Dr. P.L. Jones- a name that means different things to different people.

Dr. Preston Lunt Jones was born in Cedar City, Utah in 1904, passing away a year after he quit drilling on people, which was in 1976. After obtaining his Dentist license, he began his practice in Nephi, Utah at age 24. He didn't spend all of his time pulling teeth, but eyed a local Belle-Helen Bailey, and it didn't take a shot gun or pulling teeth to get them legally braced together. Their kids are Dr. Nelson L. Jones, who became a Dentist as well, and practiced in Nephi after doing his time in the military. Another son was Howard Jones and a daughter-Mrs. Richard(Ruth Eleanor) Frederick. The first photo is the stairs going up to the office of Dr. P.L. Jones from the 1920's to 1976. As you look through the window you can see the heavy secured stair handle, as going up the stairs to the torture chamber was scary. The old chair where he did the drilling is still in the building, and we are trying to talk the building owners in to bring it out on Halloween to scare us old folks to smeereenes. Dr. P.L. Jones was more that just a Dentist for everybody in Juab County. He is considered the "Father of the annual Ute Stampede" of Nephi fame, putting it together in 1935 in conjunction with the Blackhawk Pow Wow that was being held anyway. He was a leader and shaker in organizing a lot of volunteers to keep that great rodeo tradition going. In addition, he was elected Nephi Mayor in 1940, following a four year term as a City Councilman. He served two terms as Mayor before an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Congress. In 1948, he was re-elected as Mayor to two more terms. He was active in other civic duties, then 22 years on the LDS Juab Stake High Council, then a Temple worker. On occasion, I came to know a different type of Dr. P.L. Jones, when he heard that a local young man was going in the military or on an LDS Mission, he would secretly tear their bill up, and those who knew kept it quiet as well. After forty two years, I think it is time to let the cat out of the bag, and admit he was a dang good human being all the way around, but it did feel like a dungeon in that upstairs room and photo number two will show the bars on the windows. They were there not to prevent a break-in, but a break out! Helen Jones kept a beautiful home and taught a young Jones gal the proper way to dust and vacuum, and that local-Jaynette, keeps her home the same way.