DRURY JONES. The agricultural element that has been so prominent in promoting the rise and growth of Sangamon County is finely represented by this gentleman, who is one of the wealthy farmers and stockmen of Ball Township, where he has a large and well-appointed farm. For an account of the ancestry of our subject see the sketch of his brother, A. J. Jones, on another page of this volume.

Drury Jones was born in Ball Township, on section 9, where his father first settled, January 12, 1830. He was surrounded by pioneer influences during his boyhood and grew with the growth of the township. He early learned the rudiments of farming and under his father's instruction gained that thorough knowledge of the calling that has been so useful to him in his after career as a practical agriculturist. His education was conducted in the rude log schoolhouses of the times, where his father had to pay a certain sum of money that his children might have the privilege of attending school. He remained in the parental home until his marriage in July, 1850, with his first wife, Amanda Porterfield, a native of Ball Township. Mrs. Jones died in 1854, leaving three children: James M., who was born in 1851 and died in his father's home in 1888; Robert P., born in 1852, died in 1859; Minerva J., who died at the age of nine months.

In 1850 our subject bought seventy acres of land on section 24, Ball Township, which formed the nucleus of his present extensive farm. With characteristic energy he immediately entered upon its improvement, and continually extended his operations as a stock-raiser and farmer until he became one of the most prosperous and well-to-do members of his class in this part of the county, meeting with more than ordinary success in his enterprises. At one time he had about fourteen hundred acres of well-improved land, but has given a part of his estate to his children and has only six hundred and forty acres of land in his home farm, which is supplied with all the latest improved labor-saving farm machinery. It has ample and well-arranged buildings, is finely situated within thirteen miles of Springfield, is well-watered by Brush Creek, is neatly fenced, and all the land is tillable except one hundred and seventy acres of timber. Mr. Jones is quite a horseman, and has some very fine specimens of the equine race. His well-kept cattle are of the Polled-Angus variety, and his swine are of the Poland breed. Besides raising considerable stock Mr. Jones is profitably engaged in feeding cattle and hogs. He is a prominent member of the Percheon Horse Company of Ball Township.

When a boy Mr. Jones sometimes helped drive hogs to St. Louis, making as many as six trips to that city, for which he received only fifty cents a day. Once when he was seventeen years old his father sent him to that city with a load of wheat, which he sold for fifty cents a bushel, and returned home with groceries which he had taken in exchange. When the farmers went to market in pioneer times they used to camp on the way at night, carrying their provisions with them and feed for their teams.

Our subject is accorded a high place in the citizenship of his native county, as he has been a potent factor in its growth, and possesses all the elements of a true and loyal citizen. He is one of the leaders of the Democracy in this section of the State and had frequently been a delegate to county conventions. He has been a School Director thirty years, and was a Highway Commissioner one term, but resigned the office.

Mr. Jones was married to his present estimable wife, formerly Susannah Meredith, in Ball Township, September 11, 1856. Their union has brought to them nine children, as follows: Amanda M., who married Charles McClure, a farmer in Cotton Hill Township, and has one child Hattie; Charles C., a farmer in Cotton Hill Township, who is married and has three children, Helen., Elma and Ira K.; Davis A., a farmer in Ball Township, who is married and has one child, Drury C.; William Edmond, is at home with his parents; Francis M., is married and carries on farming near the old homestead in Ball Township; Sarah M., who died at the age of nine months; Maryetta died at home in January, 1890, at the age of eighteen years, and Samuel C., at the age of nine months; Emma M., remains at home with her parents. Mrs. Jones was born in Ball township May 4, 1837, and was reared on a farm. Her education was obtained in the subscription schools of her younger days, and she had to walk four miles in order to reach the primitive little schoolhouse where she learned to read and write and gained a knowledge of other English branches. She is a woman of superior character, and a devoted and consistent Christian, belonging to the Regular Baptist Church at Salem.

Mrs. Jones' father, Davis Meredith, was born near Middleton, Butler County, Ohio, June 14, 1812. His father, Absalom Meredith was a native of Virginia, and a son of Davis Meredith, who was born in Wales, and coming to this country in Colonial times, died in Virginia. Absalom was reared in the Old Dominion, and from there went to the western part of Pennsylvania, where he was married to Mary Royal, a native of that section of the country. Her father, Thomas Royal, was born in England, and when sixteen years of age came to America. He immediately joined the Continental army, and served faithfully until the close of the Revolution. He was wounded in the leg by a charge of shot which he carried to his grave. He settled in Pennsylvania, and from time to time moved westward, and after living in Butler and Miami Counties, Ohio, he came to this State in 1829, and was a pioneer farmer of Ball Township until his death in 1840. After his marriage Mrs. Jones' paternal grandfather became a pioneer of Butler County, Ohio, and a few years later of Miami County, where he settled one mile east of Piqua. He served in the War of 1812. In the fall of 1829 he brought his family to Illinois, coming in a wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen and a horse. He arrived in the county, October 27, and soon entered land in Rochester Township, where he carried on farming until his death in 1842. He was a member of the Baptist Church. His wife survived him until 1844, when she too passed away, dying in Ball Township. She was the mother of six children, namely: Thomas, who was drowned in the Sacramento River, Cal.; Amy, Mrs. William Lawley, died in Ball Township; Davis, Mrs. Jones' father; William, a brave soldier in the late war, enlisting in 1861, and fighting until he was discharged on account of disability, and is now passing his declining years in the Soldiers' Home at Quincy; Sarah, Mrs. James Dillion of Mackinaw, Ill.; and Joseph, a farmer in Christian County.

Davis Meredith was reared on the banks of the Miami River near Piqua, Ohio. When a boy he worked on a farm in that beautiful valley. He was also employed to some extent in the construction of the canal. When he was seventeen years old he came to Illinois with his parents. In 1832 he enlisted in the Black Hawk War, and served two months on Rock River and Seymour's Creek. In 1833 he went back to Ohio on foot, and worked there that summer, returning to Sangamon County in the fall, making the entire journey in nine and one-half days, walking an average of fifty miles a day. In 1834 Mr. Meredith went to Galena to work in the lead mines, walking to that place in five and one-half days. He engaged in mining some but soon joined the surveying party of William S. Hamilton, a son of the noted Alexander Hamilton, and assisted him in his work all summer. He carried chain and acted as axman six months, helping to survey a territory seventy-two miles by thirty-six miles in length and breadth. During that time the party had numerous narrow escapes from the hostile Pottawatomie and Winnebago Indians, who were still allowed to hunt in that region.

In the fall of 1834 Mr. Meredith returned to Sangamon County, making a pedestrian tour as usual, and often having to pick his way through the forests or across the prairies by the aid of his pocket compass. In the spring of 1835 he again went to Galena, and worked in the mines awhile, but as he was an adept in driving oxen he was given charge of five different teams used to haul the ore to the smelting furnace in White Oak Springs near the State line. He was given $40 a month while thus employed, the others getting only $20 a month. He was one of a party who tracked a bear from near Galena to Mineral Point, where it was killed and he obtained the hide. In the fall of the year he came to Springfield by stage, and as he desired to become settled in life and have a home of his own, he married in Woodside Township June 19, 1836, taking Mary Newcomer as his wife. She was born near Columbus, Ohio, June 7, 1814, and was ten years old when she came to this county with her parents. Her father, Christopher Newcomer, was a native of Lancaster County, Pa. He became a pioneer farmer of Franklin County, Ohio, where he resided until 1824, when he came to Illinois with four yoke of oxen and a wagon. He settled in Woodside and was one of its wealthy farmers. His wife, Susan Sells, was a native of Pennsylvania, and a daughter of Samuel Sells, who died in Franklin County, Ohio. Susan was second cousin to the Sells Brothers, proprietors of the circus known by their name. Mr. and Mrs. Newcomer had thirteen children, five of whom grew to maturity: Mary; Charles, who died in White Springs; Daniel, deceased; Jane and Armema, both of whom died in 1844.

In 1839 Mr. Meredith bought the place where he now lives on section 12, Ball Township. It comprises on hundred and thirty acres of land, which he has given to his daughter Frances. He met with more than usual prosperity as a farmer, and at one time owned over four hundred acres of land which he now lives on section 12, Ball Township. It comprises one hundred and thirty acres of land, which he has given to his daughter Frances. He met with more than usual prosperity as a farmer, and at tone time owned over four hundred acres of land which he has divided among his children. He was a Sergeant in the Black Hawk War, and is the only one of his company now left. He became Lieutenant in the State Militia, rose to the rank of Captain, and was finally commissioned Major under gov. Reynolds. He was the first Postmaster of Cotton Hill Township, having the post office at his home until he resigned his position during the war. He is a true Republican in politics, and is popular and greatly respected in his community. He is the father of eight children: Susan; Charles N., a grocer near Taylorsville, who was a member of the One Hundred and Fourteenth Illinois Infantry, enlisting in 1862 and serving until the close of hostilities; Mary, Mrs. John R. Kincaid, of Cotton Hill Township; Sarah A., Mrs. L. R. Hedrick of Taylorsville, where he her husband is a grocer; Christopher C., a farmer of Cotton Hill Township; Luther O., a farmer in Cotton Hill Township; Luther O., a farmer in Cotton Hill Township; a child that died in infancy, and Frances L., who lives with her parents on the home farm.