At the age of 24, Thomas J. Jones – son of Andrew J. Jones and brother to Belle Jones (wife of Dr. T.A. Bishop) – moved with his family to the Kootenai Valley in 1888. He went to work for William Eaton, of Eatonville, as a bookkeeper, and then entered the employ of the Bonners Ferry Mercantile Company. In 1899, T.J. opened a drug store in Bonners Ferry and made a successful business of it. He was elected clerk of Bonners Ferry, serving from 1892-1898.
T.J. used his earnings to invest in eighty acres of land adjoining town. He and his wife, Ambrosia (Eaton), planted many different varieties of fruit trees and raised a huge garden. This land, now called the Jones Addition, is below Grandview Cemetery (Fessler home).
It is that time of year again, when people are making plans to gather firewood for the upcoming winter. This photo shows T.J. Jones clearing some of his land and making firewood.