Notable people · Mayor · Reformer
Samuel M. Jones
Welsh-born industrialist (Acme Sucker Rod Co.) who as Toledo mayor from 1897 until his death applied his 'Golden Rule' to city government. Re-elected as an independent in 1899 with about 70 percent.
At a glance
- Born
- 1846-08-03
- Died
- 1904-07-12
- Known as
- Mayor, Reformer
- Organizations
- Acme Sucker Rod Company
Life story
Samuel Jones was born in Wales in 1846, and his poor family took him to central New York at age three. He worked from boyhood on farms, in a sawmill and on steamships.
He found oil work in Pennsylvania, then in Ohio's fields after 1886. He moved to Toledo in 1892 and patented a sucker rod, founding the Acme Sucker Rod Company in 1894.
As Toledo mayor from 1897 he ran his factory and city on 'Golden Rule' lines, and left the Republican Party for independent politics in 1899.
He died in office in July 1904. His will set aside money for factory workers, and a 1993 scholars' panel ranked him fifth-best big-city mayor.
Timeline
- 1846-08-03: Born (Caernarvonshire, Wales) source
- 1849: Family emigrated to New York (New York, US) source
- 1864: Moved to Titusville oil country (Titusville, PA) source
- 1886: Moved to Ohio oil fields after first wife's death (Ohio) source
- 1892: Moved to Toledo; married Helen Beach (Toledo, OH) source
- 1894: Patented sucker rod; opened Acme Sucker Rod Company (Toledo, OH) source
- 1897: Elected mayor of Toledo (Toledo, OH) source
- 1899: Left the Republican Party to run as an independent (Toledo, OH) source
- 1904-07-12: Died in office (Toledo, OH) source
What Samuel is known for
- Mayor of Toledo 1897-1904
- Free kindergartens, parks, eight-hour day for city workers
- The New Right (1899)
- Acme Sucker Rod Company, Toledo (1894)
- Golden Rule Trust bequest
Honors and things named for them
- Ranked fifth-best big-city mayor (1820-1993) by a panel of 69 scholars
Family
- spouse: Alma Curtis Jones
- spouse: Helen Beach Jones
- son: Percy Curtis Jones
- son: Mason Beach Jones
Places in Ohio to see
- Woodlawn Cemetery (grave) (grave)
1502 W Central Ave, Toledo, Lucas County Toledo · Lucas County · official page
Ohio places
Where Samuel M. Jones was born, lived, worked and is remembered, with the ZIP code, town and county pages for each.
- Worked: Toledo, Lucas County ZIP 43604 · Toledo · Lucas County
- Buried: Toledo, Lucas County (Woodlawn Cemetery) ZIP 43604 · Toledo · Lucas County
Further reading
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.
- Wikipedia: Samuel M. Jones dates, mayoralty, Golden Rule, burial