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Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/
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Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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History of the Great Lakes
Illustrated, In Two Volumes, Vol. II
Chicago, J. H. Beers & Co., 1899

        [144]

              CAPTAIN ROBERT JONES, who comes of a family of sailors, is a
           son of RICHARD and ELIZABETH (MCKAY) JONES, the former of whom
           (now deceased) was a salt-water sailor in his younger days, and
           later, until he arrived at the age of fifty, was an officer in
           the employ of the English Government. He had a family of eleven
           children, those now living being ROBERT; MARY A., wife of CAPT.
           WILLIAM DICKSON, a well-known resident of Buffalo, and a lake
           navigator; MARGARET, wife of GEORGE BOLAND, a machinist of
           Buffalo; ELLEN, wife of EDWARD HURTLEY, a farmer of near Geneva,
           Ohio; SARAH, wife of PHILIP KELLEY, a clerk for the New York
           Central Railroad Company; STEPHEN, a lake captain; and EMILY,
           wife of WALTER MILSON, a stock man at East Buffalo.  CAPTAIN
           VALENTINE JONES, one of the oldest captains on the lakes and a
           resident of Buffalo, is a brother of RICHARD JONES.
              The subject of this sketch was born in England October 7,
           1849, attended school in his native land, and at the age of
           twelve years began sailing on salt water. After three years in
           that service he landed at Quebec in 1862, and from there went to
           Buffalo, where he shipped as porter on the propeller Saginaw for
           two seasons. For the succeeding season, 1865, he was watchman
           on the Dunkirk with CAPT. WILLIAM DICKSON, and also served on
           her for part of 1866, the remainder of which he was wheelsman
           of the Kentucky. Next he was wheelsman of the Mayflower,
           Plymouth and Orontes, respectively, and then second mate on
           the propeller Winslow and mate on the propeller Sun with his
           uncle CAPT. ROBERT JONES. He now became mate with CAPTAINS
           PERKINS, WRIGHT, PENNY and JONES, respectively, in the Empire
           State, of the New York Central line, for five seasons in
           succession. Then he went as mate of the Idaho with CAPTAIN
           PINNEY for a season, succeeding that as master of the Oneida, on
           which he continued for three seasons. For a time he was com-
           modore of the New York Central line, and was in their employ
           altogether a period of twenty years. He was subsequently master
           of the Vanderbilt, Syracuse, Chicago, Idaho, Buffalo and Hudson,
           and also superintended the construction of several of the
           company's steamers at Detroit.
              At one time CAPTAIN JONES owned an interest with CAPT. JAMES
           DAVIDSON, of Bay City, in the steamer Panther, a freight boat,
           which he sailed, and which was later sold to Hubbard & Sullivan,
           of Toledo, Ohio, after which he sailed the City of London for
           the latter part of that season. He then became master of the
           steamer Niko, in which boat he owned an interest, resigning her
           after a period of four seasons as her master. During the season
           of 1896 he was master of the whaleback E. B. Bartlett (owned by
           the American Steel Barge Company, but under the management of
           Pickands, Mather & Co., of Cleveland, Ohio), except for the time
           that it took him to take the whaleback Joseph S. Colby from
           Ogdensburg to Cleveland and from there to Duluth. During all
           his career on the lakes CAPTAIN JONES never lost a dollar of
           insurance, and never had occasion to enter a protest, which can
           be said of very few lake captains. He was appointed assistant
           inspector of hulls in April, 1898, the appointment coming direct
           from Washington. He is a member of the Shipmasters Association,
           and in fraternal affiliation is a Free Mason, being a member of
           DeMolay Lodge, No. 498. CAPTAIN JONES has been one of the most
           successful of lake men, and is one of the self-made men.
              The Captain was married at Buffalo, in 1877, to Miss SELINA
           E. LATIMER, by whom he has two children: WILLIAM R., a clerk
           for GEORGE E. LATIMER, a contractor, and ARTHUR V., at school.
           The family residence is at No. 99 Northampton street, Buffalo,
           New York.

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