Samuel M. Jones
Encyclopedia
Samuel Milton Jones, a.k.a. "Golden Rule
Jones", lived from August 3, 1846 to 1904 and served as a Progressive Era
Mayor of Toledo, Ohio
from 1897 to 1904 (he died while still in office). Born in Denbighshire
, Wales
, Jones emigrated to the United States in 1849. Jones had little education because he had to work in order to help his family survive economically. Jones held many jobs in his younger years, the most important of which was the position he accepted at the oil fields of Western Pennsylvania
, where he gained a good deal of knowledge of the oil industry and was able to accumulate some modest sums. In 1870, Jones used his knowledge and savings to start his own oil firm. After the death of his wife in 1885, Jones moved to Lima, Ohio
, in search of oil. He also helped established the Ohio Oil Company which was later bought by Standard Oil Company
, making Jones a wealthy man. Jones later moved to Toledo, Ohio, in 1892, where he established the S. M. Jones Company which manufactured tools for the oil industry.
Jones asked his workers to work hard, be honest, and follow the golden rule. In 1897 Jones received the Republican nomination for mayor of Toledo. Workers liked his golden rule policy and united behind him, and he won the mayoral election. He strove to improve conditions for the working class of his community. Jones opened free kindergartens, built parks, instituted an eight-hour day for city workers, and reformed the city government. While Jones was not well liked by other businessmen, the average citizen supported him. When his term was over Jones was not renominated by the Republicans. He ran anyway, and, with the support of the people, he won a second term in 1899. Jones died suddenly during his second term as mayor on July 12, 1904. His successor, Brand Whitlock, continued Jones' reform efforts.
Jones is famous in Toledo for his advocacy of the Golden Rule
, hence his nickname. He was an important part of American Progressivism. While he was often mistaken for a socialist
, he was not.
Jones was a "Single Taxer", as the followers of Henry George
were often known. See e.g. Jones, Samuel M., 1899. The New Right. NY: Eastern book concern
He is survived by his grandson Samuel Milton Jones III and several great-grand children including, Samuel Milton Jones IV, Nancy Robicheaw, Elizabeth Thacker Jones and James Whitlock Jones
Jones was referenced in Chapter 14 of "The Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace Wattles
.
Ethic of reciprocity
The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a maxim, ethical code, or moralitythat essentially states either of the following:* : One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself....
Jones", lived from August 3, 1846 to 1904 and served as a Progressive Era
Progressive Era
The Progressive Era in the United States was a period of social activism and political reform that flourished from the 1890s to the 1920s. One main goal of the Progressive movement was purification of government, as Progressives tried to eliminate corruption by exposing and undercutting political...
Mayor of Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
from 1897 to 1904 (he died while still in office). Born in Denbighshire
Denbighshire
Denbighshire is a county in north-east Wales. It is named after the historic county of Denbighshire, but has substantially different borders. Denbighshire has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited part of Wales. Pontnewydd Palaeolithic site has remains of Neanderthals from 225,000 years...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Jones emigrated to the United States in 1849. Jones had little education because he had to work in order to help his family survive economically. Jones held many jobs in his younger years, the most important of which was the position he accepted at the oil fields of Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
, where he gained a good deal of knowledge of the oil industry and was able to accumulate some modest sums. In 1870, Jones used his knowledge and savings to start his own oil firm. After the death of his wife in 1885, Jones moved to Lima, Ohio
Lima, Ohio
Lima is a city in and the county seat of Allen County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in northwestern Ohio along Interstate 75 approximately north of Dayton and south-southwest of Toledo....
, in search of oil. He also helped established the Ohio Oil Company which was later bought by Standard Oil Company
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
, making Jones a wealthy man. Jones later moved to Toledo, Ohio, in 1892, where he established the S. M. Jones Company which manufactured tools for the oil industry.
Jones asked his workers to work hard, be honest, and follow the golden rule. In 1897 Jones received the Republican nomination for mayor of Toledo. Workers liked his golden rule policy and united behind him, and he won the mayoral election. He strove to improve conditions for the working class of his community. Jones opened free kindergartens, built parks, instituted an eight-hour day for city workers, and reformed the city government. While Jones was not well liked by other businessmen, the average citizen supported him. When his term was over Jones was not renominated by the Republicans. He ran anyway, and, with the support of the people, he won a second term in 1899. Jones died suddenly during his second term as mayor on July 12, 1904. His successor, Brand Whitlock, continued Jones' reform efforts.
Jones is famous in Toledo for his advocacy of the Golden Rule
Ethic of reciprocity
The Golden Rule or ethic of reciprocity is a maxim, ethical code, or moralitythat essentially states either of the following:* : One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself....
, hence his nickname. He was an important part of American Progressivism. While he was often mistaken for a socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, he was not.
Jones was a "Single Taxer", as the followers of Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
were often known. See e.g. Jones, Samuel M., 1899. The New Right. NY: Eastern book concern
He is survived by his grandson Samuel Milton Jones III and several great-grand children including, Samuel Milton Jones IV, Nancy Robicheaw, Elizabeth Thacker Jones and James Whitlock Jones
Jones was referenced in Chapter 14 of "The Science of Getting Rich" by Wallace Wattles
Wallace Wattles
Wallace Delois Wattles was an American author. A New Thought writer, he remains personally somewhat obscure, but his writing has been widely quoted and remains in print in the New Thought and self-help movements....
.
External links
- Samuel M. Jones at Ohio History Central online encyclopedia
- Samuel Jones at Find-A-Grave
- Exhibit on Samuel Jones