Born in Barren county, Ky., November 18, 1820, and removed with his parents to Burlington, Iowa, October, 23, 1834. His father, however, had previously resided for some years in Morgan county, Illinois, being among the earliest settlers in that part of the State. In Illinois Geo. W. attended such country schools as were then maintained in that new country. He, however, graduated at a log school house located in what is now the city of Burlington. From 1839 to 1843 he was in the grocery business in Mt. Pleasant. He then located on a farm in Mahaska county, and also brought there a stock of goods. That was before the county was organized, or the boundaries denned. Before the county seat was located at Oskaloosa he opened a store there in a log cabin, with his brother John W. Jones, afterward State treasurer, as his partner. They were the pioneer merchants of Mahaska county, and remained at Oskaloosa until 1855. Mr. Jones then removed to Indianola, where he was in the dry goods and banking business. In 1864 he removed to Des Moines, and established the Second National Bank, of which he was cashier. He was also for a time engaged in mercantile business in Des Moines, and afterward in real estate. In 1869 he was elected by the Republicans a member of the Thirteenth General Assembly, and served in the house as a Representative of Polk county. There are but few now living in Iowa whose residence dates back as early as 1834.