Elbert P. Jones, the man, the myth, the legend

As stated in another blog, I was fascinated with the grave monument of Elbert P. Jones, which stands erect at Magnolia Cemetery. So I decided to dig into who Jones was, and why create such a grand monument for him?

The grand monument of Elbert P. Jones in Magnolia
Cemetery.

So here's the basic facts. Elbert P. Jones was born  in Kentucky on September 23, 1814, and died in Charleston South Carolina, on April 1, 1852. What happened between those two dates? Well it stated on the grand monument that he lived in San Francisco .It is stated in Patrick Harwood's book "In the Arms of Angels Magnolia Cemetery: Charleston's treasure of history, mystery, and artistry", he states that "Jones saw America from coast-to-coast during his 37- year life". 

Which is true, Jones was well known as a thriving business man. In 1846, Jones moved from Kentucky to San Francisco during the exciting time of the Gold Rush. Jones saw opportunity, and took it, like any successful business men. He held several positions around the city such as, a lawyer, business owner, property owner, newspaper editor, and a town council member (25). Out of all these important roles, one that he is well known for owning the city's first hotel, the Portsmouth House.

As the owner of Portsmouth House, Jones also has a street in San Francisco named after him (25). It can also be viewed on OAC (Online Archive California) that there is a collection of papers, under Jones' name. These papers are range from letters to deeds, property improvements, and documents submitted to they city council. Overall, the documents fill up two boxes, and one oversize folder. Jones also owned a store and a warehouse on Washington street (OAC).

A closer look at the description on Jones' monument

Jones had a wife named Sarah Kittleman, and together they moved east, to Charleston. Even though Jones died a year later, his monument is just as grand as the life he lived. The sculptor of Jones's monument is a Philadelphia marble Edwin Gerble and the architect was Francis D. Lee. The grand monument only costed around 6,500, but today it cost 300,000.

The work of this monument is really impressive. It was one of the first in Magnolia monuments to be erected. It even caught the attention in the " 1857's Harper's New Monthly Magazine article about Charleston" (25). The monument is a visual tribute of the widow Kittleman, as she dedicated to Jones.

I picked this monument because it has meaning. Although many grave sites have meaning, this one is personal. It not only shows the personal view of Sarah, but also a Christian stand point as well. There are angels on every side of the monument, each showing a different view of how God is there to help us through death. Overall, this monument is one the greats in Magnolia Cemetery