By Russ Russell
Russ Russell Commercial Real Estate
and Longtime South Huntsville Resident
Ray Jones of Jones Valley was a multi-talented man, hard working with many ventures, dedicated to his Lord Jesus Christ and to his church, a Rotarian, great leadership, family man, gave back to our community and higher education but Ray Jones would tell you he was a farmer.
In 1886, George Walter Jones, known as G.W. founded the civil engineering that bore his name. In 1890 G.W. married Elvalena Moore, and they had five sons and one daughter.
In 1939, sons Edwin and Carl purchased the 2,500-acre Garth Farm along with 26 tenant houses.Garth Road crosses Jones Farm from Four Mile Post Road to Drake Avenue. Ray told me the Garth’s purchased this land from the Drake’s. Ray also told me they that the intersection of Whitesburg Drive and Four Mile Post Road was four miles from the Courthouse and yes, it did have a post at the northeast corner.
After WWII they raised cattle and producing seed (Certified Ky-31 Fescue).
In the ‘50s & ‘60s Carl also was a partner of G.W. Jones & Sons did engineering projects, was a community leader bringing industries to Huntsville. One of his engineering projects is the design of the Huntsville International Airport field, which is named for him.
Raymond (Ray) Bryant Jones was the son of the late Betty and Carl T Jones. Ray graduated from Auburn University and was an avid Auburn fan. He served in the military and then returned to Huntsville in 1957 to manage the farm. When his father died in 1967, he became President of their local engineering firm. He ran and expanded the family’s farming, real estate and engineering businesses for over 35 years.
Ray Jones served on the Lipscomb University Board of Trustees, where he played a pivotal role in the founding of the Raymond B. Jones College of Engineering. Most recently, on April 14th of this year, UAH broke ground on the new 80,000 sq.ft., Raymond B. Jones Engineering Building. He also served on the UAH Foundation Board and as the president of the Huntsville Rotary Club. Ray Jones wrote three books and the one he signed for me is The Farm in Jones Valley.
I met Ray on his farm one morning and we hopped in his truck and he drove me all over the farm pulling up close, pointing to new born calves, telling stories about each part of the farm, the tenant farmers and then back at the barn showing me the branding iron the family had used for decades.
Ray died last year after an ATV accident on his farm land near Paint Rock in Jackson County. He was 87. I picked up a printed memorial at Ray’s funeral and it read: A Life Well Lived
Jones Farm remains one of the largest working urban farms in America and one of its most beautiful. Please remember to enjoy the beauty of the farm more often, people who see it for the first time, sure do.
South Huntsville Neighbors 