Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 August 1895 — SAM JONES AT HOME. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SAM JONES AT HOME.

WAS ONCE A LAWYER BUT BE* CAME A DRUNKARD. He Afterward Developed Into a Successful Evangelist —ls a Lover of Animal* and Helper for the Poor - Gifta aa Liberal a* Speech. Lives in Carteraville t Ga. One of the most noted evangelists of the country is Rev. Saip P. Jones, whose home is at Cartersville, Ga. Here, when tired out with his public labors, he joins his family to recuperate. He goes about Cartersville in the slouch hat and plain traveling suit worn on the road, and usually carries a cigar or meerschaum pipe between his lips. He is a great smoker and uses half a dozen cigars every day, besides occasional pulls at the meerschaum. His nervous energy and restless spirit allow him no idleness, and when there is nothing else to do he walks vigorously up and down the veranda or about the yard. His reading is confined mainly to the newspapers, and he is a close student of current events all over the world. He does not pretend to have a library,, and if

he did, it is doubtful whether he would ever enter it. Books are too long and tedious for him. He has made some good investments and looks well after his property. He owns two excellent farms, a grist mill, and some valuable real estate in Cartersville. He has for several years been a director in one of the Cartersville banks, in which he is a stockholder. The amount of Mr. Jones’ charities is enormous. He gives away every year vastly more than is spent on his family. In addition to his public charities, such as gifts to churches, schools, and other Institutions, requests come to him daily for help from individuals in every section of the United States. Every mail brings letters asking for money or help in obtaining positions, or donations for various societies. When it is known that Mr. Jones is at home, his yard is invaded by people

seeking help. Poor people walk from distant places In the country to ask for a loan of money or help in obtaining work. Old negro “uncles” ask for “a few bushels o’ co’n to make a crap on,” or want indorsements to enable them to buy a mule, and numerous black “mammies” vociferously petition “Marse Sam” to give them a cow that they may keep “'all des heah little black pickaninnies frum a dtakvin’ to def.” To all these applications Mr. Jones gives careful consideration, and no deserving individual Is ever sent away empty-handed. He seems to learn by intuition who are the really deserving, and often his gifts are placed where no request has been made The people of Cartersville love to tell of how Sam Jones goes down and buys dray loads of provisions and sends them to old and helpless people, who are usually left to guess the iden-

tity of their benefactor. It is in works of this kind that the evangelist finds a deeper satisfaction than in his most successful efforts in the pulpit and on the platform. A Lawyer and Drunkard. Samuel Porter Jones was boro in Chambers County, Ala., In 1847. While still a child his father removed to Cartersvllle after the death of his wife, and Cartersville has since been the home of the Jones family. During the war, when Sherman's forces began to

poor into Nofttr Georgia, ycrang Jones made his way to, Henry county, Kyj While there be met Miss Laura McElwain, who, in 1806, becajne his wife, Jones being then a practicing lawyer in Cartersville. Unfortunately, during his boyhood he had acquired & taste for strong drink, which grew upon him until he was forced to abandon the law after less than a year's practice, and for three years he led the most wretched existence. He was driven to want and engaged in various kinds of common labor to obtain a living. He plowed, drove a dray and worked In the Iron! mines near Cartersville. This was the most gloomy period of his life. He had a family coming on to educate and care! for, and to these were added the anxieties caused by ruined health and an empty purse. At this time his father, to whom he had always been devoted, died, and his death in August, 1872, marks the turning point in his son’s life. His conversion was as complete as it was sudden, and since then he has adhered to the cause of religion. His first sermon was preached at Felton’s chapel, a few miles from Cartersville, during the absence of the regular preacher and was a success. The ore hauling was abandoned and Mr. Jones at once devoted himself to the work of the gospel.

He preached at the country churches and was soon admitted to the conference. He was assigned to a rural circuit in Polk County, but he went to work with a will and soon his churches were all prosperous. Frfnrj this he went to other obscure circuits ajid the following ten years were devoted to the routine work of the rural Methodist circuit rider, and it was no! until the great revival at Memphis in 1883 that the public had even as much as heard the name of Sam Jones. He has quite an interesting family of two sons and four daughters, of whom the two eldest daughters are married.

THE JONES FAMILY.

REV. SAM P. JONES.

THE SAM JONES HOME.