Callie and Jennie Jones Early Years

        William Calvin Jones Sr. known to his friends as "Callie" was born and raised in Sumner, Illinois. He was an only child born December 17, 1886 to Adda (Davis) and Sherman Grant Jones. Draft cards described him as 5 foot 7 inches tall, 140 pounds, with a light complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair.

        Jennie Lora Travis was born in Lukin, Illinois on January 24, 1889 to Amazetta (Sutherland) and William R. Travis. Jennie was the third of their eight children together and moved to Sumner, Illinois when she was about seven years old.

Sumner Press

Sumner Press Office in 1908 - Left to Right: Calvin "Callie" Jones, Carl Sanders, James Wagner (editor) and Ella Goodwin

        Callie completed three years of high school before going to work at the Sumner Press as a printer. In the above staff photo from 1908, he would have been 21 years old. At this time the Sumner Press office was located in the upstairs of the Telephone Building. We can only assume that this was where he met his wife, Jennie, who was working as a telephone operator in 1910.

Marriage

        Callie (24) and Jennie (22) were married quietly at the Olney parsonage of the Evangelical United Brethren Church on the evening of October 19, 1911. Performing the ceremony was their former pastor, Robert Griffin. Edwin Thiele acted as the best man and Jennie's younger sister May was her bridesmaid. After the wedding, they immediately returned to their new home in Sumner which Callie had prepared for them.

Lora Alberta Jones

        After about two and a half years of marriage, Callie and Jennie had their first child. Their daughter, Lora Alberta Jones was born on June 14, 1914. On April 17, 1915 Jennie and the baby went to visit Jennie's sister Mae who was ill. Mae passed away four days later on April 21st. 

        This visit was likely where baby Lora caught the illness that would take her life. On April 23rd, six days after their visit with Mae, Jennie called for Dr. Hockman to see the baby. Things progressed quickly and they took her to see Dr. Green a few days later on April 28th. Dr. Green came to see her again in their home the next day and this was when he told them that things were bad. The day after that, Dr. Tompson of Bridgeport came to see the child. He and Dr. Green consulted with each other on May 1st as the baby continued to get worse but unfortunately there was nothing that they could do.

        Lora Aberta passed away on May 8, 1915 at the age of 10 months and 24 days following a terrible two weeks of whooping cough. They held a funeral service for her in their home on Monday, May 10th at 10am with Reverend B.N. Sypolt. A quartet sang hymns and the infant was buried at Sumner Cemetery.

William Calvin Jones Jr. 

Two years after the death of their daughter, Callie (30) and Jennie (28) had their second child, William "Bill" Calvin Jones Jr. on May 21, 1917. At this time Callie had left the Sumner Press and was working as a grocery merchant. This was the occupation that he would maintain for the rest of his working years. For awhile he clerked at a grocery store that belonged to his brother-in-law. He was then the manager of the Kroger Store during its location in Sumner, and later he owned and operated a store in Sumner. Little did he know, his son Bill would follow in his footsteps and open a store of his own in Sumner.