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Colonel Daniel Jones, Dead
An Honored Resident of Watertown
For Nearly Sixty Years
Died at His Home on
Col. Daniel
Jones, an honored and prominent citizen of Watertown for nearly sixty years,
died at his home in
Though
Mr. Jones was in feeble health for years, his end came sooner than his relatives
and friends expected. On Thursday he was
downtown transacting business, and on Friday he complained of having a
cold. He gradually grew weaker and
passed away as peacefully as a child going to sleep.
His
death was a great surprise to our people, for but few knew that he had been ill
or had been confined to his home. In the
death of Mr. Jones, Watertown loses one of its most successful business men,
and a man who has aided and financed many an enterprise here that has build up
our beautiful city.
Temperament
He was
a conservative, honorable business man, a man whose judgment and word could
always be relied upon, and a man who always dealt justly with all classes,
hence his death is universally regretted here.
He was
a kind neighbor and took much delight in the success of his fellowman, being
particularly interested in the welfare of the young.
Mr.
Jones was born at Goffstown, New Hampshire,
When
quite young he removed with his parents to Jefferson County, New York, and from
there to Oneida County, New York. In
1843 he came west and located in Milwaukee, where he engaged in the mercantile
business and for a year in connection with a partner conducted the American
House in that city.
Arrival in Watertown
Wisconsin National Bank
In
October, 1845, he came to Watertown and opened a store; in 1852 he opened a
banking and exchange office in connection with his store and organized the Jefferson
County Bank in 1853, which he continued until 1865, when the present Wisconsin National Bank was organized by
Mr. Jones in company with the late Wm. M. Dennis, Peter V. Brown, Henry
Mulberger and Charles Jacobi. Mr. Dennis
was president of the bank for many years, and after his death Mr. Jones was
elected president of the bank and remained its president until his advanced
years caused him to retire from active business a few years ago Aside from his banking business he remained
in the mercantile business until 1864, when he associated himself with the late
S. Ford & Co. in the manufacture of
woolen goods, and later conducted the business under the name of D. Jones
& Co. He continued this business till 1877 when he leased it to D. P.
Price.
He was
also personally connected with various other enterprises here, and held many
local offices, at one time serving as chairman of the County Board of
Supervisors.
In
1875 he organized the Marathon County Bank at Wausau and was its president for
many years.
Politically
he was always a democrat and received the title of Colonel as a member of
Ex-Governor Taylor's staff.
St. Paul's Episcopal
He was
a member of St. Paul's Episcopal Church for
over 50 years, which he helped to organize and has been a member thereof during
all that time.
He is
survived by one sister, Mrs. Lydia M. Beaman, who has made her home with him
since the death of his wife.
Reminiscences
Mr.
Jones' life was a very active and eventful one and, when in a reminiscent mode,
he would relate many things of interest that took place in his life in early
days here. Following is one of his
reminiscences of early days in Wisconsin and Watertown; it will prove of
interest to the older citizens here as well as to the younger generation:
"It
was in the spring of 1843 when I landed in Milwaukee and went into the general
merchandise business. I sold everything
from a paper of pins to a log chain. About a year after I reached Milwaukee I
went into partnership with J. L. Bean and we had the American House.
Arrival in Watertown
”In
the spring of 1845 we sold out to a man named Rossiter from Chicago, and I
loaded my goods into a wagon and came to Watertown.
“The
roads were not what they are today. I remember it took me two days to make the trip
in a light wagon with a good team. There were mudholes ten feet deep and we
traveled on corduroy roads. There was nothing here at that time, but people
were coming fast. It was so crowded at the tavern where we stopped that my wife
and myself were obliged to share our room with another young couple, having a
blanket as partition.
D. Jones Exchange Office
“I
started a general store and it was through this that I finally got into the
banking business. Most of the settlers came from the east and they brought
drafts with them. They would buy goods at the store and offer the drafts in
payment. Often they would be larger than I could change and they would leave
them with me to change for them. This had to be done through the Milwaukee
banks and I finally determined to go into the business myself. In the spring of 1852 I opened the D. Jones
exchange office.
Jefferson County Bank
“In
1853 the state banking law was passed, and with my brother-in-law, C. J.
Harger, as a partner [note: also
brother-in-law of Ashley Harger?], the Jefferson
County Bank with a capital of $75,000 was organized. We took circulation to
that amount secured by $56,000 Missouri state bonds and $30,000 California gold
bonds. Everything ran smoothly until the
war and the people began to demand gold for our notes. The Missouri bonds we
had bought at 83c on the dollar and they went down to 38. We sold the California bonds which were
always at par and with this money started in to take up our notes as fast as
they were presented. Gold was at a premium of from 13 to 100 percent at this
time. To help out we shipped produce, beef and pork to New York, ordering gold
back. Sometimes it was a tight squeeze to get enough gold from New York to
carry us through the day, but we did it and I am proud of it. We had succeeded in taking up all but about
$14,000 of our circulation when specie payment was suspended. In the fall of
1854 the Jefferson County Bank was closed.
St Paul Railroad
Chicago & Northwestern
“When
the St Paul Railroad came here it was so
poor that I couldn’t pay for the wood it needed to run its engines. Alexander Mitchell was a great friend of mine
and he told me that if I would pay for the wood he would see that I didn't lose
by it. For two years I bought the wood
for it. When the Chicago &
Northwestern got this far it couldn’t get its iron, which was in bond. With
several others I signed the bond that released the rails and permitted the road
to go on. These acts cost me dear.
Plank Road
“I was
one of the originators of the Plank road,
between Portland and Oconomowoc, and it was a good investment until the
railroads came through. They ruined the
business and I lost what I had in the enterprise.
Wisconsin National Bank
“In
February 1856, the Wisconsin National Bank of Watertown was organized. The organizers were William M. Dennis, Peter V.
Brown, Henry Mulberger, Charles Jacobi and myself. I alone am living.
“In
1876 I organized the Marathon County Bank at Wausau and still retain an
interest in it."
Funeral
Wednesday
afternoon Mr. Jones' funeral took place from his late home to St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church, Rev. John Barrett being the officiating clergyman, who
preached a most eloquent tribute to the memory of the departed.
The
full church choir was assisted by a male quartette composed of Messrs. Julius
Wiggenhorn, Fred Lehmann, Wm Sproesser and Max Rohr. The remains of the deceased were placed in
the vault at Oak Hill Cemetery and later on will be placed in their final
resting place in the cemetery.
The
honorary pallbearers were Messrs. M J Woodard, Dr. Edward Johnson, William P.
Brown, John Robinson, Ex-Senator William F. Voss, Dr. F. C. Moulding, H. T. Eberle, George Hawkins. The active
pallbearers were Messrs. J. F. Prentiss, Gustav Buchheit, Henry Mulberger, J.
C. Harrison, Jas. W. Moore, Robert Dent. The Wisconsin National Bank, of which
Mr. Jones was one of the founders and president for many years, was closed
during the afternoon out of respect to his memory.
Watertown Daily Times, 1905
