Albert Martin JONES ²

  General Notes:

JONES - Albert M. JONES located on section 23, of Jackson Township, came to Harrison County in the spring of 1865, when he located on the farm he now occupies, consisting of seven hundred and eighty-four acres. It was all wild land and he at once began improving it. He built a house, the main part of which was 18x22 feet, and an addition, 12x18 feet. He built a barn, twenty-four feet square, provided shedding and cribs; also set out an orchard and shade trees. He dug a good well and provided it with a wind-mill. His whole place is under the protection of a fence, and three hundred and fifty acres under the plow. He has disposed of some of his land, and at the present was three hundred and twenty acres. He came to the county a poor man, and paid $3 per acre for his land, but has come to be a prosperous farmer.

He was born in Hancock County, Ill., in November, 1846, and is a son of William S. and Eliza JONES. The father was a native of Wales and the mother, of Ohio. They had six children, of whom our subject was the fifth: Sanders W., Byron L., Albert M., John R., deceased; Winfield S., deceased and James M., deceased. Our subject lived in Illinois until about nineteen years of age, and there received a common-school education. The first two years he lived in Iowa, he crossed the State four times with a covered wagon, camping out by the way-side. Many times he would not see a house in a day's travel.

He was united in marriage, in February, 1873, to Drusilla POLEN, the daughter of William POLEN, who was a native of Ohio. Her parents had five children, named as follows: Mary, Nelson, Kate, Drusilla and Elizabeth.

Our subject and his wife are the parents of three children--Wallace R., born March 4, 1874; Byron B., April 30, 1876 and Jetty M., March 31, 1890.

Source: 1891 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 6635, 636


Albert M. JONES - A pioneer farmer of Harrison county, Iowa, is Albert M. JONES, who has been a resident of the county for more than forty years. He was born and reared in Illinois, but located in Harrison county, Iowa, before his marriage. He has engaged extensively in stock raising and has the distinction of being the first man to bring a Poland-China hog to this county. He has been very successful as a breeder of Poland-China hogs and full-blooded Shorthorn cattle. During his long career in this county he has been prominently identified with its civic life and has served for many years in an official capacity in this township. He is well and favorably known and is held in high esteem by those with whom he has been associated.

Albert M. JONES, the son of William S. and Eliza (MCCURDY) JONES, was born November 5, 1846, in Hancock county, Illinois. His father was a native of Wales and came to the United States when fourteen years of age with his parents, who settled in Ohio.

William F. JONES was married in Ohio and in 1846 moved to Illinois where he lived for twenty years. In 1866 he located in Harrison county, Iowa, but died about a year after settling in the county. Seven children were born to William F. JONES and wife, six boys and one girl.

Albert M. JONES was the fourth child born to his parents and the youngest one now living. All of his older brothers and sisters are still living. Mr. JONES remained at home until he was twenty years of age and then began working out by the month. He handled stock for farmers in his native state and in this way became an expert stockman. He remained in Illinois after his parents moved to Harrison county and did not come to this county until after their death. He then located in Harrison county, where he received his share of the seven hundred and eighty-nine acres which has father had bought. He has since farmed about one mile south of Pisgah, in Jackson township. When he came to this county there were only three houses between Pisgah and Magnolia, and Council Bluffs was the nearest railroad station. For the first few years they raised some corn and wheat, but devoted most of their time and attention to stock raising. As has been stated, Mr. JONES has been extensively engaged in the breeding of high-class cattle and hogs, and was formerly an exhibitor at county fairs. He exhibited the Poland-China hogs which he bought in Fulton county, Illinois, and shipped to Harrison county, at a number of fairs and won a great many prizes with them.

Mr. JONES was married February 5, 1873, to Anna POLEN, who was born December 9, 1852, in Harrison county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Elizabeth (CRUMRINE) POLEN. Her parents moved to Buchanan county, Iowa, in 1853, and about 1870 they moved to Harrison county, where they bought a farm. The mother of Mrs. JONES died when she was a small girl and her father later remarried.

Mr. and Mrs. JONES have three children, two sons and a daughter, Wallace, Byron B. and Jetta M. Wallace lives in Pisgah, and is in the real estate business. He married Minnie PECK, and has three children living, Ray, Alice and Mary. Byron B., who lives in Pisgah, married Cassie DICKEY, and has five children, Tessie, Albert, Hugh, Ruth and Lawrence. Jetta M. married Mathew COUGHLIN, and lives on a farm two miles south of the old Milton SILSBY farm.

Mr. JONES is a Republican and has been one of his party's leaders in political affairs for many years. He has served as trustee of Jackson township for ten years, during which time he has rendered to his fellow citizens faithful and efficient service. Mr. JONES is one of the oldest farmers of his township, and has so lived during his long career here as to merit the high esteem in which he is universally held.

Source: 1915 Harrison County Iowa History, pp. 727, 728. ⁵

Albert married Drucilla Ann POLEN, daughter of William Wheeler POLEN and Elizabeth CRUMRINE, on 7 February 1873 in , Harrison Co., Iowa.¹ (Drucilla Ann POLEN was born on 19 December 1852 in , Harrison Co., Ohio, died on 21 July 1930 in , Harrison Co., Iowa ⁶ and was buried in 1930 in Soldier Valley Cemetery, Jackson Twsp., Harrison Co., Iowa.)

  Marriage Notes:

Harrison County Marriage Register 1853-1875 - There are two ledgers. One is for the license, the other for the entry of the marriage.

JONES, A. M. & Anna POLEN License issued 1 February 1873; Marriage 7 February 1873 by L. Bassett, J. P. p. 128
Entry in marriage ledger said only "A. M. Jones & Drucilla Polen"

History of Harrison County, Iowa 1915 and both Obituaries indicate marriage date was February 5, 1873 instead of February 7.