Robert P. Jones, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Robert P. Jones
ROBERT P. JONES.
Ohio numbers many representatives among the best class of citizens of Indiana, and not least among these is R. P. Jones, ex-Sheriff of Porter County. He enjoys the distinction of being one of the prominent and enterprising citizens of the city of Valparaiso, and no one is more worthy of note than he, who has now retired from the active duties of life. Mr. Jones was born in Greene County, Ohio, October 3, 1824, and is a son of Jonathan S. and Lydia W. (Phares) Jones, both natives of the Buckeye State. The Jones family came from Maryland and the Phares from New Jersey, and both were among the pioneers of Ohio. Some members of the Jones family served in the Revolution, and nearly all were farmers by occupation, there being a few exceptions, however, one of our subject's uncles being a banker in Worcester, Ohio, and another a minister in the Christian Church. The parents of our subject removed from Greene County, Ohio, to Union County, that State, and there remained until 1841, when they removed to Porter County, Indiana. They came through by wagon and our subject preceded them about six weeks, walking all the way and stopping nights wherever he could get permission to do so. After stopping a day or so in Valparaiso he went on the farm in Liberty township, this county, this farm having been purchased by the father a short time before. About twenty acres of this farm had been improved and a small cabin erected. In this the family lived until they could make better improvements, and here the parents passed their last days, the father dying in 1855 and the mother in 1878. To their marriage were born twelve children, all of whom grew to mature years, and two sons and three daughters are now living: Robert P. (our subject); Mrs. Hyland, of Wheeler Station; Allen P., of Iowa; Mrs. Margaret Kipling, of Colorado; and Mrs. Lydia E. Brown, of Nebraska. Five sons - Erasmus J., John R., Allen P., Benjamin D., and Jonathan S. - were soldiers in the Civil War, and four of them died while in service. Jonathan S. contracted consumption and died shortly after returning from the army; John P. died in the Nashville hospital; Erasmus died in the Vicksburg hospital, and Benjamin died at New Orleans. The original of this notice was trained to the arduous duties of the farm at an early age, and received a limited education in the district school, taught in a primitive log cabin, with slabs for seats and greased paper for window lights. After coming to Porter County, Indiana, he remained on the farm until 1867, and then moved to Valparaiso, of which city he has since been a resident. He was married in 1845, May 14, to Miss Clarissa Dillingham, and three children were given them: Samantha A., wife of H. J. Patrick, of Valparaiso; Lyman D., who died March, 1873, and Lydia L., who died in 1880. Mr. Jones moved to Valparaiso in order to educate his children, and engaged in the leather business, but only carried it on for a short time, when he was elected City Marshal, serving in that capacity four years and ten months. He then resigned and entered the sheriff's office as deputy, holding that position for over two years. In 1872 he was elected Sheriff, and so capably did he fill that position that he was re-elected in 1874, serving until 1877. After this he embarked in the hardware business which he carried on for three years, but during that time he lost his daughter and he then retired, although he has been kept quite busy since settling estates, etc. He has accumulated a competency and can now enjoy the fruits of his labor.
Source: Goodspeed Brothers. 1894. Pictorial and Biographical Record of La Porte, Porter, Lake and Starke Counties, Indiana. Chicago, Illinois: Goodspeed Brothers. 569 p.
Page(s) in Source: 288-290
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook