Among the public spirited and successful men of Macoupin county, who have
gained the confidence of the entire community, is Robert Lee Jones. He has
served in one of the most important offices in the county, and has shown an
ability and fidelity to trust which are worthy of universal imitation. Born
in Carlinville, August 23, 1873, he is a son of John D. and Sarah L. (Rule)
Jones, the former of whom was born in Scioto county, Ohio, and the latter at
Alton, Illinois. The grandfather on the paternal side came to Illinois with
his family and began farming in Jersey county. Later he removed to Macoupin
county in a covered wagon and purchased a farm upon which he established the
family homestead. He contracted pneumonia from exposure while driving cattle
and hogs through the country and died soon after locating in this county.
John D. Jones, the father of our subject, was reared under pioneer
conditions and continued at home until the outbreak of the Civil war. In
response to the call of President Lincoln, he offered his services to his
country and became a member of Company C, Fourteenth Illinois Infantry,
serving faithfully with his regiment during the entire war. After the close
of the great conflict, he received his honorable discharge and returned to
Macoupin county, entering the butcher business at Carlinville, in which he
continued successfully for many years. He is now living in honorable
retirement at his home in Carlinville, and has reached the age of
seventy-four, his wife being sixty-eight years of age. They are both well
known and highly respected residents of the city.
The public schools
of Carlinville furnished opportunity for Robert Lee Jones to secure a good
preliminary education and thus lay a useful foundation for an active life.
After leaving school he secured employment on a stock farm in the county,
and subsequently worked on various farms for five years. He then took up his
residence in Carlinville and for three years was engaged in teaming. At the
end of the time named, he was given employment as weighmaster for the
Carlinville Coal Company, a position which he filled for one and one-half
years. He then resigned and joined the Coal Miners Union, being employed as
check weighman by that organization. He served in this capacity for eight
years, and during four years of that time was regularly reelected to the
position every three months. He became well known in the county and in 1906
was elected sheriff, a position which he filled most acceptably to voters of
all political parties for four years. Since retiring from the office of
sheriff he has served as deputy United States marshal, and also has had
charge of the sheriff’s office during the absence of the sheriff from the
county.
Mr. Jones has never married, preferring the freedom of
bachelorhood. Politically he is an earnest advocate of the republican party
whose principles appeal to him as essential to the perpetuity of the nation.
He is in sympathy with the doctrines of the Methodist church but he has
never affiliated with any religious denomination although friendly toward
them all. He is a member of Lodge No. 107, I. O. O. F., and also of the
Ancient Order of United Workmen, and has found much in the teachings of
those orders which meet his approval. A faithful public official and through
life a lover of justice and truth, he is a worthy representative of the best
type of American citizen and as such is highly popular wherever he is known.
Extracted 18 May 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 41-42.
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