James Thomas Jones was born in Wisconsin, August 23, 1848. His parents moved to Lee county, Iowa, when James was about a year old. They again moved to Knox county, Missouri, in 1859, and there James completed his schooling. Early in life be began farming and continued till the spring of 1875, when he came to this county and began merchandising at Bancroft. In September, 1877, he came to Jamesport and went into the hotel business. This he continued till the fall of 1879, when he went into the saloon business and has been thus engaged ever since. He was married, in Knox county, Missouri, December 23, 1868, to Miss Nellie Gibler, a native of Illinois. Mr. and Mrs. Jones are the parents of five children. In every sense of the word, Mr. Jones is a square business man.