John Butler Jones
ID # 1926, (1818-1900)
| Birth | John Butler Jones was born on 28 June 1818 at Gibraltar. |
| Marriage | He married Elizabeth Ann Russell, daughter of George Washington Russell and Rachel Vrooman, on 9 October 1872 at Trinity Church, Chippawa. Mrge reg Chippawa, Welland County John Butler Jones, age 54, widower, tavern keeper, born Oxfordshire, England, residing Clifton. Parents John and Elizabeth Jones. Elizabeth Ann Leak, 42, widow, born Lundy's Lane, Co. Welland, residing Clifton. Parents George and Rachael Russell. Wit Gaspard Rosli and Sarah Rosli, both of Clifton. On 9 October 1872, at Trinity Church, Chippawa, by D.F. McLeod. The bride and groom were both Church of England. John's place of birth appears on the record as Oxfordshire in England, but census information and his gravestone in Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, show his place of birth as Gibraltar. Elizabeth's name on the marriage registration is presented as Leak. It may now be said with confidence that this was a problem of interpretation of the clergyman's handwriting by the clerk at Chippawa. The Niagara Pensinsula Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society has published a transcription of the Holy Trinity Church marriage register. On page 2 of parish register C, it reads: October 9, 1872 / John Butler Jones / w / Clifton / Elizabeth Ann Cook / w / same place / MacLeod / (witnesses) G. Searle, Sarah Bosli. It appears that the transcribers had their own problems with the clergyman's handwriting. The name Rosli, not Bosli, for witness Sarah, is actually correct. Where on earth the name G. Searle comes from is anybody's guess! It does seem reasonable that the first witness was Gaspard Rosli, Sarah's husband. Gaspard and Sarah (Dawson) Rosli were hoteliers at Clifton. John and Elizabeth Ann are shown as resident at Clifton. We do not know the relationship that led to the Roslis being witnesses for this marriage, but it is reasonable to believe that Elizabeth Ann had to support herself when she returned from England. She may have gone to work for the Gaspard and Sarah at their hotel. Of course, for the moment, that's a guess. Gaspard and Sarah were certainly prominent in Clifton. Advertisements for the hotel appears in newspapers of the time. Sarah died in 1882 and Gaspard kept the hotel until his death in 1886. They are buried together in Oakwood Cemetery in Niagara Falls, New York. In 1855, Gaspard and Sarah purchased property for their hotel when what became Clifton was (briefly) named Elgin. The Elgin land transactions appear on microfilm reel GS2829. This reel is indexed and three consecutive transactions appear under the Rosli name. Elgin/Clifton was located near the then suspension bridge in Stamford Township. |
| Death | He died on 4 August 1900 at Stamford, Welland County, at age 82. |
| Burial | He was buried at Fairview Cemetery, Niagara Falls, Ontario. |
| Note | A biography for John Butler Jones appears in The Canadian Album, Men of Canada, Vol. 1, Rev. Wm. Cochrane, Bradley, Garrettson & Co., Brantford, 1891. This has been digitized by Google. The bio appears on page 289 and includes a photograph. It tells that he was born on June 28, 1818, in Gibraltar. His father was Colour-Sergeant John Butler Jones of the 14th Foot who served in the Battle of Waterloo. He was educated in England at Reading and Feversham and eventually took up bricklaying. He went into business as a builder and, coming to Canada in 1854, settled at Niagara Falls and engaged in the same trade. In 1879 he went into the brick making business. The biography goes on to say that on December 12, 1841, he married Elizabeth Jones. It isn't clear from this statement as to whether Jones was her maiden name. After her death he married 'Elizabeth Ann Cook, whose mother was the first white female child born at Queenston, Ont.' With regard to the above biography, John B. Jones appears in the 1861 census at Clifton (now in the city of Niagara Falls) as a bricklayer. In 1871, he and Elizabeth, his first wife, are still in Clifton, though he is shown as a tavern keeper. By 1881, he is with Elizabeth his second wife and Clifton is shown on the page heading although so is Niagara Falls. Here, he is shown as a hotel keeper. Finally, the 1891 census at Niagara Falls Town describes him as a brick manufacturer. The 1891 census and John's death registration are the two documents stating that he was born in Gibraltar. The 1861 and 1871 censuses show him as being born in England. Death reg. 027752-00 Stamford, Welland Co John B. Jones died Aug. 4, 1900, age 82. Born Gibraltar. Episcopalian. John Butler Jones first wife was also named Elizabeth. Her death registration reads as follows: 026944-72 Welland County Elizabeth Jones died 7 April 1872, age 52. Wife of John B. Jones. Born England. Informant John B. Jones, husband, Clifton. Registrar R. Robinson, Tw. Clifton. Elizabeth was Episcopalian. The first Elizabeth was buried in Drummond Hill Cemetery, Section 02North, plot 0057. This is according to a photo of a worn stone on the Niagara Falls cemeteries web site. John Butler Jones died without having made a will. It was not until five years after his death, in 1905, that Elizabeth Ann applied for Letters of Administration in the matter of his estate. This appears on microfilm entitled Welland County Surrogate Court files, microfilm MS887 reel 1440. The application for administration is not remarkable, but we may note that Elizabeth Ann signed most of the pages of the application as Elizabeth Ann Jones. Her signature is firm and attractive and it would certainly appear that whatever difficulties life may have presented to her she was quite literate. |
| Last Edited | 22 Jun 2019 |