Jones, Addison & Samuel

"ADDISON L. JONES, superintendent of the public schools of the city of West Chester, was born near Norristown, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, on January 20, 1856, and is the eldest of the two sons born to Samuel and Mary (Landes) Jones.  This branch of the Jones family is of German lineage, being planted in this country by Peter Jones (great-grandfather), who was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, but leaving the Fatherland in middle life emigrated to America and established himself in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania.  He was a Mennonite preacher, married and reared a family, one of his sons being Samuel Jones (grandfather), who was born in Montgomery county, this State, where he grew to manhood and became a farmer, passing his life principally in the cultivation of the soil.  He married Anna Kolb, by whom he had a family of six children, five sons and a daughter: John, deceased; Henry, also dead; Nathan, now living in Norristown; Samuel (father), who resides on a farm near Norristown; Joseph, also a resident of Norristown; and Maria, who married Abraham Poole, of Schwenksville, Montgomery county, this State.

"Samuel Jones (father) was born March 23, 1828, and while a boy learned the trade of cabinet maker, at which he worked for a time, but later began farming, and devoted most of his life to that occupation.  He retired from  active business some years ago, and now resides quietly in Norristown.  He is a member of the Mennonite church, and a republican in political conviction.  He married Mary Landes, who was born March 20, 1830, in the northern part of Montgomery county.  To them was born a family of two sons, the elder being Addison L., the subject of this sketch, and the younger Samuel L., who married Emma J. Gaumer, and now resides in the city of Trenton, New Jersey.

"Addison L. Jones was reared on a farm in Montgomery county, and received his education in the public schools of his neighborhood.  Possessing an active mind, and inclined to earnest study, he made rapid progress, and when fifteen years of age began teaching in his native county, having charge of the school in his own district for a period of seven years.  During this time he diligently pursued his studies, and later came to West Chester and entered the State Normal school, from which he was graduated in the class of 1881.  He was then tendered, and accepted, the position of principal of Unionville High school, in this county, and remained in charge of that institution for a period of five years, doing excellent work and acquiring considerable reputation as an educator.  For a few months he was principalteacher in the Soldiers' Orphans' school at Chester Springs, but, likingpublic school work better, he resigned.  In the autumn of 1886 he came tothe West Chester State Normal school as assistant teacher in the Englishbranches, and served in that capacity for a term of two years, after whichhe assumed charge of the Conshohocken public schools for one year, and wasthen elected superintendent of the public schools of West Chester, whichposition he has ever since filled in an able and acceptable manner.

"Superintendent Jones was united in married on December 22, 1886, to ClaraPyle Loller, a daughter of C. Wilson Loller, of Unionville, and to them hasbeen born one child, a daughter, named Marguerite Landes.

"In politics Superintendent Jones is a republican, but too deeply concernedin his educational work to give much attention to political matters.  He isa member of the Presbyterian church, and has for several years served aspresident of the Chester County Teachers' association, and also of theSecond District association of Chester county.  He has also been presidentof the University Extension association of West Chester, and is a member ofthe Philosophical society of the county.  As may be seen from this condensedstatement of what he has accomplished, Superintendent Jones has been an active and progressive teacher, taking a prominent part in all matters pertaining to his work, and gaining an honorable standing in his profession."