Stephen Jones
Biography from Biographical Annals of Lancaster County, PA, page 1162
STEPHEN JONES. When a youth of seventeen Stephen Jones, now a prosperous and prominent agriculturist of West Hempfield township, Lancaster county, left the farm of his parents in York county and began for himself a career in the adjoining county to the East. It is remarkable that he has ever since been located on the same farm, the fertile and well tilled property he now owns and that the three successive stages of farm laborer, tenant and owner mark his progress. For four years, or until he attained his majority, he worked on the farm. Then, in 1880. he leased the property continuing as a tenant for three years, at the expiration of which period he purchased the place, which he has ever since continued to cultivate most successfully.
Stephen Jones is of Scottish extraction. His great-grandfather, Robert Jones, emigrated from Scotland and settled in Trenton, N. J. Thence Robert, son of the emigrant, and the grandfather of Stephen, moved to York county, where he and his wife Catherine reared a family and engaged through life in farming.
Henry Jones, son of Robert and father of Stephen, was born in York county about 1818 and was there a lifelong farmer. He married Elizabeth Houseal, who was born about 1822, daughter of John and Catherine Houseal, residents of York county where the father followed the vocation of hatter. Henry Jones died in February 1900, aged eighty two years, his wife passing away in 1889, aged sixty-eight years. She was a member of the Evangelical Church. To Henry and Elizabeth Jones were born the following children: Henry, who died in infancy: John, who died young, Elizabeth, who died young; Maggie, wife of Henry Puff, a farmer of York county; Amanda, widow of John Fowler, of Lancaster county; Robert, a farmer of York county; Ellen, wife of Benjamin Woods, of York county; Sarah, wife of Jacob Howard, a farmer of York county: Stephen, whose name appears above; David, of York; Mary, wife of Peter Elfiner, a farmer of York county; and James, a farmer and painter of York county.
Stephen Jones was born in York county May 15, 1859, and received a good common-school education in his native locality, but as he started out in life for himself comparatively early his education has been mainly of a practical character, won by experience and observation. For his first wife Stephen Jones married, in 1881, in West Hempfield township, Miss Emma Sterline, who was born in New York City. One child blessed this union, Mary S. now at home. The wife and mother died in October 1897, and for his second wife Stephen Jones married, Feb. 21 1899, Miss Elizabeth Wittel, a native of Lancaster county, a daughter of John and Susan (Gallagher) Wittel. In politics Mr. Jones is a Democrat. He is prominent in fraternal circles as a member of the Knights of Malta, Patriotic Order Sons of America, and the Mystic Chain. He is a substantial citizen of his section of Lancaster county, and stands high in the estimation of his many friends and acquaintances.
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