REV. WILLIAM J. JONES (SNOWDEN), CAMBRIA, COLUMBIA COUNTY, WISCONSIN.
Farmer and Preacher, Sec. 19, P. O. Cambria; was born August 15th, 1801, in Carnarvonshire, North Wales, in the parish of Dolwyddelan, son of John and Ellen Jones; worked at farming some when young, was foreman in a quarry for some time and was in the mercantile business twelve years in Wales.He came to America in the fall of 1845, and lived in Rome. New York, till July, 1846; then came to Wisconsin and settled on the farm he now occupies; he has been in the ministry in the Calvanistic Methodist Church for fifty-five years, and has preached regularly during that time, in addition to his other business; still preaches in Welsh, as he has never learned the English language.
He is on of the four brothers mentioned in the biography of Elias B. Williams; has preached in Courtland ever since he settled here, and held meetings in his own house till 1860, when Carmel Church was built on his land.
He was married in Wales, December 24th, 1827, to Ann Griffith, of Carnarvonshire; have had eight children, of whom three only are now living - William ap (whose biography is given in another place), Ellen, born January 7th, 1838 (living with her parents), and Richard D., who was born January 25th, 1852, on the homestead where he now lives; was married May 2nd, 1878, to Kate B. Evans, daughter of Rev. Rees Evans of Columbia (see his biography); had one child, born March 21st, 1879, and died March 3rd, 1880 (not named).
Both are members of the Calvanistic Methodist Church; he is Republican.
William J. Jones has lost five children; John J., was born December 25th, 1828; he enlisted at Fulton, Illinois, in the 46th Illinois V. I., and went out as Colonel of the regiment; was in the service four and a half years, and when the war closed was a Brigiadier General; he died in Chicago February 13th, 1868; Ellis E. was born January 13th, 1831, and died March 11th, 1865; Jane was born November 28th, 1841, and died September 10th, 1869; Ann was born July 3rd, 1835 and died March 2nd, 1855; Mary M. was born May 6th, 1847, and died in Wales, August 15th, 1872; all the children were born in Wales, except the two youngest.
Mr. Jones has 365 acres of land and is a Republican. His brother John Jones (Talysarn) was considered the most eloquent pulpit orator in Wales, and is known wherever the Welsh language is spoken; another brother, David Jones, (Carnarvon) was also a celebrated preacher, and widely known; both died in Wales.