Date: 1902-3-12 Paper: Dallas Morning News DEATH OF MAJOR WILEY JONES Texas Pioneer Dropped Dead at Waco Yesterday While Walking on the streets. Special to the News: Waco, Tex., March 11--Major wiley Jones, the pioneer turfman of Texas, fell dead this morning while taking his customary forenoon walk. He settled in Texas in 1848, and moved from Milam County to McLennan in 1851. His father, Col. Aguilla Jones, a distinguished Tennesseean, was a lover of fine horses and when Major Wiley Jones left Tennessee to settle in Texas his father gave him part of his fine stable. Those were among the first fast runners, trotters, and pacers ever seen in the Lone Star State. On coming to McLennan County he started an improved stock farm on the Bosque twelve miles from this city and bred fancy stock at so early a period that some of his valuable animals were stolen by the Indians. Among his early experiences was a period of service under Capt. Jack Conner in the Texas Rangers, during which he fought Comanches and Lipans with distinguished gallantry. During the Civil War he served in the Fifth Texas cavalry and later in the war was appointed agent for the commissary department west of the Mississippi, and in that capacity supplied by purchase and capture 15000 head of beef cattle to the armies of the Southern Confederacy. In 1866 he was elected chief of the Waco fire department and president of the Waco and McLennan County Turf Association. He built two of the leading hotels in Waco and one of them he owned up to his death. Through the right of his grandfather, Capt. Sam Jones, who obtained a league of land by concession, in 1836, Major Wiley Jones became owner of valuable property which he improved. He married Miss Margaret Ellison, daughter of Joe Ellison, a famous pioneer. The surviving children are Thomas F. Jones of New Mexico, W. H. Jones of Waco, Mrs. J. E. Eagan of Waco and Mrs. W. H. Gibson of Marlin. **********If this is useful let me know. Thanks -- http://www.genealogy4free.myfamily.com (tons of free stuff) by invitation only-- --------------------- Ask me about free ebooks dealing with genealogy such as: KENTUCKY PIONEER COURT RECORDS, HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY ILLINOIS, VITAL RECORDS OF TAUNTON MASSACHUSETTS to name a few. Its a private site and you have to be invited to get these free ebooks.