A.C. Jones passed peacefully away at 11:20 last Saturday afternoon surrounded by the entire family, as the end was hourly expected. The doctors disagreed as to the malady that caused his death but the family thought it seemed most like cancer, for he had been unable to eat for some weeks and slowly starved to death. The funeral was held at the family residence at 2:00 Sunday afternoon, Rev. H.E. Wright, of the Methodist church officiating. The music was furnished by a quartette composed of Misses Ethel Mead and Mary Cook and Messrs Gifford Dixon and Ole Linberg. The body was taken to the old Fontanelle cemetery, near the H.D. Schoettger place for burial, he having lived in that vicinity for a number of years after his marriage. It is a somewhat neglected and lonely spot on the old bank of the Elkhorn river at flood tide, but wildly beautiful and restful. Mrs. Jones parents are buried there and it was his desire that he be buried there also. It was an ideal spring day and many old friends went out to pay their last respects to an old highly respected pioneer. Albin Cornell Jones was born at Oberlin, Ohio, May 10th, 1845, so was just 19 days past 75 years of age the day he died, May 29th, 1920. He was educated at Oberlin and Olivet, Mich. colleges and came with his parents to the pioneer settlement out at Fontanelle in 1864, his father, Rev. L.H. Jones, having been called to the pastorate of the Congregational church at that place, which he served for several years. He was married there to Miss Martha Hancock December 6th, 1869, and they lived on the homestead just north of Fontanelle until 1876 when he left the farm and entered the railway mail service. He was compelled to quit this work in a few years because of failing health, due to a gunshot wound accidentally received while freighting on the old Platte trail, and went into the flour and feed business in this city with the late J.M. Jackson. Later, in company with the late K.H. Gaylord, he built and operated an elevator just south of where the canning factory now stands, until it burned down. For the past 20 years he has operated the elevator now owned by the Holmquist Co., also for a number of years, elevators at Herman, Tyson and DeSoto. About a year ago he suffered an attack of influenza from which he never fully recovered. He was able to be at his work, however, until three weeks before his death. Mr. Jones had served the city as mayor for four terms and was for many years a member of the school board. Mr. Jones was of the positive, rugged type of character and the ruggedness of the old burying ground near Fontanelle appealed to him as the place where he would like to have his body laid to rest beneath the scrub oak trees, overlooking the valley of the Elkhorn. Besides the widow he leaves four children, Mrs. C.R. Mead, of this city, Mrs. E.F. Stanfield, of Omaha, Mrs. Fred Robertson, of Herman, and A.B. Jones, of Clifton, Arizona. One child died in infancy. Mr. Jones will be greatly missed from the business circles in Blair, where he has been an active force for the past thirty years. The family have the sincere sympathy of many friends.

3 June, 1920 - The Enterprise

ALBIN CORNELL JONES

Albin Cornell Jones was born at Oberlin, Ohio May 10, 1845, was educated at Oberlin college and Olivet college, Olivet, Michigan. In 1864 he emigrated with his parents to the pioneer settlement of Fontanelle, Washington county, Nebr. where his father, a Congregational minister, was in charge of the church work for a number of years. At this place he was married Dec. 6, 1869 to Martha H. Hancock. To this union were born 5 children, one dying in infancy. Mrs. C. R. Mead of Blair, Mrs. E. E. Stansfield of Omaha, A. B. Jones of Clifton, Ariz., Mrs. Fred Robertson of Herman, Neb. and the widow are still living. Mr. Jones took a homestead just north of Fontanelle where the family lived until 1876 when he entered the railway mail service. Failing health, caused by an old gunshot wound accidentally received while freighting on the old Platte river trail, compelled his retirement from the mail service. He then entered the flour and feed business in Blair with J. M. Jackson, later in company with E. S. Gaylord, building and operating an elevator just south of where the canning factory now stands, until it burned down. For the past thirty years he has operated the elevator now owned by the Holmquist Co. and for a number of years elevators at Herman, Tyson and DeSoto also, being at his duties until three weeks ago.

Mr. Jones served the city of Blair four terms as mayor and was for a number of years a member of the school board. In these capacities he did honorable service to the city. He was a man of a positive turn, yet fair in his dealings toward his fellowmen and his word was never questioned by anyone. He was held in high esteem as a man and was one of the few who seemed to be able to judge of real manhood in others.

He was always an active factor in the upbuilding of the county and of Blair, of which latter place he has been a resident for more than forty years.

About a year ago he suffered an attack of “flu”, and since then his health has failed him rapidly and he passed away on May 29, 1920.

Funeral services were held at his late home in this city on Sunday afternoon, and interment was made in the Hartung cemetery near Fontanelle.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #50789794