Sheriff John F. Jones

Sheriff Jones was born March 16, 1840, and Died April 16, 1913

Sheriff Jones served as Sheriff of Grant County from 1870 to 1871

Biography and Obituary

Sheriff John Franklin Jones was an honorable man who rose to the rank of Captain during the civil war. Sheriff Jones married Jennie Winslow who was a distant relative of James Dean.

Served in the civil war

​Jones, John F.(Franklin) of Grant Co.; Priv, Co H, 12th (1yr) Reg.;MI 10-23-61;  MO 5-12-62, as a 2nd Lieutenant at Washington, DC; 2nd tour was with Co C, 89th Reg.; MI 8-2-62 as 2nd Lieutenant, MO 7-19-65. Promotions 1st Lieutenant  2-28-1863 and Captain 10-28-1864 at Mobile, AL.  Returned home to Fairmount  and married Miss Jennie W. Winslow.  Buried at Park Cemetery, Fairmount, IN  Lot 580

The 12th Indiana Infantry was organized at Indianapolis, Indiana May 11, 1861 and mustered in for one year's service; it was transferred to U.S. service on July 18, 1861.

The regiment was attached to Abercrombie's Brigade, Banks' Department of the Shenandoah, to October 1861. Abercrombie's Brigade, Bank's Division, Army of the Potomac, to March 1862. 2nd Brigade, Williams' 1st Division, Banks' V Corps, to April 1862, and Department of the Shenandoah to May 1862.

The 12th Indiana Infantry mustered out of service May 14, 1862 in Washington, D.C.

Detailed service

Moved to Evansville, Ind., June 11. Left Indiana for Baltimore, Md., July 23; then moved to Sandy Hook, Md., July 28. Duty at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, Williamsport and Sharpsburg, Md., until March 1862. Advance on Winchester, Va., March 1-12. Skirmished at Stephenson's Station, near Winchester, March 11. Operations in the Shenandoah Valley until April. Duty at Warrenton Junction, Va., April 3-May 5. Reconnaissance to Rappahannock River and skirmish at Rappahannock Crossing April 18. March to Washington, D.C., May 5.

Casualties

The regiment lost a total of 24 enlisted men, all due to disease

Marion Leader Tribune 4-18-1913

Fairmount

Fairmount, Ind., April 17.- Captain John F. Jones, 73, but generally and better known as Frank Jones, late of Co. C. 89th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, died at 11:25 o’clock last night at his home on West Washington street, following an acute illness which commenced Sunday night. Although for two months he had been in failing health, his condition did not point to a speedy termination until late last evening, and but few of his lifelong friends knew his real condition until his death was announced this morning, a fact which caused widespread sorrow throughout the town.

Enlisting at the beginning of the civil war, he was assigned to the 12th infantry. Within a short time distinguished service in the field brought him an appointment as second lieutenant, and later he was promoted to first lieutenant. In December 1863 he was made a captain of Co. C., 89th Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which capacity he served until the close of the war. He served one term as sheriff of Grant county, being elected in 1870. In 1871 he was married to Jennie Winslow, a daughter of the late H.W. Winslow. In 1875 he and his wife returned from Marion to Fairmount to make their home. Since that time he hasheld a commission as justice of the peace in Fairmount township almost continuously.

It is doubtful if there was a man in the county who enjoyed wider acquaintance than did the deceased, he being an active political worker under the banner of the Republican party since the birth of that organization.

Chronicle 4-17-1913

EX-SHERIFF JONES

DIES AT FAIRMOUNT

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AGED MAN, LONG TIME JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, PASSES AWAY AT HOME

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CAPTAIN IN THE CIVIL WAR

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Fairmount, Ind. April 17.-Captain John F. Jones, ex-sheriff of Grant county, and for years a Justice of the Peace in Fairmount, died at his home on West Washington street in this city last night at 11:25 o’clock. Only last Sunday he was in his place in the Berean class at the Friends Sunday school and for several days had been feeling unsually well. On Monday morning he was taken very ill, rapidly grew worse, became delirious, and suffered much before death brought a happy release. Death came as a result of uric acid poison.

​Frank Jones, as he was familiarly known , was born at Pendleton, Madison County, Indiana, March 16, 1841, and was seventy-three years and one month old. Soon after his birth his father, William Jones, moved his family to Grant county, his mother having died at Pendleton. The father died in 1856 at the age of forty-seven.

Attending the common schools in his boyhood Mr. Jones arrived at manhood just as the civil war came on. He enlisted at Jonesboro in Company C, 89th Indiana volunteer infantry, served as second lieutenant, then first lieutenant, then became captain at the close of 1863 and served in his position to the end of the war. He took part in several battles and skirmishes and received a wound by a bayonet thrust at which time sixteen of his company were killed.

After the war he resided a brief time at Jonesboro, then lived for a time in Missouri, then returned to Grant county and was married to Miss Jennie Winslow, daughter of H.W. and Martha Winslow, in 1870. In the same year he was elected sheriff of Grant county. He resided in Marion till 1875, when he moved to Fairmount, and since that time till now has been one of it’s most prominent and influential citizens. E has served as justice of the peace many years, and has had a considerable practice as pension attorney.

Six children came into his home, three of whom still live—Mrs. Beatrice Gardner of Mucnie nd., and Verling and Thed of Columbus O. A brother and sister also survive him-Prof. Lewis H. Jones of Ypsilanti, Mich., and Mrs. Mattie Charles of Spiceland, Ind. The former has one of Indiana’s prominent educators, serving as supervising principal, then superintendent of the Indianapolis schools; then superintendent of Cleveland, O., schools, then as president of the Michigan state normal school at Ypsilanti. He only recently resigned this position and is now retired on a farm, but still lectures and writes books. One aunt, Mrs. Rhoda Keesling of Mechanicsburg, Ind. Still lives, and only last week her husband, Amos Keesling, dropped dead at his home.

Captain Jones has been identified with the republican party, was a member of the Friends church, and also of Beeson Post No. 386, G.A.A.

The funeral will be held Saturday morning at 10 o’clock from the Friends church here with Rev. Richard Haworth in charge. Burial will be made in Park cemetery.