Birthday Party For Ogden's Oldest Elk
"Uncle" Tommy Jones' Anniversary Does Not Pass
Unnoticed by Local Lodge.
Yesterday was the seventy-eighth birthday anniversary of
"Uncle" Tommy Jones, and the event did not pass unnoticed by his many
friends, but it was especially noted by several of those who are members of
Ogden lodge No. 719, B.P.O.E. "Uncle"
Tommy is the oldest Elk in the Ogden
herd and this goes for age as well as period of membership in 719, for he was a
charter member when the antlers were passed around in 1901.
The remembrance of the brother Elks took the form of a silver leather covered flask bearing this inscription:
"Uncle Tommy Jones, 1834, 1912." The veteran Elk was corralled
at the club rooms late yesterday afternoon and presented with a birthday
reminder.
In spite of his 78 years, "Uncle Tommy" is
just as young in spirit as any member of the Ogden herd. He declares that it will be
at least twenty years before "11 o'clock" is sounded for him.
At least he hopes the Divine Exalted Ruler will wait until after the new club
house has been dedicated.
"It wouldn't make a particle of difference if Uncle
Tommy was 178 years old today," said one of the prominent members of the
lodge, "for he would still be one of the grandest Elks that ever
donned the antlers, and he would be one of the boys, too. He is always
willing to join us in a song and there never has been a line of march too long for him to cover."
"Uncle Tommy" has held several official positions
in No. 719 and at the present time is a member of the board of trustees.
T. W. Jones, Pionneer Tailor, Dies
at 83 Years
Thomas Wilkins Jones, pioneer tailor of Ogden and for years
one of the well known residents of the city, died this morning at 2:45 o'clock,
at his home, 474 Twenty-fourth street, where he had been ill since last
December as a result of general debility. He had been in ill health for
practically the past five years, since the time that he retired from the
tailoring business, which has since been directed by a son A.G. Jones.
The life of Thomas Wilkins Jones was closely interwoven with
the progress of Utah and especially of Ogden. He was
nearly 83 years of age, having been born at Quebec,
Canada
on September 12, 1834.
His father died in 1841 and the family returned to Wales,
where he became apprenticed in the tailoring business. In 1850, having
heard the preaching of Mormon elders, he was baptized at Cardiff, Wales, and three years later sailed from Liverpool
for New
Orleans. After a six week journey he
reached that port and then went up the Mississippi river to Keokuk, Iowa, where he fitted out an ox team and came with
the c.v. Spencer train to Utah, arriving
in Salt Lake on September 19, 1853.
In 1854 he came to Ogden
and had been a resident of this city practically since that time.
He was ordained a member of the seventy quorum of seventy
and was on a mission at Fort Supply, in what is now Wyoming,
for a time.
His marriage to Sarah Jane Foy was on April 3, 1856, in Ogden, and the couple returned to the fort until the
approach of Johnston's army, when it was
deserted, and Mr. Jones returned to Ogden.
In the fall of 1857 he was mustered into service in the
Nauvoo Legion and marched north with his brigade to Marsh valley. On his
return he was detailed to Echo canyon and took part in "the bloodless
war." Later he moved to Spanish Fork and ,
when the peace commissioners arrived, returned to Ogden, which he made his home.
His first tailoring establishment was opened in 1870 and
grew in extent for many years, this being on what was then Main street, now
Washington avenue.
Hundreds of men from the western states patronized this establishment, which
became well known as one of Ogden's
enterprises. Mr. Jones also kept up his church activities and
was prominent in business affairs and civic events. He was a
prominent member of the Elks lodge.
Mrs. Sarah Foy Jones died in May 1873, leaving seven
children. On march 2, 1874, Mr. Jones again entered
the married state, Miss Louisa Goodale being his
bride. Mrs. Jones and fifteen sons and daughters of the pioneer tailor
survive him. The children are: Thomas Foy Jones of Arasokee,
Mont: Sheridan Jones, Magna,
Utah; Mrs. C. W. Cross, Oakland, Cal.; Mrs. J. K. McCormick, Berkley,
Cal.; Mrs. R. M. Stewart, Reno, Nev.; T. Allen Jones, Alaska; Mrs. S. J. Thomas,
G. H. Jones, Mrs. A. G. Maw, Irving W. Jones, Winford
S. Jones, Arlington
G. Jones, C. Thurman Jones, and Myrtle E. Jones, all of Ogden. He is also
survived by forty-two grandchildren and nineteen great-grandchildren.
The body will lie in state at the home Saturday afternoon
and evening and Sunday until 3 o'clock.
The time and place of funeral has not yet been decided.
