Column
While Pauline Rodke is away from her desk, we’ve taken a story about one of Paoli’s families from the “Proud of Paoli” book.
This is the story of the C. E. Jones family by Mickey K. Jones.
C. E. “Charley” and Pearl Jones and their nine children, Zephyr, Dale, Charlie, Mickey, Joe, Bob, Gus, Ann, and Pat, enjoyed living on farms in the Paoli community. For a number of years, the farms were leased, but later a 480 acre farm west of Paoli was purchased. This was the farm son Mickey most vividly recalled, even though Charley and Pearl later bought a much smaller farm east of town which they also operated. The family engaged in diversified farming - cotton, corn, oats, wheat, barley, kafir corn, etc. - and tended a large number of dairy cows and beef cattle.
Charles was known particularly for his fine watermelons. There was always a huge surplus, and the extras were sold to people in the community. Of course, some of the local boys couldn’t resist the challenge to “steal” some of the watermelons, much to the delight of Charley. He really didn’t consider those little night-time raids of the watermelon patch as really stealing. As a matter of fact, he always planted a new extra hills just so the kids could make their raids.
The Jones children enjoyed farm life, and always found something worthwhile to do, which didn’t leave much time for mischief. Parents not only trusted their neighbors and friends, but also trusted their children to the utmost. Doors were seldom locked while the family was in the fields or away for the day. Pearl contributed greatly to Charley’s success on the farm. All the family enjoyed her delicious meals, and the harvesters were always happy to work at the Jones farm because they knew Pearl would have an abundance of delicious food on the table. Of course, Pearl accomplished this because she canned so many vegetables and fruits during the summer and stored them in the cellar Charley built.
Charley and Pearl were staunch supporters of formal education and gave the school their full support. All their children graduated from Paoli High School, three as valedictorians and one as salutatorian. Each of the children participated in sports activities. Although son Charlie (fondly known as “Penny”) was small in stature, he was an outstanding athlete.
Charley always refused the community’s request to run for school board member as long as he had children in the school, but after all his children had graduated from high school, he became a member, and faithfully served the school board and his community.
During World War II and the immediate post war era five members of the Jones family served in various branches of the military service, the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and the Paratroops.
After the children grew up and Charley and Pearl began to slow down a little, they decided to move into town.
Charley took the opportunity to become active in civic duties, and at one time served as President of the Paoli Chamber of Commerce. Throughout his adult life, he was also an active and devout member of the I. O. O. F.
