JONES, GEORGE W., a prominent citizen of Riverton, Ill., and a civil employee of the Civil War, has lived in Riverton for the past forty-four years. He was born in prince George County, Md., October 17, 1844, a son of Charles B. and Ann (Wilson) Jones, both natives of Maryland. The father was a farmer and machinist, and both he and his wife died in their native State. They were parents of six sons and four daughters, and seven children are now living, all in the East except George W. The father was of Welsh parentage.

George W. Jones received his education in his native county and in his boyhood, worked for a time in a machine shop. At the time of the war he went to Washington and secured a position driving a wagon for the Government, going to the front and serving in this post nine months. He was at Fredericksburg, Va., at the time General McClennan was in front of Richmond. From Fredericksburg he went to Washington and secured employment with the Government in that city. He remained at this post until ten months prior to the close of the war, when he became a member of an army construction corps, serving in that capacity until the close of the struggle.

He next secured a position as wagon master and took charge of a wagon train for the Government which started from Washington in the fall of 1865 and came over the old National Road to Springfield, going through Frederick, Md., Columbus, Indianapolis and Terre Haute. At Springfield the outfit was sold by the Government. At that time the Leland hotel was in course of construction and he secured a position on this building for a short time. He was also for twenty-five years connected with the Riverton Coal Company and other coal mining companies as engineer, and is at present employed as engineer for the Springfield Coal Mining Company.

Mr. Jones has always been active and energetic has made good use of his opportunities to better himself and promote the interests submitted to his care. He has always taken an active interest in public affairs, and in politics is a Republican. He has the esteem and confidence of his townsmen and has served on both the Town and School Boards for a number of years. He is a member of the Modern Woodmen and has a large number of friends. He has spent the larger portion of his life in Sangamon county, where he is well known, and has a reputation for integrity and reliability. He owns a very pleasant home in Riverton, besides other property.

Mr. Jones was married in Joliet, Ill., in 1878 to Catherine Hingy, a native of Canada, whose parents settled at Joliet and spent the remainder of their lives there. Four sons and two daughters were born to Mr. Jones and his wife, and four of their children still survive: George E., of Joliet; Ellis, also of Joliet; Hillary and Stella, at home. There are also two grandchildren in the family.

Mr. Jones well remembers Abraham Lincoln, having frequently seen him in Washington and in Frederick, Md., during the war.