this wife were divorced, and he espoused his third wife in Nashville, Tenn. He was a member of the Old School Presbyterian Church, and in his political views was a Whig. His son, Dr. John W. Jones, was reared to farm life, but lived in the villages of Louisburg and Connersville; receiving his early scholastic advantages in the schools of those places and Jackson College, at Columbia, Tenn., which institution he entered when seventeen years of age, remaining one term. Upon leaving school he learned the harness maker’s and saddler’s trade, but after following this occupation two years he came to Arkansas in 1855, and settled in Independence County, where he was engaged in teaching school, following this occupation in Polk Bayou, and afterward in Searcy County. During his days of pedagoguing his leisure moments were devoted to the study of medicine with the view to making it his calling through life, and in 1860 he entered upon his practice continuing until the opening of the rebellion, when he joined the Confederate forces as a private, and after serving one month was promoted to the position of assistant surgeon and filled the position three years. He took part in a number of battles, Pea Ridge, Iuka and Corinth being among the number. He was taken prisoner at Port Hudson, but after being kept in captivity for six days he was paroled and returned to Searcy County, Ark., where he again resumed the practice of his profession. In 1865 he located at Evening Shade, and after teaching school for twenty months he again entered upon the practice of medicine, being in partnership with Dr. Hill, but this connection only continued a short time. He moved to near La Crosse in 1868, but in 1873 he came to Izard County and settled on the old Langston place, where he remained seven years. He purchased his present property at the end of that time, and by adding forty acres now has a farm comprising 100 acres, with about twenty acres under cultivation. Prior to the war, in 1861, he attended the Medical College, of St. Louis, Mo., but owing to some disagreement between Prof. McDowell and some of his German and Irish students the institution was closed. Dr. Jones is a member of the A. F. & A. M., the I. O. O. F., and in his political views is a Democrat. He was married in October, 1866, to Miss Martha H. Taylor, of Izard County, and by her is the father of ten children: Mary F., wife of Robert Guest; John W., Cebern S., James T., Margaret J., Samuel T., Wiley N., Martha C., Nancy A. and George R. Mrs. Jones is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Dr. Jones is a physician of acknowledged merit, and an excellent proof of his ability is shown in the extended territory over which he goes to alleviate the sufferings of the sick.