J. W. JONES, Pleasant Bend, O., is engaged in the manufacture of nail kegs from the stump and in clearing the stumpy land into farms.  He employes about twenty-five hands in his factory here and about fifteen in his factory at Chicago.  He is now sixty-seven years old.  His father, Philip Jones, was among the first settlers in Meigs county, and was also the first treasurer of that county.  He was commissioned and served in the war of 1812.  Mr. Jones's business career has been varied, and he is acknowledged to be a better projector than organizer.  He it was that cut the first lath, planed the first lumber, and made the first sash and doors by machinery, in Meigs county.  These works were burnt and he did not receive any insurance.  After the burning of this factory he built other lumber and cooper works in Clifton, W. Va., and made and had patented many improvements in cooper machinery.  This factory was burned, and was a total loss, he having no insurance.  He then sold his foundry and machine works in Middleport, O., his cooper works in Ashland, Ky., and closed out his flour business in Middleport, and roasted his stave works in Williamstown, Va.  He then had large contracts in Wheeling for improved nail kegs, and the third time his factories were burned down with no insurance.  He then bought timber land in Wetsel county, W. Va., and built large works there, and in honor to him the town was named Jonestown. in connection with his factory be erected three cooper shops, one at Wheeling, W. Va., one at Bellaire, O., and one at Pittsburgh, Pa.  In his early business career he purchased one and a half sections of timber land in Ripley county, Ind., and erected thereon saw and planing-mills, thereby using up the timber and clearing 400 acres of land.  He otherwise improved the farm by adding a good dwelling and the largest. barn in the county.  The farm and farming was a failure from the fact, that the sub-soil was what they called hardpan, and was sold to the county, now being called the county poor farm and is well-named.  Mr. Jones has traded on the Mississippi River and timbered on the Ohio River.  He has worked much with machinery.  He has had seven stave factories and four saw-mills, and has carried on business in five different States and in as many different cities.  In all his misfortunes and mistakes he never allowed his friends to pay his debts, and newer asked for an extension.  In politics he was a Whig, then a Republican and is now in a doubtful mood.  He thinks that the economic disturbance that now shadows our country, occasioned by  machinery taking the place of muscular labor, that neither party is qualified to successfully meet the emergency he is looking for, and he thinks the signs of the times indicate the advent of a new party with broad and catholic views, to manage the government.  His religion is of the broad guage type.  He belongs to no sect or party, and thinks that the height, depth and amplitude of the Christian system is too great for any wet or party to mark its boundaries by church dogma, and that religious life has more potency than religious cant.  His creed is to accept Christ, the great teacher from God, and do his work.  Mr. Jones's wife still occupies the old homestead in Middleport, O., where all their children were born.  She is now sixty-two years old and was a daughter of two of the first settlers in Ohio and W. Va.  They have five children living: W. W. Jones and E. J. Jones, now engaged in the nail keg business in Hammond, Ind.; Philena, the Wife of R. W. Beach, who is engaged in the same business in Chicago, Ill.; Virginia, now Mrs. John Weaver; Mr. Weaver is a farmer near Letart, O., and Mary Grace (Pidge), wife of William Davis, who is now engaged in the sash and door and lumber business in Pomeroy, O.  All are cheerfully bearing the responsibilities of life and laboring for the joys of an after life.  Mr. Jones thinks that he is on his last decade — the last spool in the shuttle is fast winding off, and the web of life is about completed, but he can say as one did before him:  "My career is chosen, but I have warmed both hands in the fire of life."  During his business career the population of the government has increased from 20,000,000 to 60,000,000, and through energy, industry, and economy, has increased from $400 to $2,000 per capita, and sufficient railroads have been built, if in one continuous line, would reach five times around this planet, lined with cities, towns, villages, and factories.  Stupendous and unprecedented results or one generation.  And as he is about to step down and out, he flaunts the facts in the face of the incoming generation to stimulate them to emulation to do even better than their fathers.
Source:  History of Henry & Fulton Counties - edited by Lewis Cass Aldrich - Syracuse NY - Publ. D. Mason & Co. 1888. - Page 712