The Town of Jones Mill was first named after local preacher

Rev. J.W. Jones and wife, Mary.

My wife and son and I went to the Christmas parade in Frisco City on Saturday afternoon. We got there a few minutes early and parked in a parking space at Chandler’s grocery store, waiting for the parade to start. While sitting there, I began to tell my 15-year-old son, James, about how much the town had changed since the days when I was his age.

I guess that I have reached the point in life, when, at nearly half a century old, I can remember when the town was significantly different. I pointed out the vacant lot where People’s Drugs was located before it burned to the ground over 20 years ago. Not far from this was the restaurant known as Ree-Bams, which sold the tastiest cheeseburger this side of New Orleans.

I recounted the day in 1988 when the town capped off its centennial celebration by having a large parade to mark the town’s 100^th birthday. I was 12 years old and remember winding my way through the crowded sidewalks with my buddies, each of us with a pocket full of “Bang Pops” that we’d bought for cheap at the Econ gas station down the street. Some of you may remember these poppers, small noise makers wrapped like Hershey kisses in white tissue paper. When thrown to the ground (or at your buddy) they would make a remarkably loud “pop!”

During the centennial celebration, the town fathers buried a time capsule in Jones Park. If you go there today, you’ll see it there in a brick encased monument near the big, red caboose. Containing memorabilia of the town’s past, it’s not to be opened until 2088.

Not far from the time capsule is the old Jones House. To the best of my memory, I have never been inside this old house, and I have often wondered what it looks like inside. It’s claim to fame is that it was once the home of the Rev. James Wiley Jones, the “founder” of Jones Mill.

J.W. Jones, who went by “Jim,” was not the first person to live in what we now call Frisco City. Members of the Stacey family owned much of the land where the town sits today, but Jones is credited with building a cotton gin, saw mill, grist mill and store in what would eventually be called Jones Mill. When the town incorporated in 1909, he became its first mayor.

Jones no doubt has many descendants living today. He and his wife, Mary, had nine children, and when Jim died he had 25 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. Jones passed away in January 1943 at the age of 85, and he is buried in the Mount Pisgah Cemetery, off the Wildfork Road.

Interestingly, Jones would have been around 71 years old in 1928 when the town’s citizens voted to change the town’s name from Jones Mill to Frisco City. This name change was made to celebrate the completion of the Gulf, Florida & Atlantic Railroad through the town. This railroad was part of the St. Louis & San Franciso Railroad, which was commonly known as the “Frisco.”