Charles Gasham "Gristmill" Jones (November 3, 1856 – March 29, 1911) was an American urban developer and politician in the U.S. state of

Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...

. Jones was responsible for bringing electrical power to downtown Oklahoma City and developing a railroad line between Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and Oklahoma City. The town of

Jones, Oklahoma Jones is a town in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma. It is named after Charles G. Jones, a three-time mayor of Oklahoma City. The population was 2,692 at the time of the 2010 census. History Early history Jones was plotted as a townsite on April 22, ...

, is named for him.

Early life

Jones was born in

Greenup, Illinois Greenup is a village in Cumberland County, Illinois, United States, along the Embarras River. The population was 1,513 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Charleston– Mattoon Micropolitan Statistical Area. Greenup received its name fro ...

, on November 3, 1856, and arrived in

Oklahoma Territory The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as th ...

in 1889.Aaron Bachhofer II.
Jones, Charles Gasham (1856-1911)
," ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.] Accessed July 27, 2013)

Career

Urban development

After arriving in Oklahoma Territory, Jones organized the construction of a canal to bring electrical power to downtown Oklahoma City and constructed the first flour mill in Oklahoma Territory. In 1895, Jones and Henry Overholser organized the St. Louis and Oklahoma City Railroad Company and, in 1898, constructed a line from Sapulpa to Oklahoma City. The town of

, was named for Charles G. Jones and was platted by a friend, Luther F. Aldrich, in 1898.Hedglen, Thomas L
Jones
, ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'' (accessed July 27, 2013) Jones owned a farmstead in the town, which is today listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The post office for the town of

Elgin, Oklahoma Elgin is a city in northeastern Comanche County, Oklahoma, Comanche County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,156 at the 2010 census, a 78 percent increase from 1,210 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Lawton, Oklahoma Lawton met ...

was originally named "Ceegee, Oklahoma" using Charles G. Jones initials, when it was established in April 1902. However, after Post Office management intervened in August 1902, the name was changed to Elgin. The statehood movement had begun and Jones served as chair of the Single Statehood Executive Committee that first met in 1903 and lobbied for three years for the successful passage of the Oklahoma Enabling Act, which created the state of Oklahoma.Wilson, Linda D. "Statehood Movement", ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''
(accessed July 27, 2013)

Political career

A Republican, Jones was elected to the 1st, 5th and 6th Oklahoma Territorial Legislatures, representing

Oklahoma County Oklahoma County is located in the central part of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2010 census, the population was 718,633, making it the most populous county in Oklahoma. The county seat is Oklahoma City, the state capital and largest ci ...

, served two terms as the mayor of Oklahoma City in 1896 and 1897 and 1901 to 1903 and was elected to the 2nd Oklahoma State Legislature.Bachofer II, Aaron. "Jones, Charles Gasham (1856-1911)" ''Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture''.
Accessed April 16, 2018.

Death

Charles Jones died of a stomach hemorrhage on March 29, 1911, at his homestead in Jones, Oklahoma.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Charles G. 1856 births 1911 deaths People from Greenup, Illinois Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Mayors of Oklahoma City 19th-century American politicians