Deacon William Jones
The Kentucky Post Feb 14, 1920, page 1
'DEACON' JONES IS DEAD
Rev William Jones, one of the south's most prominent negro ministers, died Saturday morning at his home, 617 Saratoga st. Newport following an illness of pneumonia. Rev Jones was 80 and practically all his life had been spent in Newport.
He served through the Civil War as a Union soldier and in his boyhood took up the study of theology. Deacon Jones as he was known to thousands of Kentuckians, was widely known for his unique sermons.
It was he who made the sermon "Go Way Back and Sit Down" famous thruout (sic) this section of Kentucky. Another of his sermon topics was "You Brought It All on Your Own Self".
Still another was "Boy Overboard." While Rev Jones was delivering this sermon at Hayman and Hall. Fifth and Monmouth streets, Newport, some years ago one of his sons fell from a barge in the Ohio River and narrowly escaped. When informed of the accident the "deacon" assumed a serious look and remarked, "Well, he brought it on his own self."
The aged minister was known to church goers in all parts of Kentucky and it was not unusual to find a large number of white men and women in his congregation listening to his unique sermons. The aged negro numbered men in all walks of life as his personal friends. For more than a score of years he was custodian of the Newport National Bank Building.
Funeral arrangements have not been completed.