JESSE H. JONES, financier, banker, lumberman and city builder, is probably the outstanding citizen of Texas today. In Texas his name has been linked with an unusual amount of building activities. In Houston he has erected most of the major office buildings, but his operations in this field extends to Dallas, Fort Worth and New York. He is president of the National Bank of Commerce, and the Bankers Mortgage Company, two of the strong financial institutions of Houston. His interests extends to railroads, hotels, lumber and other enterprises of importance. Although his many business responsibilities are exacting of his time, yet he has not overlooked his duties as a citizen, and has taken a keen interest in civic, political and social affairs. He takes a live interest in good government, and stands high in the national council of the democratic party, which he has served in important capacities. Early in 1926, he was selected to head the centennial celebration of the liberation of Texas from Mexico. While this was a great honor as well as a recognition of the unusual executive ability of the recipient, yet it carries with it a gigantic task which no other than a patriotic Texan would accept.

The following biographical information concerning Mr. Jones was secured from the "History of Houston" published in 1912. He was born April 5th, 1874, in Robertson County, Tennessee, son of William H., and Ann (Holman) Jones. William H. Jones was a successful farmer and tobacco exporter. The Jones and Holman families were honored and respected citizens of Tennessee. At the age of twenty years, Jesse H. Jones left his father's farm, where his boyhood days were spent, and came to Texas, residing four years in Dallas, where he worked in his uncle's lumber yard. After the death of his uncle, M. T. Jones, he came to Houston and assumed the management of the M. T. Jones Lumber Company, which he operated successfully, and which was closed up in 1906. Since that time he has devoted his attention principally to the operation of real estate, building, lumber and banking. He is a member of various social and commercial clubs and organizations in Houston and New York and his church affiliation is Methodist.

Space allotted herein is insufficient to cover the subject, to which a complete volume could be easily devoted. Suffice it to say that Jesse H. Jones has won a lasting place in the hearts of his fellow citizens, as well as in the history of his adopted state.