Saturday, September 21, 2013

Benton B. Jones


 
Cortland Evening Standard, Monday, December 21, 1896.

BENTON B. JONES

Died Suddenly Sunday Evening as a Result of Bright’s Disease.

   Benton B. Jones, editor and proprietor of the Cortland Democrat and postmaster of Cortland, died very suddenly Sunday evening at 9:30 o'clock of apoplexy proceeding from Bright’s disease. Though he had been afflicted with this disease for a number of years he had been in usual health until Friday afternoon when he went home with a severe cold. Saturday he remained in the house hoping to throw off the cold and apprehending nothing more serious than that. Sunday afternoon at about 4 o'clock he had a shock and lost consciousness, almost immediately. He lingered until 9:30 that night when the end came.

   Mr. Jones was born March 20, 1840, upon a farm about two miles north of Homer. He was educated at Homer academy and at Claverack college, Claverack, Columbia Co., N. Y., from which latter institution he was graduated at the age of eighteen years. He studied law with Oliver Porter of Homer and was admitted to the bar early in the sixties. He practiced law in Cortland until 1868 when he bought the Cortland Democrat of L. S. Crandall, and has since been its editor and proprietor. For three years before assuming the proprietorship of that paper he had assisted in its editorial labors, furnishing nearly all of its political editorials. Mr. Jones was appointed by President Cleveland postmaster of Cortland during the winter of 1894 and entered upon his duties upon April 1 of that year.

   Upon Oct. 9, 1867, Mr. Jones was married to Miss Virginia C. Gurley of Cortland, who survives him, as well as two children, Mrs. Fay C. Parsons and Mr. Seymour S. Jones, both of Cortland, and the latter being the deputy postmaster. He is also survived by three brothers and one sister, George B. Jones of Cortland, Walter and William Jones of Homer and Mrs. Julia Staats of Homer. Mr. Jones was a member of Cortlandville lodge, No. 470, F. and A. M.

   The funeral will be held at the family residence, 141 Main-st., Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.

   The sudden death of Benton B. Jones has given a shock to the entire community. Born and reared in the town of Homer and a resident of that town and of Cortland all his life, it can safely be said that there is not a citizen of this village who is acquainted with more people throughout the county than was he, or who has more personal friends than he had. Unaggressive, quiet and somewhat retiring in his ways, he was, at the same time, kindly, warm hearted, generous and sympathetic. His abilities, which in many directions were remarkable, were little understood except by those who knew him best. He possessed an excellent legal mind and a memory which was phenomenal. He was a walking cyclopedia of political, historical and general information. He had the valuable gift, too, of remembering names and faces. He said to us once that a man very rarely came into his office whose name and face he could not afterwards instantly recall.

   As a local and editorial writer he had few superiors on the country press of the state. His English was pure, and his style clear, simple, direct and forcible. He had a keen sense of humor and a ready wit. As a writer of paragraphs he was a model, condensing into a few words what many editors would require ten times the space to express, and then not express half so well. Some of the campaign issues of the Cortland Democrat, when Mr. Jones was at his best, in point and effectiveness have challenged the admiration even of his political opponents. He enjoyed editorial work, besides doing it well, and if circumstances had permitted him to shift the burden of business and routine upon some one else and devote his entire time to his paper, his editorial ability would have shown itself much more conspicuously and been more generally recognized even than it was.

   Though he never learned the printers' trade as an apprentice, he was a master of the business, knew good work and how to get it, and could go into his job rooms and set up tasty work himself or show his subordinates how it should be done. He had a large measure of mechanical genius also, understood machinery well and could tell instantly when anything was out of order, where the trouble was and what should be done to make it right. To all these qualifications for his work as editor and manager he added practical expertness and accuracy as a bookkeeper and beautiful penmanship.

   In all his personal and social relations he showed his honorable, kindly and generous characteristics. He was a faithful, affectionate and devoted husband and father, a loyal friend, a liberal and public spirited citizen. During the twenty years and more that we have published a paper in Cortland of opposite politics to The Democrat, and in spite of the hot firing which has sometimes passed between the two, it is a pleasure to remember that neither office has ever asked a favor of the other which was not cheerfully granted, and that no unkind or discourteous words were ever spoken and no personal differences ever occurred.

   The STANDARD, in common with the entire community, deeply deplores the sudden death which has at once deprived Cortland of one of its most conspicuous and useful citizens and his family of a husband and father, respected and loved; and our sincerest sympathy goes out to the wife and children upon whom the blow has fallen with so little warning and such crushing weight.

 

Christmas Tree in a Window.

   In the north window of the bakery of T. M. Marks is a handsome Christmas tree tastily decorated with many small articles to please the children. It makes a very pretty appearance.

 

A Frog Orchestra.

   Dec. 18.--In the window of the drug store of George I. Watson may be seen a full frog orchestra, also a frog singing class. All are on the banks of a pond surrounded by moss and trees. The window makes a very pretty appearance.

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Tuesday, December 22, 1896.

BAR ASSOCIATION

Adopts Fitting Resolution Upon the Death of Benton B. Jones.

   A meeting of the members of the Cortland County Bar association was held this afternoon at 2 o'clock at the office of Smith & Dickinson to take action upon the death of Benton B. Jones, who was a member of the association and who, before becoming the editor and proprietor of the Cortland Democrat, practiced his profession.

   John Courtney, Jr., was elected chairman and Wm. D. Tuttle secretary. Mr. Courtney in taking the chair made some eulogistic remarks concerning the deceased, and was followed by A. P. Smith, 0. U. Kellogg, James Dougherty, David W. VanHoesen, Judge J. E. Eggleston, E. E. Mellon and others.

   On motion, A. P. Smith, O. U. Kellogg, I. H. Palmer, James Dougherty and B. A. Benedict were appointed a committee to draft resolutions. The committee reported as follows, and the report was unanimously adopted.

   WHEREAS, It has pleased the Supreme Judge to remove from our midst Benton B. Jones, a member of the Cortland County Bar, and

   WHEREAS, The standing and character of our deceased brother was such as to demand more than a passing notice, therefore

   Resolved, That while the deceased had to a certain extent ceased to practice the profession of law and had entered the responsible occupation of editor of a leading newspaper in our county; yet we remember with pleasure, his uniform courtesy while in the practice of the law as well as in the chosen profession of his later years. Endowed with ability, and a judicial mind, he would have taken a front rank at the bar, as he has honored the editor's chair. His sense of right and justice never permitted him to willingly or knowingly do injustice to an antagonist whether an individual or a party, and, his sense of propriety never permitted him to condescend to a personal attack to gratify personal malice, or redress imaginary personal grievances. He was an open and fearless political antagonist, and spoke his sentiments in no uncertain language, but in it all, whether right or wrong, the person or party attacked never had reason to charge that he or it had been attacked from malice or revenge, but in the interest of principles believed by the editor to be important and correct.

   Resolved, That in the death of Benton B. Jones this community has met an irreparable loss, and one which will be felt more and more as time shall pass away.

   Resolved, That the bar of Cortland county extend heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved wife and children of the deceased. We know full well that no words can relieve the pangs of this supreme hour of distress, over the loss of the indulgent husband and father, but such consolation as comes from human sympathy we extend to the family and friends, and we feel assured that it will meet a hearty response from the entire community that knew him so well.

   Resolved, That the secretary be directed to furnish a copy of these resolutions to the various newspapers of the county for publication, and a copy to the family of the deceased.

   Resolved, That as a mark of respect the Bar of Cortland county will attend the funeral in a body.

A. P. SMITH,

O. U. KELLOGG,

JAMES DOUGHERTY,

I. H. PALMER,

B. A. BENEDICT,

Committee.

 

NEW ROUTE FROM ELMIRA.

   It is announced that a new route is possible from Elmira to Ithaca for the E., C. & N. branch of the Lehigh R. R. It is from Horseheads to Odessa up the new double track and across to VanEtten. It is to avoid the high grade between VanEtten and Horseheads. It would doubtless be a good change. But this road is a good one now, fast and safe, with a popular set of train crews and convenient cars and schedules.—Ithaca News.
 

 






 

No comments:

Post a Comment