John J. Jones. Actively connected with a profession that has an important bearing upon the progress and stable prosperity of any section or community, and one which has ever been considered as conserving the public welfare by furthering the ends of justice and maintaining individual rights, the reputation of John J. Jones, of Chanute, as a lawyer has been won through honest, earnest labor, and his standing at the bar is a merited tribute to his ability. For a quarter of a century he has been engaged in practice at Chanute, and during this time has been connected with much of the important litigation that has been brought before the courts of city, county and state. Mr. Jones was born at Pinckneyville, Perry County, Illinois, August 22, 1869, and is a son of Dr. John R. and Frances Gertrude (Gillis) Jones.
The Jones family is of Welsh origin and the branch to which John J. Jones belongs was founded in America preceding the Revolutionary war. It early settled in Kentucky, from which state Mr. Jones’ grandfather migrated to Illinois as a pioneer in 1818 and located on a farm in Perry County, where he passed the remainder of his life in agricultural activities. Dr. John R. Jones was born October 6, 1836, at Pinckneyville, Illinois, and was given good educational advantages. In his youth he decided upon the medical profession as his life work, and after some preliminary training entered the Missouri Medical College, from which institution he was duly graduated with his degree. He was married in Illinois, and in 1876 came to Chanute, Kansas, as one of the first physicians and surgeons of this part of Neosho County, and here continued in practice for thirty years, his death occurring October 12, 1906, when he was six days past seventy years of age. Doctor Jones became widely and favorably known throughout this section, not alone as a skilled practitioner and a steady-handed surgeon, but as a kindly, generous friend, always ready to assist the unfortunate and to give of his services in the alleviation of human ills: He belonged to the Neosho County Medical Society, the Kansas State Medical Society and the American Medical Association, was a close student all his life, and observed strictly the highest ethics of his honored and humane calling. As a fraternalist, he stood high in Masonry, belonging to Chanute Lodge No. 103, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons; Chanute Chapter No. 21, Royal Arch Masons; and Chanute Commandery No. 44, Knights Templars. His religious faith was that of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which he supported generously, and as a voter he was a republican. Doctor Jones married Miss Frances Gertrude Gillis, who was born July 7, 1846, and she still survives and has her home at Chanute. To their union the following children were born: an infant daughter who is deceased; Humphrey B., who died at Chanute at the age of sixteen years; Lydia, who is the wife of William Irwin, chief of police of Chanute; John J.; Dr. F. W., a successful practicing physician and surgeon of Girard, Kansas; Gertrude, who died at Saint Margaret’s Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri, being the wife of Grant Blair, a farmer living west of Chanute; D. R., who is a successful oil operator in the Oklahoma fields; Itie L., who is unmarried and makes her home with her widowed mother; Frances V., who is also unmarried and lives with her mother, and is chief saleslady and buyer of the Racket Store, Chanute; and B. F., who married Ruth Hough and lives on a farm located west of Chanute.
John J. Jones was less than seven years of age when he was brought to Kansas, and here his early education was secured in the graded and high schools of Chanute, from the latter of which he was graduated with the class of 1889. Following this, he began the study of law, for which ealling he had always had a predilection, and in 1892 was graduated from the law department of the Kansas University with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. In that same year he was admitted to the bar, and from that time to the present has been engaged in a general civil practice that has grown as great in size as it has in importance. He maintains offices in the First National Bank Building, and in addition to his large private practice acts as local attorney for the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad, the Missouri, Kansas & Texas Railroad, and George F. Sherrett, receiver for the Kansas Natural Gas Company, of which concern Mr. Jones was formerly general attorney. He is likewise general counsel for the Union Traction Company, the line of which runs from Parsons to Coffeyville, and of the Kansas-Oklahoma Traction Company, which extends between Coffeyville, Kansas, and Nowata, Oklahoma, in both of which lines he holds a directorship. He belongs to the Kansas State Bar Association and the American Bar Assoclation, and enjoys an excellent reputation in the ranks of his fellow-practitioners. Politically, Mr. Jones is a republican, but has never aspired to office, nor has he allowed his name to be used as a candidate for public honors. He has supreme faith in the future of Chanute, as is evidenced by the fact that much of his capital is invested in real estate in this city. In addition to his own home, at No. 907 South Highland Avenue, he owns the residence at No. 203 East Tenth Street, Nos. 934 and 936 South Lincoln Avenue, and Nos. 401, 406 and 501 Evergreen Avenue. Likewise he is the owner of the old homestead of 240 acres, situated three miles west and one-half mile north of Chanute, a thoroughly modern farm, which has been so highly improved and includes such fine buildings and handsome equipment that it is one of the show-places of the section, people coming for many miles to view its beauties. Fraternally, Mr. Jones is a life member of Lodge No. 806, of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.
On June 3, 1896, at Chanute, Mr. Jones married Miss Belle Wilson, daughter of W. L. and Louise (Benjamin) Wilson, the latter deceased, and the former making his home with Mr. and Mrs. Jones. Mr. Wilson was for many years engaged in agricultural pursuits in Neosho County, but has now retired from active labors. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have no children.