The name Jones was given for one of the settlers, Harve Jones, who at the time of organization was living on Four Mile Creek. Jones Township was formed 15 March 1856 when it was cut away from Union Township. Jones Township is bordered on the north by New Hope Township, on the west by Union, on the south by Pleasant Township and on the east by Clarke County.
The first settlers, Mormon families, in Union County came through this area in 1846, the same year Iowa became a state. They formed a settlement called Pisgah, giving the township of having the first white settlement in Union County. Some of them stayed until 1852 when they left to make the trek west to Salt Lake City Utah.
Coming from Putman County, Indiana were Joseph and Norman Nun with their families, James Stark from Mahaska County, Iowa and William Locke, a native of Massachuetts. They all arrived near the same time in the spring of 1850 and purchased claims and cabins at Pisgah from the Mormons, who were anxious to continue their journey to Utah. For several years after the arrival of these men, interest continued to center around Pisgah.
In 1851, the first post office in the county was established at Pisgah with William Lock as the postmaster. Among the settlers of 1854 was John D. Wright, surveyor and civil engineer. He was appointed Postmaster of Pisgah and moved the post office to his house in section 26. The township had several early post offices. In 1854 the town of West Union was plotted on section 22 with 136 lots and a public square. Several homes were built as well as a store and blacksmith shop. James M. Campbell was Postmaster there, but the town was vacated in 1863.
King or Kings Post Office is thought to be in a farmhouse in section in 22 established 27 February 1855 with James M Campbell as Postmaster. It was discontinued 11 June 1860. Patriot located on section 22 replace the King post office on 14 November 1861 with Horace Mintonye as Postmaster. It was discontinued 05 September 1866,
Petersville, situated on section 30, contained a mill, a store and post office as well as the home of two of the county judges, Nun and Lowe. There were several residences here and the first district court convened in Petersville in 1853. The town post office was established on 29 Feb 1856 with Abraham R Bowen as postmaster. It was discontinued 30 September1858. Alaska was another post office established 28 May 1868 in Jones Township on section 25 with John Reed as Postmaster but was moved to Thayer 19 February 1869.
The first school was built in 1856 near the center of section 9. It was a 20x30 feet frame building of entirely native lumber including the shingles. The lumber came from the Hugh’s and Reynold’s mill south of Hopeville. Samuel Riggs taught the first term of school and was paid $15 a month. The first bridge was built across Grand River in 1856 by volunteers. The county only furnished enough native lumber for the floor. This was located a quarter of a mile north and east of Talmage. The first railroad was the Burlington and Missouri Railway in 1868. The population of Jones Township contained mostly pioneers from Ohio and Illinois as well as Irish, German and Swedish nationalities. Information from 1908 Union County History by George A Ide.
Jones Township has eight cemeteries; Bethel Cemetery, Beulah Cemetery, Brown's Mountain Cemetery, Claypool Cemetery, Mt. Pisgah Cemetery, Thayer Catholic Cemetery, West Union Cemetery and Otterbein Cemetery also known as Buzzard's Roost Cemetery.
