Francis W. Jones

Francis W. "Frank" Jones Birth: 8 Apr 1859 Davenport, Iowa Death: 7 Nov 1925 Chicago, Cook, Illinois Burial: 10 Nov 1925 Oakwoods Cemetery Chicago, Cook County, Illinois son of George A. Jones & Mary Perry

F. W. Jones is Dead - East Sid Cottager

Francis W. Jones a Chicago millionaire, died suddenly last Sunday of diabetes and pneumonia.

Mr. Jones as the owner of the "Melba" cottage on the east side of Lake Maxinkuckee, was well known here.

He was president of the Melba comapany, manufacturer of a brand of toilet articles, a concern which he built up from a small begining. - Citizen - 11 Nov. 1925 Melba comapany
Melba Manufacturing Company. Established by Frances W. Jones at 4237 Indiana Ave, Chicago in 1908

The Melba Manufacturing Company was, like many early cosmetic companies established i n the early years of the 20th century, the product of the vision of just one person. In this case it was a plain Iowa farm boy with the plain name of Francis W Jones.

Born in 1859 Jones moved to Chicago as a young man and joined the Chicago, Milwaukee and St Paul Railroad. It was during this time that, somehow or another, he imagined making toilet goods and selling them to department stores through a team of dedicated demonstrators. Eventually, in 1893, he teamed up with an unnamed German chemist and formed the German Oil & Chemical Company based in Bowen Avenue, Chicago.

The two devised what would become the ‘Melba’ formula in the period 1905-06 although, when in 1916 Jones eventually decided to trademark the ‘Melba’ name, he claimed that it had actually been in use since 1893. It was not until 1912 that the company would become known as the Melba Manufacturing Company and Jones bought out his partner.

The origin of the name ‘Melba’ came from the great Australian soprano, Dame Nellie Melba who adopted this stage name in honor of the Australian city of Melbourne

The company was a huge success and headquarters moved to New York. By June 1925 business had expanded so much that the company’s small New York office on the eighth floor of 509 Fifth Avenue was replaced by the entire third floor in the same building. The new office was finished in the corporate colors of lavender and gold with Louis XIV period furniture. Pictures of ‘Melba’ girls decorated the walls and the company would have had every expectation that its success would continue, but, tragically and unexpectedly a few months later, in November, Francis Jones died.

The company was acquired by V Vivaudou Inc in December of 1926. In this new, combined, company Melba, now renamed ‘Parfumerie Melba Inc’.

married 19 Sep 1885 Cook county Illinois Brema M. Coons Birth: abt 1878 Indiana Death: 5 May 1924 Chicago, Cook, Illinois Burial Date: 8 May 1924 Oakwoods Cemetery Chicago, Cook County, Illinois daughter of Henry Coons

Mrs. F. W. Jones Dead

Former Indianapolis woman to be buried in Chicago

Indianapolis friends have received word of the sudden death of Mrs. Francis W. Jones, formerly of Indianapolis, at her home in Chicago.

Memorial services will be held Thursday in Chicago.

Mrs. Jones, whose husband is presiding general manager of the Melba Manufacturing Company Chicago, formerly was Miss Brema Cooms.

Mrs. and Mrs. Jones had been members of the Indiana summer colony at Lake Maxinkuckee for years. May 7 1924 Indianapolis Times

Year: 1860; Census Place: Hickory Grove, Scott, Iowa; Roll: M653_340;
 Page: 609; Family History Library Film: 803340
Name:	Francis Jones
Age:	2
Birth Year:	abt 1858
Gender:	Male
Birth Place:	Iowa
Home in 1860:	Hickory Grove, Scott, Iowa
Post Office:	Churchville
Dwelling Number:	356
Family Number:	361
Household Members:	
Name	Age
Harvey P Jones	35
Irena Jones	28
Isabel Jones	8
George Jones	5
Francis Jones	2
Uriah Robinson	25

Year: 1870; Census Place: Davenport Ward 6, Scott, Iowa; 
Roll: M593_418; Page: 367A; Family History Library Film: 545917
Name:	Francis Jones
Age in 1870:	12
Birth Year:	abt 1858
Birthplace:	Iowa
Dwelling Number:	158
Home in 1870:	Davenport Ward 6, Scott, Iowa
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Attended School:	Y
Household Members:	
Name	Age
Harvey Jones	44
Irena Jones	32
Isabell Jones	12
George Jones	15
Francis Jones	12
William Jones	7

Year: 1880; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; 
Roll: 184; Page: 6C; Enumeration District: 001
Name:	Frank Jones
Age:	21
Birth Date:	Abt 1859
Birthplace:	Iowa
Home in 1880:	Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA
Street:	Randolph St Driggs House Bont Dspf Guest
House Number:	85
Dwelling Number:	69
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Marital status:	Single
Father's Birthplace:	New York
Mother's Birthplace:	New York
Occupation:	Bookkeeper
Neighbors:	View others on page

Cook County, Illinois, Marriages Index, 1871-1920 
Name:	Francis W. Jones
Age:	25
Gender:	Male
Birth Year:	abt 1860
Marriage Type:	Marriage
Marriage Date:	19 Sep 1885
Marriage Place:	Cook, Illinois
Spouse Name:	Brema M. Coons
Spouse Age:	18
Spouse Gender:	Female
FHL Film Number:	1030149

Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 32, Cook, Illinois; Page: 11; 
Enumeration District: 1000; FHL microfilm: 1240285
Name:	Francis W Jones
Age:	40
Birth Date:	Apr 1860
Birthplace:	Iowa
Home in 1900:	Chicago Ward 32, Cook, Illinois
Ward of City:	32nd
Street:	Bowen Avenue
House Number:	346
Sheet Number:	11
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation:	102
Family Number:	259
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital status:	Married
Spouse's name:	Brema Jones
Marriage Year:	1886
Father's name:	George A Jones
Father's Birthplace:	New York
Mother's Birthplace:	Pennsylvania
Occupation:	Agent RR
Months Not Employed:	0
Can Read:	Yes
Can Write:	Yes
Can Speak English:	Yes
House Owned or Rented:	R
Farm or House:	H
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	
Name	Age
Francis W Jones	40
Brema Jones	31
George A Jones	66

Year: 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 6, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_245; Page: 9B;
 Enumeration District: 0315; FHL microfilm: 1374258
Name:	Frances N Jones [Frances M Jones]  [Francis W Jones] 
Age in 1910:	53
Birth Year:	abt 1857
[abt 1860] 
Birthplace:	Iowa
Home in 1910:	Chicago Ward 6, Cook, Illinois
Street:	Pravin Avenue
House Number:	4234
Race:	White
Gender:	Male
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Marital status:	Married
Spouse's name:	Brenia M Jones
Father's name:	George A Jones
Father's Birthplace:	New York
Mother's name:	Mary E Jones
Mother's Birthplace:	Delaware
Native Tongue:	English
Occupation:	Clerk
Industry:	Railroad
Employer, Employee or Other:	Wage Earner
Home Owned or Rented:	Own
Home Free or Mortgaged:	Free
Farm or House:	House
Able to Read:	Yes
Able to Write:	Yes
Years Married:	25
Out of Work:	N
Number of weeks out of work:	0
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	
Name	Age
Frances N Jones	53
Brenia M Jones	41
Mary E Jones	68
George A Jones	76

Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 
Name:	Brema M. Jones [Brema M. Coons] 
Birth Date:	abt 1878
Birth Place:	Indiana
Death Date:	5 May 1924
Death Place:	Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Burial Date:	8 May 1924
Cemetery Name:	Oakwoods
Death Age:	46
Occupation:	Housewife
Race:	White
Marital status:	M
Gender:	Female
Street address:	843 Drexel Square
Father Name:	Henry Coons
Mother Birth Place:	Indiana
Spouse Name:	Francis W. Jones
FHL Film Number:	1877528

Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 
Name:	Francis W. Jones
Birth Date:	8 Apr 1859
Birth Place:	Davenport, Iowa
Death Date:	7 Nov 1925
Death Place:	Chicago, Cook, Illinois
Burial Date:	10 Nov 1925
Cemetery Name:	Oakwoods
Death Age:	66
Occupation:	President
Race:	White
Marital status:	W
Gender:	Male
Street address:	843 Drexol Square
Father Name:	George A. Jones
Father Birth Place:	Rochester, New York
Mother Name:	Mary Perry
Mother Birth Place:	Brandywine, Delaware
Spouse Name:	Brema
FHL Film Number:	1877728