David Jones (our uncle).

David Jones was about two years old when his family migrated from Wales and for a time settled in New Castle, Pennsylvania.

By the age of 18, in 1850, he worked at one of the iron mills as a nailer. A skilled position, the nailer hammered red hot rods, striking around 25 blows to form the nail. A skilled man could produce as many as four nails a minute, or up to 3,000 a day. Each nailer was served by feeders and packers.

But mill work was spotty, and when the facility closed his family crossed further into the Rust Belt into Ohio looking for work. He is found living with his mother in Youngstown, Ohio in the 1860 census.

Rally 'Round the Flag.

Soon the drumbeat of war thrummed across the land and David enlisted in the 16th Ohio Volunteer Infantry of the Union army per his obituary years later in the New Castle News. The term of service was for 90 days, so sure were they the war would be quickly won. This, from the regimental history:

On or about May 25, 1861, the Regiment left for West Virginia, where it was actively engaged in guarding the B.& O. railroad, the enemy having killed citizens and burned bridges in the vicinity of Farmington and Fairmount. It then proceeded to Grafton, West Virginia, where a Battalion became actively engaged before Philippi, West Virginia, June 3, 1861; Laurel Hill, July 8, 1861, and Carrick's Ford, July 14, 1861.

Marriage and Family.

David had returned to New Castle by the time he married Pheobe Rheinholdt on July 13, 1867. They had a daughter, Mary born on August 3rd.

His widowed mother Mary was living with the family in 1870 in New Castle. The census was taken on July 29th, Pheobe died on August 16th.

He reports in the 1880 census that he had been out of work for 5 months. David was 47, widowed, with his daughter Mary, 12, nephew Gomer, 15 and his mother Mary, 72. The inconsistent work may have factored into his decision to move with his sister Elizabeth's family to Bay View, Wisconsin around 1882.

A Man of Renown.

The Milwaukee Daily Journal reports David had been installed as the treasurer of Lodge 4 of the Amalgamated Iron Workers in Bay View in January 1885.

He traveled to and from New Castle several times in the company of his mother to visit her children still living in that town. In the meantime, his expertise and fame grew. Nail cutting machines had been introduced and he exhibited his mastery of the innovation:

The Milwaukee Sentinel, (Milwaukee, WI) Tuesday, November 15, 1887; pg. 3; col C:
Surpasses All Previous Records.
David Jones, a veteran nailer of the Bay View nail factory, made a remarkable record the past week, beating all previous records here as well as in Pittsburg and Wheeling. Commencing Monday morning and finishing Saturday noon Jones cut 246 kegs of 20-penny nails on a 20-penny machine with Gould self-feeder. This is the biggest week's work ever turned out on a 20-penny machine, the average number of kegs made by hand heretofore being about 210 kegs. Jones also just completed a wonderful piece of mechanism in the shape of a miniature nail machine with all parts complete. It is the smallest nail machine in the country and attracts a great deal of attention. Nails can be made with it from the size of a small tack to a 3-penny nail.

The Milwaukee Sentinel, June 03, 1888; Bay View Notes: David Jones, an old and experienced nailer of Bay View, has invented an improvement on the Gould self-feeder. Mr. Gould, patentee of the well know self-feeder, was here during the week to witness the working of Mr. Jones' improvement and it is said was much pleased with it.

The Milwaukee Sentinel, Sunday, June 10, 1888; p. 11; Issue 32; col B:
Bay View Notes A Valuable
Invention by a Nailer
The invention discovered by David Jones, the well-known nailer of Bay View, on the Gould self-feeder, turns out to be more important than was at first supposed and it is attracting the attention of nailers and manufacturers in the East as well as at home. The Gould self-feeder, which is taking the place of handfeeding in all the mill factories throughout the country, has never been perfect, so as to work uniformly at all times, and Mr. Jones, by a great deal of study discovered a simple device by which the return of the top arm, directing the box holding the nipper and plate is held sufficiently long to permit the plate being turned with perfect ease, not bending or straining the plate, as the Gould feeder now does, and placing the plate in a level position as it enters the knives. At times the Gould feeder can be made to work well, but it requires constant watching, being liable to cut imperfect nails immediately after being adjusted. Mr. Jones' improvement entirely does away with this imperfection. The device is a small one, not larger than a person's hand, and can be easily adjusted to any mill machine.

Return to New Castle.

He left for the East a week later to exhibit his improvement, and swung by New Castle as reported by local papers. Within a few years, around 1890, David and his daughter Mary permanently moved back to Pennsylvania. They lived at 39 North Mercer Street which is noted on early maps as the residence of the Rheinholdt's, his deceased wife's family.

The New Castle News in 1893 describes his election as Financial Secretary of The Society of St. David, an Organization of the Sons of Wales in New Castle. The article explains "A number of prominent Welshmen and sons of Welshmen assembled the other evening to form a branch of the order named after their patron saint. The town had been thoroughly canvassed and it was found that about 1500 Welsh families are residents of this city." They met Wednesday of each week in Red Men's hall.

His next venture was a shoe store on Washington Street which he operated until about 1896.

Our ancestor Elizabeth and her brother John S. Jones were called back East, together with their sisters Mary Thomas of Buffalo and Jane Spencer of New Castle, to bury their brother David who died in July 1898 at the age of 65 of nailer's consumption:

New Castle News. (July 20, 1898), pg 9, col C:
David Jones Dead.
David Jones, a well known and highly respected citizen and business man of 39 North Mercer street, died at 3:15 a.m. Saturday, after an illness of three weeks with nailer's consumption, at the age of 65 years and 8 months. He was confined to his bed only about a week. He came to this country from Wales when only 2 1/2 years old. His family came to this city when he was quite small. He received an education in the common schools here, and at an early age went to work in the nail mill and soon became an expert nailer. He followed this occupation for a number of years. In the meantime he married Miss Pheobe Rheinholder, who departed this life 25 years ago, leaving one daughter, Mary, who survives her father and resides at home.
Three sisters and one brother of Mr. Jones survive him, viz: Mrs. Mary Thomas of Buffalo, Mrs. Elizabeth Wolfe of Milwaukee, and Mrs. Jane Spencer of this city. The brother is John S. Jones of Albion, South Dakota.
Mr. Jones resided in this city over 50 years, except 8 years spent in Milwaukee. The family returned to this city about 8 years ago. After retiring from the nailing business he went into the shoe business, but was only in it a short time before the family moved to Milwaukee. On his return he stayed in the shoe business on Washington street near Mercer street, part of the time being associated with R. H. Whaley. The business was closed out two years ago.
Mr. Jones was a most estimable citizen and had the esteem and respect of all who knew him. He was a consistent member of the First M.E. church for many years. He was also a member of the 16th Ohio Infantry in the civil war, and a member of G.A.R. Post 100 [New Castle]. The bereaved family have the sympathy of the whole neighborhood in this great sorrow. Funeral on Monday at 2 p.m. Internment at Oak Park cemetery.

← Move to the Rust Belt

Lizzie Jones & John Wolfe →