George Jones, Burlington, Wis., member of G.A.R. Post No. 201, was born Jan. 16, 1817 in Haverhill, Grafton county, New Hampshire. He is the son of Joseph and Hannah (Blanchard) Jones and is one of a family of four sons and four daughters, name Charles, Horace, George, Joseph, Harriet N., Phebe Ann, Martha and Henrietta. All are living except the two last named. The father was a farmer and, in the early history of the place where he resided, was prominent in his church connections which he inherited from his Puritan ancestors. Both parents were of English ancestry. The son grew up on his father's farm and received such education as the schools of that day afforded. In 1840 he left the parental roof for the "far West" a Wisconsin was then considered, and went first to Racine and immediately after to Burlington, where he has since resided. He made his journey by the Erie canal to Buffalo and thence by the lake route. He arrived late in the fall and, soon after, obtained work on a farm, his first job being that of threshing buckwheat. Not long after he was taken sick and was unable to do anything all winter. He went to Portage to work in a hotel and remained until the last of 1841, when he returned to Burlington. He engaged in farming in which he was occupied 10 years and then became interested in the meat business which he pursued about the same length of time. After that he was interested in managing a hotel and meanwhile the country became disturbed through discordant elements in the south. He was inclined to enter the service at the outset and July 3, 1861, he was enrolled for three years in Company H, 9th Wisconsin Light Artillery, Captain C. H. Johnson. Oct 14th he was mustered in and on the 19th of March the command left the State for St. Louis, where partial equipment in the shape of six guns was received, with recruits which increased their number to 155 men. Mr. Jones was made Sergeant, and accompanied the battery to Fort Leavenworth where they received orders to proceed to Denver, a march of more than 500 miles which was accomplished in 32 days. The captain was fearful of the interest of his men in the antics of the game which was abundant, and he forbade any man's leaving the ranks. But when they saw the antelopes bounding provokingly close the temptation was too great, and, the captain and several others gave chase. Returning they were placed under arrest, but Mr. Jones started a petition which secured their release. From Denver, the left section, to which Mr. Jones belonged, was ordered to go to Fort Lyon to perform frontier duty in keeping the Indians under control, which was an easy matter with the guns. Under Lieutenant Crocker they went to Fort Larned, where Mr. Jones was detailed to take a number of prisoners to Fort Leavenworth for trial. He acted as 2d Lieutenant afterwards, in charge of a force with which he went to Southern Missouri in pursuit of bushwhackers and after two months went to Fort Leavenworth. In March, 1864, in connection with a section of battery, he went to Council Grove, and thence to Saline. His next move was to Fort Riley and thence the command made a forced march to the Missouri border which Price was invading and was pushing toward Independence. They went next to Big Blue, under Curtiss, to operate against the forces of Price in his last attempt to get into Missouri. Price had given out that he would capture Kansas City and Leavenworth and would make the latter his headquarters. His flank movement, threatening Kansas City, caused a retreat of the Union troops to prevent disaster, and they chased the wily rebel to Weston, fighting the rear under Marmaduke, whose force was dispersed on a prairie and the guns brought to bear on them. Price was sent towards the Arkansas River and Marmaduke and his staff were taken. The battery pursued to Fort Scott and thence two sections chased Price to Fayetteville, Ark., making heavy marches. They rested in camp while the cavalry pushed on. The 9th Battery returned to Fort Leavenworth and the left section went to Fort Riley, where it remained until ordered to Fort Leavenworth to be mustered out Jan. 26, 1865. Mr. Jones returned to Wisconsin, but was not contented to remain at home until definite results were reached in the matter of the war. He proceeded to Washington, where he enlisted April 10, 1865, for one year or the war in Company B, 7th U.S. Infantry, and was stationed for a time in the Capital. He went thence to Philadelphia and was on duty at Camp Cadwallader until April 7, 1866. On his return to Wisconsin, he resumed his connection with agriculture, which he has since continued with success and is the proprietor of a fine farm in a good position, looking over the city of Burlington. He was married in Claremont N. H., July 3, 1844, to Rosetta M., daughter of Andrew and Lucy (Thomas) Leet, both of whom were natives of New Hampshire and of American parentage and English descent. The family of Mr. Jones included several children, named George F., Mary R., Rosa M., Francis E., Laura A., Alice E., Oliver A., Emma and Ida. Of these, three are deceased. George F., the oldest son, enlisted in the same command with his father and passed through the same experiences, re-enlisting in the same battery when his term of service expired. He is a prominent citizen of Dodge City, Kas., where he is City Clerk and also a magistrate. Mr. Jones was the first man in Burlington to suggest the raising of a company there when the Government established a recruiting office in that place. |