Contra Costa County
Biographies
HON. JOSEPH P. JONES
Judge of the Superior Court of Contra Costa County, was born January 27, 1844, in Owen County, Indiana. His father, Silas W. R. Jones, is a native of Kentucky, and when a young man moved with his parents to the above named county. There he married Elizabeth Allen, who was born and raised in that State, her parents having settled there from Ohio. In 1853, when the subject of this sketch was nine years old, his parents moved to Marion County, Oregon, where he attended the common schools and received a thorough training at Willamette University, where he graduated as Artium Baccalaureus in the class of 1864. The following year he returned to his native State and studied law at the State University of Bloomington, graduating in 1867. Coming again to the coast and making a short sojourn in Oregon, he located among the mines in the northern part of this State and resided there until December, 1869.
In that year he came to Martinez, Contra Costa County, where he entered upon the practice of his profession and in many ways has been identified with the history of this section for more than twenty years. Upon the election of Hiram Mills to the post of District Attorney, Mr. Jones was appointed deputy in the office, and continued as such until the fall of 1875, when he was elected, on the Republican ticket, to the office of District Attorney. This office he held until March, 1878. After a lapse of three years, Judge Jones entered the political arena, and in the fall of 1880 was elected to the Assembly, and served as a member of the general and special session of the Legislature of 1881, during which time he was a member of the Judiciary Committee, and chairman of the Committee on Federal Relations. He continued the practice of law in partnership with Hiram Mills, a lawyer of great ability and one of the oldest members of the bar in Contra Costa County, up to the time of his election to the bench. In November, 1886, Mr. Jones was elected Judge of the Superior Court of Contra Costa County, to fill the unexpired term of the late Judge Thomas A. Brown, taking his seat in December, that year; and this position he now holds. Judge Jones has the reputation of being careful and thorough, firm and dignified, sociable and courteous, strict but not sycophantic. He is a progressive citizen, liberal and enterprising.
He was married in Martinez, February 2, 1870 to Jennie Frazer, a native of Oregon, and he has now four children living, namely: Madison R., Thomas Rodney, Carl Richards and Jennie Pearl.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
pp 492-493
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
MATTHEW ROOT BARBER
fruit-raiser near Martinez and an old and respected pioneer of the county, was born August 7, 1815, in Delaware County, Ohio, son of Joseph Barber, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Clara, daughter of Rev. Daniel Kent, of Benson, Vermont. When he was two years old his parents moved to Bond County, Illinois, where they were engaged in farming and stock-raising. Losing both his parents when young, he was taken by the family of Hon. Elam Brown, of Morgan County, Illinois, to bring up. He obtained the usual common-school education and at the age of twenty-one started out in the world for himself. He followed farming and wagon-making until March 15, 1849, when he joined a train for the Golden State. After a weary journey of six months, he stopped at Hangtown and followed mining in that vicinity for a short time; then he engaged in the redwood lumber trade near San Antonio, then in Contra Costa County. He wrote tickets at the residence of Hon. Elam Brown for the election of delegates to form a State Constitution; also wrote tickets for the election of the first county officers. The county then included also Alameda County. After that he followed the carpenter’s trade, building several of the first houses in Martinez, some of which are still standing. On February 14, 1851, he returned to Illinois by way of the Isthmus and New Orleans, and brought overland his family and a drove of cattle, arriving at Martinez August 22, 1852. During the ensuing fall he purchased his present beautiful place, then consisting of unbroken hills and plains with no improvements, two miles from Martinez. Upon his fine farm he now raises a variety of excellent fruit, including grapes, which alone occupy an area of fifty acres. Mr. Barber was elected to the office of Public Administrator for four successive terms, as shown by the records. His marriage to Miss Orpha Bean, of Pike County, Illinois, took place November 14, 1837, and their children are: Maria B., born December 30, 1838, is now Mrs. Lander, of Martinez; William H., born February 8, 1841, deceased; Daniel N., born August 5, 1843, deceased; Elam B., born June 13, 1847; and Clara E., born January 29, 1849, is deceased. Her first husband was Hon. George W. Bailey, of Martinez, and her second husband was Judge James E. Goodall, of Bodie, California.
Memorial & Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis Publishing Co., 1891
pp 495
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler