COLBERT COUNTY, ALABAMA
OBITUARIES

DAVID JONES

Contributed 15 Jun 2004
by Lee Freeman


From the North Alabamian and Times, November 27, 1873, p. 3.

An Assassination

On last Tuesday Mr. David Jones, who lives on Bear Creek, in this county, came to Tuscumbia for the purpose of closing a trade, with Maj. S. W. L. McCleskey, for some land, which he had purchased from the Major. On his way to the depot at Roberts store he met a young man by the name of Tony Weaver, with whom we are told he had a difficulty which resulted in a fight, in which pistols were drawn by both parties, but not used. Jones came on to Tuscumbia, transacted his business with Maj. McCleskey and took the 4 o'clock train for home. He and his brother left the depot about dark. They had not gone far when they were shot at by some person unknown, one of the Jones was instantly killed; we have not learned which one;1 and his brother was badly wounded. We are extremely sorry that such a crime has been committed in our hitherto peaceful county. The perpetrator deserve the extreme penalty of the law.

1      David Jones survived, his brother was killed.
      Married four times, Confederate veteran and businessman David Jones died at Oakland, in Lauderdale County in 1937. According to grandson Oliver Jones, of Florence, David Jones operated three grocery stores in Florence, which he later converted into saloons. In December of 1891, a fire broke out in the taproom of one of Jones' saloons on Court Street. The saloon was situated near where Grogan's Jewelers is today, in what was then known as the Stafford Block on Court and Mobile Streets. The fire completely destroyed the buildings in this block.
      David Jones' third wife was Mary Elizabeth Freeman (1871-1909) my great-great aunt.


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