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On Track of F.A. Jones

  • forum 29 replies
  • last reply by Padj 23 Apr 2014
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    Moderator
    20 Apr 2014, 6:10 p.m.
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    Thanks, Thomas. I must tell you (and others) that your chapter in the Jones book (F.A. Jones --His Life, Legacy and Watches) is an incredible example of in-depth historical research. I marvel as I read and reread it.

    One picky-picky point...on page 60 of the English language edition you wrote that he filed for bankruptcy in Dayton, Ohio. I believe it was in the Southern District of New York and Robert A. B. Dayton was the "assignee". That's not the clerk or judge, but rather like a "trustee" appointed by the court --usually a lawyer in private practice whose task is to collect the assets, liquidate them and satisfy creditors according to their bankruptcy preferences.

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    Connoisseur
    20 Apr 2014, 6:56 p.m.
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    You are probably right, Michael.

    When writing the book we had only the July 27, 1878 announcement saying Jones filed his voluntarily bankruptcy petition "before the Register Dayton". So the conclusion was ita register located in Dayton. Your finding from 1881 results in the conclusion Dayton is the name of the administrator in Jones' bankruptcy procedure and the venue was not Dayton, Ohio, but New York.

    The older you get, the more you learn ...

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    Master
    20 Apr 2014, 9:15 p.m.
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    Michael, will you be able to post a link to the article here once it is finished?

    Cheers,

    Jarrod

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    Connoisseur
    20 Apr 2014, 11:41 p.m.
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    Michael: what about the passport being dated 1869, as Ralph pointed out. Is there significance in that, as to the founding of IWC?

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    Master
    21 Apr 2014, 12:26 a.m.
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    Connoisseur
    21 Apr 2014, 1:07 a.m.
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    The suggestion is Jones left Switzerland some time in 1868 after starting up IWC, and then was returning to Switzerland in early 1869, yes?

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    Master
    21 Apr 2014, 1:47 a.m.
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    We know FA Jones was in America on 16 January 1869 from the passport application and he didn't leave before 2 February 1869, as his US patent #86411 is signed by him,

    www.gregsteer.net/IWC/Patents/Early_US/US86411A.pdf

    His other patents are signed by his attorney, presumeably because he was in Switzerland.

    He may have initally travelled without a passport and found it more convienient to have one, or MF's document may indicate his first journey.

    I once spent time examining the shipping registers to see if I could trace his movements but could never establish if the passenger was "our" FA Jones.

    www.gregsteer.net/IWC/I_Images/NYT_18781118.jpg

    Cheers from the cellar

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    Moderator
    21 Apr 2014, 2:11 a.m.
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    Jarrod --sure.

    I'll finish my draft tomorrow, but then it needs to go to IWC for editing and layout. That hopefully should take about a week.

    The article is part of a larger project to add even more substance to the forum and website, especially given the discontinuance of articles in WATCH International. There'll be more about that later. :)

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    Moderator
    21 Apr 2014, 2:33 a.m.
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    Greg --I'm 99.9% sure your list doesn't reflect "our" F.A. Jones. He didn't marry until 1882, four years' after your document (I found his marriage record, showing that it was a first marriage for both parties). I also suspect that "Miss Jones" following your names was a child, and it's documented he was childless.

    Also, about his 1869 passport application --there also was an 1867 one, as shown here:

    www.iwcforum.com/Articles/JonesPassport1867.jpg

    As best I can tell, he never left the United States after he returned from Switzerland in 1876. It would be highly unusual to travel without a passport.

    By the way, I also have documents showing that he was a Free Mason.

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    Master
    21 Apr 2014, 2:45 a.m.
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    Michael,

    FA Jones in the document shown is listed seperately from Mr and Mrs Jones, Miss Jones.

    Cheers from the cellar

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    Connoisseur
    21 Apr 2014, 10:14 a.m.
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    There is another passport application dating from 1867.

    Presumably F.A. Jones in 1867 visited the World Exhibition in Paris and toured through Switzerland as such tours were offered to people from the watchmaking business.

    Maybe he developed or started to realize his plan for his own venture on that 1867 journey.

    Regards

    Thomas

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    Master
    21 Apr 2014, 10:39 a.m.
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    WOW!

    How you only could find all this other needle in a haystack.

    Congratulation

    Ralph

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    Connoisseur
    23 Apr 2014, 3:35 p.m.
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    This has been terrific. It's like a true detective story being fleshed out before our eyes. Great thread!