 | Dr. Heber Jones Born: 1848 Died: ? |
Dr. Heber Jones is best remembered today for lending his name to Heber Springs, Arkansas, but he was also a hero of the yellow fever epidemics.
Dr. Jones was born on September 11, 1848 to the Hon. John T. Jones and Carrie McEwen Jones. Jones grew up in Arkansas, the fourth son of a privileged family. Almost entirely educated by tutors he studied under his father during the Civil War, then attended the Nottingham Academy prior to beginning his secondary studies at the University of Virginia, graduating with a medical degree in 1869.
As esteemed as the University of Virginia was in the field of medicine, Dr. Jones chose to go to Europe, studying in Paris, Berlin, Vienna and London for three years. In 1872 Dr. Jones located his practice in Memphis and a year later married Valerie Wooten of Holly Springs. Valerie was throughout their lives a great help to him and he never tired of praising her publicly.
During the late 1870s Heber Jones stayed in Memphis despite the obvious dangers. He followed his conscience in this, if not necessarily all endeavors. Along the way Dr. Jones “discovered“ the “healing properties“ of mineral springs located on his father's land. This parcel of land did indeed have mineral springs, but their properties were greatly exaggerated in a manner that is obviously intentional. It worked however and land that was purchased for approximately $1,500 was sold Max and Sally Frauenthal of Memphis for $10,000, a profit of over 600%.
The town of Sugar Loaf near the springs was renamed “Heber Springs“ in 1909 to further identify with the springs themselves which became a profitable enterprise attracting hopeful patients from many miles away.
Dr. Jones was much respected during his life. On the next page following you may read an account of Dr. Jones by one of his contemporaries.
 | From Goodspeed: Dr. Heber Jones, physician of Memphis, Tenn., is a native of Phillips County, Ark., born November 11, 1848, and is one of a family of six children born to the union of John T. and S. E. (McEwen) Jones. The father was born in Virginia in 1813, and educated at the University of Virginia. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in early manhood. In 1833 he moved to Arkansas, where he has since resided. |
Soon after moving to the State was elected circuit court judge and held that honorable position until the war. Since that event he has been engaged in farming. He is a man widely known and a much respected citizen. The mother was a native of Nashville, Tenn. Our subject received his early education at home under a private tutor previous to the war.. He afterward attended the "Nottingham Academy" at Somerville, Tenn.,. and then completed his literary course at the University of Virginia. In 1869 he graduated from the medical department of the same institution and then spent three years in the study of medicine in the hospitals of London and on the European Continent. In 1872 the Doctor came to Memphis, where he has since been engaged in the practice of his chosen profession. In 1873 he married Valeria Wooten, a native of Holly Springs and the daughter of John W. and Mary Wooten.