Biographical Sketch of

James E. Jones

Transcribed by Robert Schieber

Source: Memorial and Biographical Record and Illustrated Compendium of Biography of Citizens of Columbia, 
Sauk and Adams Counties, Wisconsin, published 1901 by G. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1901, Page 485

 
James E. Jones, editor and proprietor of the "Kilbourn Mirror-Gazette," is a man of prominence in his profession.  
He was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, in 1849, and was the son of Archibald M. and Susan M. (Daly) Jones.

James E. Jones was the youngest of a family consisting of three sons and three daughters, and attended school at 
Lynchburg and other places in his native state.  He enlisted in September, 1864, in Company C, Second Colorado, at 
Kansas city, where he had gone for the purpose of enlistment.  He served about one year on garrison duty and frontier 
service in Kansas and Arkansas.  In December, 1866, he enlisted at St. Louis, in the regular army, serving five years 
in the Third United States Cavalry Band, playing different instruments.  He spent six more years in government 
topographical work, covering all states and territories from the Missouri river to the Pacific coast.  He then went 
to Chicago, where he engaged in journalism, as proof reader on the "Daily News" for some time, and at other special 
work on different journals, and in 1884 came to Kilbourn, and established the "Mirror-Gazette," which he has since 
published.  The "Mirror" was established in 1856, in the first building ever erected in the town.  The paper flourished 
for a time, and when our subject took charge of it and became proprietor he revived it and soon after combined it with 
the "Gazette."  It has a wide-spread circulation, and is considered one of the brightest exchanges of the newspaper 
world.  Mr. Jones is original in his writing and possesses a remarkable degree of distinctiveness of thought and 
language, and many of his articles are copied by leading journals of the state and nation.

Our subject was married in 1888 to Anna Bauer, daughter of Fred and Helen Bauer, of Kilbourn.  One daughter has been 
born to Mr. and Mrs. Jones upon whom they have bestowed the name of Vera.  Mr. Jones has been a consistent member of 
the Methodist church for a number of years, and takes an active part in the affairs of that denomination, and especially 
the choir work.  He is active and prominent in secret society circles, holding membership in the Ancient Order of United 
Workmen, the Modern Woodmen of America, and John Gillespie Post, No. 51, G. A. R.  In the last named he was commander 
three years, adjutant six years and chief of staff for the department of Wisconsin for two years, and an aide on the 
national staff for one year under Commander Weissert, of  Milwaukee.  He is ever ready to promote any movement for the 
advancement and upbuilding of the town of Kilbourn and his county and state, and justly occupies a prominent place in 
the minds of the people of Columbia county.


Transcribed by Robert Schieber


Note: The Kilbourn newspaper covered southern Adams county.




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