Nash County Man Makes Shoes in Ohio

ONES WILLIAM FRANCIS, Boot and Shoemaker, was born, August 12th, 1824, in Nash County, North Carolina, of American parentage. When but five years of age he was indentured to learn the trade of a shoemaker, and worked until he attained his majority. He then commenced business for himself, his cash capital being fifty cents, and his tools consisting only of a hammer, a pair of pinchers, a peg awl, a sewing awl, and a knife. From this small beginning he has prospered and gained a comfortable livelihood, beside having laid by a sore for a "rainy day." in 1858 he removed to Cleveland [Ohio] where he has ever since resided. During the war of the rebellion he served one year and was honorably discharged. He has always been a Republican in political feeling, but has never held a public office of any kind. In religious belief he is a Methodist. He was converted at the age of twenty-four, and up to that time had never heard a sermon preached. Soon after his arrival in Cleveland he engaged earnestly in the cause of religion, and was a zealous laborer in the field before him, insomuch that the church asked for his promotion. He was accordingly ordained a Deacon by the Annual Conference, at Columbus [Ohio]. April 30th, 1868. He was married May 22d, 1847, to Malindia Mayo, of North Carolina.


NOTE: The name Jones appears 7 times in Nash County in the 1820 census: Allen, Charles, Francis, Henry, Jeremiah, John, and Vilet. William Francis may have been the son of one of these.


This article was taken from The Biographical encyclopaedia of Ohio of the nineteenth century, 1876. It was published in The Connector, newsletter of the Tar River Connections Genealogical Society in the Spring 2004 issue.