A 1927 Marion directory found Jones living at 1102 S. Holland Street.
Jones was married in Marion on May 20, 1929 to Ethel Garrett. Like so many Marion citizens, Jones had to leave Marion to find work during the depression era of the 1930’s.In the 1930 census, only one year after their marriage, the newly married couple was living in East St. Louis, Illinois as lodgers in the home of L.M. and Essie Johnson. L.M. was a Baptist pastor and his wife was a seamstress. Jones was working as a laborer in the steel works.
In the 1940 federal census, Jones and his wife were living back in Marion at 1305 S. Holland in a home which they owned and valued at $300. John and Ethel were both aged 28. Children present in the home were Raymond 19, Richard 7, Izetta 5 and Nellie, 10 months old. Like many in this era, Jones was working as a laborer under a W.P.A. work project. Willie claimed that his 1939 income was $520.
In 1951, Jones held the only liquor license issued to a black man in Marion. This, however, put Liquor Control Commission officer, Mayor William Shannon, under fire when it was discovered that the license was held illegally, due to requirements requiring permission to be obtained from neighboring homes and the fact that no licensing fee was ever paid.
For 16 years until his resignation early in August of 1968, Jones was custodian at the Bank of Marion. His industry, personality and leadership in the black community won him many friends. In September 1967, he was elected to membership in the Marion Lion’s Club, the first black man ever to be chosen a member of any Marion service club. He became an active member.
Until 1967, he and his wife had operated a barbecue concession at the DuQuoin State Fair for 15 years. The business which was one of the biggest on the fairgrounds, and employed 36 persons, was the development of 42 years of experience beginning under the tutelage of his father. His tent dining room at the fairgrounds was a gathering place for notables who attended the fair as well as the thousands who patronized it year after year. In one year, he served such personages as former Governor Otto Kerner, Nat King Cole and Skitch Henderson.
For the operation of the annual barbecue enterprise he took a month off each year from his duties at the bank and his other activities which included management of rental properties he had acquired through the years.
He and his wife also operated a BBQ stand at the yearly Williamson County Fair that was anticipated by thousands of visitors.
The pace at which he worked to earn a livelihood and acquire something in the way of security for his family did not mark the limit of his activities for he found time to devote to the work of his church and the black community. He was a leader in the Gent Addition Improvement Association which undertook the improvement of the area where most of Marion’s black citizen lived.
He was a leader too, in the work of the Bethel A.M.E. Church. His leadership was manifest most recently in the campaign to build a new church parsonage. Besides donating heavily to the project in cash he devoted a great deal of time to the work and was able through his acquaintance with many people throughout the city to obtain much help from others. Through barbecue sales sponsored by the Marion Lion’s Club, but managed largely by Jones and members of the church more than $2,200 was raised for the parsonage fund.
Besides serving as a trustee of the church he was active in other organization, including Archive Lodge No. 67, A.F. & A.M. of Marion of which he was a Past Master. He was a member of the Cairo Consistory and President of the Double 6 Club of Carbondale.
John Willie Jones, 56, one of Marion’s most prominent black citizens died Friday night, August 23, 1968. He was stricken at his home at 202 W. Boyton Street while watching television and was taken to Marion Memorial Hospital where he was dead on arrival at 9 p.m.
Jones had suffered a stroke three years ago and had been hospitalized again in July this year for a few days, but had recently been in apparent good health. He worked Friday at the Bracy warehouse where he was employed on Fourth Street.
Surviving his death were his wife, step mother, Mrs. Beulah Johns of Marion; two sons, Sgt. Major Raymond Jones, M/Sgt. Richard L. Jones in the Air Force; two daughters, Mrs. Clyde (Izetta) Lacey and Mrs. Carl (Nellie Pearl Babe) Stewart of Marion, six brothers, four sisters and 11 grandchildren.
The brothers are Jerry Jones of Racine, Wisconsin, Joseph Jones of Flint, Michigan, Israel Jones, Rufus Jones, Willie Jones and Esau Jones of Marion. The sisters are Mrs. John L. (Mary) Johnson of Marion, Mrs. Caleb (Martha) Carter of Marion, Mrs. Lena Marshall and Miss Rosie Jones, both of Chicago.
He was preceded in death by one daughter, Nancy Ann Jones, a grandson, Kenneth, a brother, Elisha and his father.
Final rites for the public spirited church and civic leader were held at the Wilson Funeral Home which was filled to capacity by both black and white friends of the deceased. They included business and professional people who joined the family and close associates in paying respect to the man who had earned a place of esteem in the community.
The Marion Lion’s Club, of which Jones was a member, adjourned the weekly meeting out of respect for him and members attended the rites in a body, serving as honorary pallbearers with members of the Double 6 Club of Carbondale.
Rev. M.F. Traylor of Davenport, Iowa, a former pastor of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of which the deceased was a trustee, gave the eulogy. He recalled the devotion of the deceased to his church and to the improvement of the community.
“He left a legacy of peace and understanding,” Rev. Traylor said. “His light will never go out if you permit its reflection to shine upon you.”
Rev. Raymond Davis, pastor of Paul’s Chapel Baptist Church said Jones was a symbol to others and “left monuments on the streets of Marion.”
Rev. Everett Lynch, pastor of the Zion United Church of Christ, said Jones’ death left a void in the community and in our hearts.
Tribute was also paid the life and work of the deceased by Rev. Robert L. Buchanan, Bethel pastor, who had charge of the rites and by Rev. Will Thomas and Rev. J.W. Hogg of Marion and Rev. Joe Thomas of Harrisburg. Rev. Will Thomas offered prayer and Rev. Joe Thomas sang a solo.
Rev. Buchanan read the scripture and Mrs. Russell Duncan read the obituary.
Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery. Pallbearers were Charles Arnett, Titus Jones, Alonzo Crim, Tony Castellano, Bill Young and David King.
Honorary pall bearers included John Whitman, Don Ridgley, Dr. W.E. Williams, Gordon Lambert, Rue Starr, Jim Garrison, Paul Smothers, Homer Butler, Bob Gulley, Raymond McCormick, Raymond Allen, Owen Cox, A.L. Fowler, Carl Stafford, John K. Miller, O.L. Norris, Bill Bainbridge, Eugene Morrison, Bob Bradley and Charles Boatright.
Flower girls were members of the Spousette and Elite Clubs of Carbondale and Emma Greeway, Dorothy Carter, Sarah Adams and Ruth Barnett.
Before Jones’ death he had obtained title to land in the Gent addition in order to establish a city park for the black community. He was able to get old buildings on the land torn down and burned off. The two acre park, dedicated in June, 1969, now exists as John W. Jones Park, located at 501 W. Gent Street, due to his efforts and hard work.
Jones’ wife, Ethel (Garrett) Jones passed away on July 23, 1991 and was buried next to Willie in Maplewood Cemetery.
(Extracted from the Marion Daily Republican, August 1968; Southern Illinoisan articles, 1960’s; Federal Census Records; Marion City Directories; Marion City Cemetery Records; compiled by Sam Lattuca on 01/30/2014)