The history of the Elmira prison camp is unique in one striking particular.  The last sad rites paid to those Confederate soldiers who died in prison were performed by one who was born a slave. History does not record anything to challenge the assertion that at no prison, North or South, were the dead so reverently cared for, or a more perfect record kept, and all this by a former slave. It seems eminently fitting that the life History of this noble man should  find a place in this volume,( Forgotten stories of the Finger Lakes.) that his good deeds may be preserved to posterity, and the relatives and friends of the Confederate dead have the opportunity of thinking kindly of one regarded  in the earlier days as a “chattel” but whose heart beat just as true and loyal as that of any man under the sun. John W. Jones was born the slave of the Elzy family at Leesburg, London  Co Va. June 22, 1817. The family was very wealthy, owning a large estate and many slaves. His mother was born in slavery, and his father was sold away before his birth, and he never saw him. Miss Sally Elzy the mistress was kind old spinster, who never allowed her slaves to be abused. John was the pet of his mistress during his boyhood and remembered with pleasure that she never gave him a cross word. His life on the Virginia plantation was  as happy as it could have been anywhere in bondage. He was employed  about the house and  garden until twelve years of age, when he was sent into the fields  to work  with the men. Nothing ever done for him in the way of education, that being contrary to the spirit of the institution of slavery. One day while the boy sat listening to the stories of his grandmother, a flock of geese flying northward attracted his attention and ’granny” told him that far beyond the hills over which the geese were flying lay a northern country, where all were free. This gave him his first thought of freedom. As time went on the boy often dreamed of the North. The overseer was kind and the slaves apparently happy. Circumstances came to his aid and assisted him in forming his resolve to escape. Miss Elzy, who was growing old, gave up the personal management of the estate and land out to other parties those of the slaves who were able to work. It became evident to John that his mistress would soon die an d at her death he would fall into the hands of the heirs whom he disliked. The fear of this fate impelled him to plan an early escape. He told his mother of his plans to take his tow half brothers and try to escape. She consented. One Saturday night in June 1844 he told his mother he was going to a party and asker her to get his best cloths ready. So as if going to the party, he bade her goodbye and saw her for the last time. At ten o’clock the fugitives, five in number composed of John his tow half brother, an tow men from an adjoining estate began their flight. They were supplied with one change of clothing and food for four days. Each was well armed with a pistol and knife. John wore in his belt the best carving knife of Miss Elzy, the only thing he had ever taken from her. He had a small sum of money, earned by nigh work on an adjoining plantation. Morning found them eighteen miles away. They hid in an old barn during the day and proceed again at night. Finally when they reached Maryland they grew bolder and traveled in the daytime. In those days there were many men who made a business of capturing runaway slaves and holding them for reward. At a crossroads in Maryland they came upon three of these men, who attempted to arrest them, but the fugitives drew their revolvers and drove the slave catchers away. The
Next day a lame man, on a lam horse, passed them and excited their suspicion by dismounting at intervals and keeping just ahead of them They had not gone far when they saw a dozen horsemen on a hill several miles in advance. They immediately started for a mountain near by, and were well up the side of it when the horsemen reached its base. The men held a parley and evidently decided not to attempt following them on foot, and gave up the chase.
From this time, enduring hardships and trials of various kinds, suffering fro food often, they finally reached south creek and made their way to the farm of Dr. Nathaniel Smith, where they crawled into the haymow of his immense barn and went to sleep, more dead than alive. For nearly a week they remained there. In the meantime Mrs. smith discovered them, sympathizing wit them in their flight for liberty, cooked food and took it to them morning and night. Thus the escape slaves were brought back to health and vigor. This good woman was the mother of the late Hon. H. Boardman Smith, Justice of the Supreme Court one of nature’s truest noblemen. The author leaned to know and love him in the early sixties. When as a member of his Sunday school class, he listened to the t words of truth and wisdom, which he gave his class every Sabbath morning. After having been fed and rested, the fugitives started out very early one day and reached Elmira at seven O’clock on the morning of July 5, 1844. John had $1.46 in his pocket. He earned fifty cents that day splitting wood for Mrs. Culp, the daughter of Col. John Hendy, a pioneer in this valley. Surmising his history she came out to the woodpile and as John worked she told him the story of their early privations. None of the five were ever molested after reaching Elmira. John was 27 years old and without education. He secured odd jobs here and there but with the ambitious characteristic of the better grade of the colored race, he was anxious to learn.  There were two schools in Elmira at that time, to which he sought entrance, one kept by Hugh Ridle on Lake Street, the other by Francis Ferry on church St. There was much prejudice in those days against the colored race, and both teachers declined to receive him, giving ass an excuse the lack of room. He assured the teacher that he did not want much room and urged Mr. Riddle to let him come in and bringing his own chair and sit in the corner, but his appeal was in vain.
Not long after he met the late Judge Ariel S Thurston. After some conversation during which the Judge recognized the young man’s latent ability, he asked him why he did not learn to read and write. John replied that he would like to but nobody would teach him.  The judge’s sympathy and interest were aroused and he finally proposed to John that he should come into his family, take care of the seminary building on Main Street where Miss Clara Thurston conducted a young ladies’ school and go to school through the winter. Although doubtful of admission.  John entered upon the service as janitor and was brought to Mr. Riddle’s notice again. This time he had an influential ally and was more graciously received. Mr.. Riddle was a boarder in Mr. Thurston’s family, and consented to take John as a pupil. When he appeared at the school the teacher looked around and finally seated him next to a young boy of 14 named Loop. This lad took kindly to his seatmate and gave him every assistance in his power, and indeed said Mr. Jones years after, in telling about it. “I might say I went to school to him for he was the real teacher who took pains and taught me to read and write.” That one winter comprised his only school experience as John had his living to earn and could afford no more time, however much he desired book learning. In 1847 he was appointed sexton of the First Baptist Church. Soon after he was made assistant to Sexton Whittlesey who had charge of the Main St. or Baptist cemetery and the 2nd St. Cemetery, the only ones in existence at that date. Upon the death of Sexton Whittlesey some years later, Mr. Jones succeeded him as Sexton in charge. Soon after he became sexton of the church he purchased the yellow house which stood on the present vacant lot just east of the new church. Before building the present edifice it was found necessary to have more land on the East Side, so the church purchased the property and Mr. Jones bought a sixteen acres farm on college Ave. just outside the city limits where he spent the remaining years of his life.

About the year 1850 the “Underground Railroad” was organized by William Still and others. John Jones at once became an active agent. Elmira was the only regular agency between Philadelphia and St. Catherine's, Canada. The yellow house next to the church played an important part in the work of this society between 1850 and the breaking out of the war. The society had its headquarters in Philadelphia, with Mr. Still in charge. Many wealthy men were associated together and supplied the money, which Mr. Still distributed judiciously to the refugees to help them on their way. He started them with funds sufficient to reach Elmira where they sought out John Jones.   They came usually in parties of six to ten but so rapidly that at one time the old yellow house sheltered and concealed thirty men, women and children on the same night. The work was done so quietly that no one ever knew positively that is was going on. Many citizens suspected it but none ever molested or interfered with him in his effort to help the suffering creatures. Often they were entirely penniless when they arrived, and money had to be obtained to send them on their way. A few loyal men, chief among them being Rev. Thomas K Beecher, Jervis langdon, James M. Robinson, William Yates, and Riggs Watrous, were ever ready to respond to frequent calls for contributions to replenish their empty purses.
During the nine years of his active operations in this line over 800 fugitive slaves was care for, not one of who was ever captured, so far as he knew.  From a party of these refugees from Leesburg, John learned of the death of his mother and Mistress Elzy.
In 1872 a book titled “The Underground Railroad” was published written by William Still and on page 630 will be found a letter written by John Jones to Mr. Still dated June 6,1860, which publicly establishes his connection with the society. While Elmira was the only published station between the two points, every small town on the line had a shelter which was known to the agents and the refugees were furnished with route maps and names. The last stopping place south of Elmira was Alba, Pa. where the home of Charles G Manley was always open to them.
Routes throughout the Finger Lakes Regions
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