James Addison Jones

James Addison Jones, (20 August 1869 - 25 May 1950) was the founder of J.A. Jones Construction, as well as being a known philanthropist for many organizations such as the Methodist Church, the city of Charlotte, North Carolina and surrounding areas, regional hospitals, and several other companies. He was the benefactor and namesake for the James Addison Jones Library at Greensboro College and the J.A. Jones Library at Brevard College. His company was also responsible for the assistance of the building of the Liberty fleet during World War II. Jones was married four times in his lifetime and had fifteen children.

James Addison Jones was born in Farmer, North Carolina on August 20, 1869 to Robert B. Jones and Elizabeth Horney Jones (21 August 1839 - 15 June 1872). Jones had multiple siblings in descending order: John, William, Sherman and Emma.

Jones was only able to attend school a few months out of the year at a local one room country school as his duties were on the family farm. It is reported that he did not receive any formal education past the fourth grade. He left home when he was eighteen year old with no money and no formal skill to rely on.

In Lexington, North Carolina, Jones, got his first job from Mr. Cecil, a contractor building the first cotton mill in Charlotte, NC, who hired him to drive a wagon, transporting machine to make bricks Jim was paid twenty-five cents a day with room and board in the construction camp to make bricks. He eventually became the mason’s tender then promoted to apprentice mason.

Jones was married four times, losing his first three wives to illness and survived by his final wife. He had fifteen children born to him between three of his wives. Five of his children died before Jones. Twice, he was left alone with infant children, having to hire the assistance or either a nurse or a live in housekeeper.

Jones remained an active man until the last few months of his life. He had medical troubles with colds and influenza in the winter of 1949-1950 which left him in a slightly weakened state. He also suffered from a mild stroke that winter. He continued to go into the office up until the last three days of his life. He died of a cerebral hemorrhage at 7:46 p.m. on 20 May 1950 at the age of 80.

Jones, a self-taught man, rose those his mason apprenticeship quickly and became a general contractor after his first jobs as a mason. The first building Jones would building was the "dining-car job" which was an addition to the Southern Railway Station. There were many roadblocks to their success as a flood ruined their original wall and Jones only had four workers. He personally helped his workers rebuild the wall, creating a motto that would last his entire career "Finish the Job."

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