JONES, DAVID I. (18 June 1818-2 June 1891) and JOHN (ca. 1808-1870), brothers who built the first steel mill in NEWBURGH, were born in Monmouthshire, Wales, worked in Dowlais Mill in Glamorganshire, South Wales, and immigrated to the U.S. about 1845, working for Phoenix Iron Co. in Phoenixville, Pa. Early in 1856 they joined the new Railroad Iron Mill Co. in Cleveland. The brothers joined J. W. Jones to form Jones & Co. and bought land in Newburgh in Apr. 1857 to build a rail mill. J. W. Jones, not related to the brothers, soon sold out; the company changed names as new investors joined: Chisholm, Jones & Co. after HENRY CHISHOLM† invested in 1857; and Stone, Chisholm & Jones after Andros B. Stone joined in 1858. The Newburgh Mill became part of Cleveland Rolling Mill Co. when the latter was incorporated in Nov. 1863. John and David Jones were not among the incorporators of the Cleveland Rolling Mill Co., but were leading figures in its Newburgh mill. As the principal mechanic and draftsman, David was in charge of the mill until his death in 1891. John was manager of the rail mill and foreman of the puddle mill, merchant trains, and furnaces. He suffered heavy financial losses as a founder of the unsuccessful Alliance Rolling Mill Co. in Alliance, Ohio. In 1858, the Jones brothers were among the organizers of a Congregational church on Harvard St. which later became the JONES ROAD CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
John and his wife, Emma, were married on 12 May 1832 and had 3 children: Mary, William, and Catharine. David was married in 1844 and had 8 children: Susan, William, Catherine, Margaret, Sarah J., Christina, Ida, and David I. Each brother died while visiting Wales. John was buried there; David was returned to Cleveland and buried in WOODLAND CEMETERY.
Last Modified: 16 Aug 2002 07:47:43 PMPendry, William R. A History of the Cleveland District (1936).
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