John L. Jones.—Among the older citizens of Franklin, Johnson County, Ind., none are more worthy of mention in a work of this character than the one whose name heads this biographical sketch. He is the oldest merchant in the place in point of local experience, and is one of the most honored and respected of the citizens. His grandfather was John Jones, who was a native of Orange County, Va., and was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, being with the Continental Army at Yorktown, at the surrender of Cornwallis. He lived and died in Virginia. He raised a large family, the youngest son among the children being John L., father of the subject of this sketch, who was born in Orange County, Va., on August 7, 1797. John L. served in the War of 1812, being a mere boy at the time, and a year or so after the termination of that conflict removed to Shelby County, Ky., where, on October 2, 1817, he was united in marriage with Anna Lewis, who was born in the above county and state, on March 22, 1799. John L. emigrated to Indiana, in December, 1822, and settled near where Redington now stands, in Jackson County. He remained there until December, 1831, and then removed to Johnson County, and settled in a cabin about one-fourth of a mile north of where Union village now stands. He was one of the pioneers of that section, and his neighbors were Bennett Utterback, Guinnie Utterback, William Utterback, Willis and Wesley Deer, Josiah Simpson, James Rivers, Adam Lash, James Vaughn, and others, all of whom are now dead except Mahala Deer, widow of Wesley Deer. John L. Jones, father of our subject, was a pioneer preacher, of the Christian, or Disciple’s faith, traveling and preaching as an evangelist in Johnson and adjoining counties, after coming to Johnson County. There were no roads in Union township then, except one leading from Franklin to Bluffs on White River, there being only blazed traces through the woods for the accommodation of the settlers in going from one point to another. Deer and turkeys were frequently killed near the cabins, and the howl of the wolf was no unusual sound. There he resided and followed farming until about 1850, and then engaged in business at Waverly, in Morgan County, and next removed to Cannelton, Ind., and continued merchandising. He returned to Johnson County and carried on merchandising in Franklin until the beginning of the late war, and then removed to Indianapolis, where he died on December 20, 1883. His wife also died in Indianapolis, on August 12, 1876. To the parents, nine boys and three girls were born, of whom our subject, John L., was the fifth in number. He was born in Jackson County, Ind., on December 8, 1824. Early in life he received only a common school education, but in about 1845, he entered Franklin College, and attended the same for about one year. He located in Franklin in September, 1853, and engaged in clerking in a store for several years, and then engaged in business for himself, and has continued uninterruptedly up to the present, a portion of the time in co-partnership with other parties, but most of the time by himself. He was married September 19, 1847, in Clark County, Ind., to Eliza Deaderick, [who] was born near Utica, N. Y., in about 1822, and is the daughter of Daniel and Adaline Deaderick. To this union three children have been born, all of whom are living. The wife and children are members of the Christian Church.