Obituary Record

Capt. B. F. Jones, the veteran Mississippi journalist and saw mill owner, died on Friday, 3:15 o'clock, April 14th, at his winter residence in New Orleans, of inflammation of the peritoneum, indirectly caused by injuries received by a fall some two months ago. It will be remembered, as noted in The Echo columns at the time, Captain Jones, in running to catch a street car, made a misstep and fell. The gutter was filled with water, causing him to mistake the crossing. He was confined to his room three weeks from injuries sustained by this fall. He was improving nicely, but complications set in, confining him to his room and bed again, and he gradually grew worse until the end came.

Captain Jones was a Mississippian by adoption, and was one of the most popular men that ever lived in this State. As a newspaper man and a saw mill owner, he became known throughout the State and was everywhere admired for his rugged honesty, indomitable energy and genial good nature. He was universally known throughout Mississippi and counted among his friends some of the most prominent and influential citizens within its borders. His face was familiar at the Capital, where he lived in the reconstruction days for a number of years, as State Printer and a part proprietor of the Clarion, and later as Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate, which position he held for about eight years.

Capt. Jones was born in Paris, Tenn., April 2,1826. He was reared on a plantation, and was left an orphan at an early age. At seven years of age he was making his own living. He left Tennessee while still young; came to Mississippi, locating at Carrollton, where he engaged himself as a printer's apprentice, and after a number of years in the business he established a paper for himself at Carrollton. It attracted attention throughout the State, reflecting the individuality of the man and wielding a great influence in that section of the State. Capt. Jones remained there until the war began, when he, with a number of his friends, responded and were mustered into one of the Mississippi regiments. He fought through the war, and at its close he went to Jackson where, in co-partnership with Col J. L. Power, published the Clarion. After two or three years in this business, Capt. Jones bought a saw mill, and for a number of years engaged in the lumber trade near Carrollton. Subsequently he engaged in the same business near Duck Hill It was during this time that Capt. Jones acquired the soubriquet of "Saw mill." He was a regular attendant upon the meetings of the Mississippi Press Association, and at one of the meetings when asked to give the name of the paper he represented, he said he was editing a sawmill. The secretary of the association, thinking that "sawmill" was the name of a paper Capt. Jones was editing, placed the same opposite his name, and he answered whenever Sawmill was called out. The soubriquet remained, and hundreds of people knew him by no other name than "Sawmill Jones".

After trying the sawmill business a number of years, he returned to journalism, and owned several papers at different times. Capt. Jones was president of the Press Association several times.

Capt. Jones was married twice. His first wife was Miss Martha Wiggins, of Grenada, Miss., by whom he had thirteen children, only two of whom are living -- B. F. Jones and Mrs. M. O. Brown, both of Winona, Miss. Capt. Jones' first wife died some years ago, and he was married in 1886 to Widow Adlaide Regnard Jannet, a lady well known in high circles and much esteemed. At the time of his death the Captain represented a life insurance company and was the Mississippi representative of the N. O. Times-Democrat.

The remains were conveyed to Winona Saturday for interment Sunday morning.

Bay St. Louis was the home of Captain Jones, but he wintered in New Orleans. He was universally popular at the Bay, highly esteemed and regarded, and his pleasant countenance, affableness and geniality will sadly be missed. To his wife, son and daughter The Echo offers sincere sympathies and says a "rest in peace" for him.

Source: Sea Coast Echo 04-22-1893