John W. Jones Museum set to unveil new statue June 22

ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM) – The John W. Jones House was built in the 1860’s and now more than a century and a half later, it’s set to make even more history.

“This is truly historic. we’re changing the visual landscape of Elmira,” said President of the John W. Jones Board of Trustees Talima Aaron.

What is now tarps, boards and piles of dirt will soon be a statue in honor of John W. Jones.

“This is going to honor the legacy of John W. Jones and that legacy is that of dignity, compassion, of courage. We’re planning on doing an unveiling a public unveiling. So, the community’s invited on June 22 and that will be followed by a program at the Clemens Center with performances by local artists and dance troupes. It is going to be a free program and we want the community to come out. It is going to be family friendly,” said Aaron.

John W. Jones Museum holds fundraiser, Hilfiger attends

Community members can buy commemorative bricks to be a part of the history forever.

“We will be selling granite bricks for $150, $156 if you pay by Paypal. But, you can be a part of this history, it is a limited number. The bricks will be laid on the path leading up to the statue,” said Aaron. Details on how to order the bricks will be released in the coming weeks.

Hidden History: The story of John Jones

Jones escaped slavery in 1844 and is best known for his contributions to the Underground Railroad and Woodlawn National Cemetery.

“He impacted history in two significant ways. One, he was the station master of the Underground Railroad and then at the end of the Civil War, Elmira received the designation as a national cemetery and that’s because John Jones was the sexton and kept such great records. So, John Jones was responsible for burying the confederate dead. For nine years prior to the Civil War, John Jones was the central figure in the Underground Railroad. He helped 860 individuals reach freedom,” said Aaron.

The museum was founded in 1998 and is inside Jones’ original home.

“This is actually his original home, but he had another home prior. So, this is his second home. The house has a history in itself because this house was moved twice. So, originally his farm (16 acres) and this house was on College Ave. It was moved in the fifties to Woodlawn. It wound up falling out of the hands of the family because there’s no known descendants and changed hands several times. Became a rental, fell into disrepair and was condemned until Lucy Brown (the founder) saved it,” said Aaron.

The museum will reopen in May. It will be open Tuesday-Saturday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is free to visit. Donations are appreciated.

The museum will also host its 5th annual fundraiser on September 9, 2024.

For more information on the museum, click here.

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