Notable people · Educator · Black History · Business
James McHenry Jones
Born in Gallipolis, Jones graduated from Pomeroy High School in 1882 as its first Black graduate, then became principal of Lincoln School in Wheeling and, from 1898, of the West Virginia Colored Institute, now West Virginia State University.
At a glance
- Born
- 1859-08-28
- Died
- 1909-09-22
- Education
- Pomeroy High School, Pomeroy, OH, to 1882, graduate
- Known as
- Educator, Black History, Business
- Organizations
- West Virginia Colored Institute, Lincoln School, Wheeling
Life story
James McHenry Jones was born in Gallipolis in 1859. He began teaching at sixteen and was ordained a Free Will Baptist minister at seventeen.
He finished first in his class at Pomeroy High School in 1882 and was the school's first Black graduate. From 1882 to 1898 he was principal of Lincoln School in Wheeling, West Virginia, doubling its staff and students and rebuilding it after a fire in 1893.
In 1898 he took charge of the West Virginia Colored Institute and increased its state and federal funding and campus. He co-founded the Wilgera Oil and Gas Company, probably among the first Black-owned fossil fuel firms, led the Odd Fellows' national order from 1902 to 1906 and wrote a novel, Hearts of Gold, in 1896. He died in Institute, West Virginia, in 1909.
Timeline
- 1859-08-28: Born (Gallipolis, OH) source
- 1882: Graduates first in class at Pomeroy High School (Pomeroy, OH) source
- 1882: Becomes principal of Lincoln School (Wheeling, WV) source
- 1888: Marries Carrie M. Harrison source
- 1893: Rebuilds Lincoln School after fire (Wheeling, WV) source
- 1896: Publishes novel Hearts of Gold source
- 1898: Principal of West Virginia Colored Institute (Institute, WV) source
- 1902: Grand Master of the Odd Fellows source
- 1909-09-22: Dies (Institute, WV) source
What James is known for
- First Black graduate of Pomeroy High School, 1882
- President of West Virginia Colored Institute, 1898-1909
- Hearts of Gold (novel, 1896)
- Wilgera Oil and Gas Company (co-founder)
Family
- wife: Carrie M. Harrison
- wife: Elizabeth Moore
Ohio places
Where James McHenry Jones was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Born: Gallipolis, Gallia County ZIP 45631 · Gallipolis · Gallia County
- School: Pomeroy, Meigs County ZIP 45769 · Pomeroy · Meigs County
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Wikipedia: James McHenry Jones dates, education, career, family
- Wikipedia: Pomeroy, Ohio listed as notable