What began as a collection of articles about Robert and Neal together has expanded to honor the entire family. This page brings together the stories, photographs, and history of William and Geraldine Jones, and their daughters Betty Ann and Geraldine—providing the vital context of a home, a neighborhood, and a family deeply intertwined with the history of Los Gatos.

The Early Years

1918-06-26 - William and Geraldine Get Married

This newspaper clipping from the Los Gatos Mail News June 27th, 1918, describes William and Geraldine getting married the day prior.

1919-10-25 - Betty Ann born

Robert and Neal's older sister, Betty Ann, was born.

1921-11-17 - Billy Jones' father dies - Seldin Jones

Robert and Neal's paternal grandfather died less than two months before Robert was born.  Neal shares his middle name with his paternal grandfather.  The quality of this scan is a bit difficult to read, so I'll do my best to transcribe:

"The funeral service for Seldin Jones of Paso Robles was held at the Los Gatos cemetery at 3 o'clock Saturday.  Mr. Jones, who is one of the early pioneers, was born in Wisconsin on May 30, 1849.  He came across the plains with his parents who drove an ox team, when he was but ten years of age.  They settled at Pescadero but most of his life has been spent in Santa Cruz county.  He was one of the early settlers at Boulder Creek where he was engineer of a saw mill.  Mr. Jones was one of the old ox team drivers and had much to do in clearing the land around the Big Basin.  Later in life he became a flag man for the Southern Pacific and was stationed at Paso Robles where he met his death while on duty Wednesday, November 2 by being struck by an automobile.  Mr. Jones was strong and rugged and with a cheery disposition which gained him many friends.  He is mourned by his widow, Mrs. Emma Jones, and two sons Wm. Jones of Paso Robles, recently of Los Gatos, and George Jones of Vancouver, Wash.  A service was held at Paso Robles and the remains brought to the Melvin funeral parlors."

1924-11-05 - Mrs William Jones entertains the Jolly Stitchers Club

Mrs. Jones was active in a lot of social groups over the years; while in San Luis Obispo, she was a member of the "Jolly Stitchers Club".   When she hosted this gathering at the Jones family home in November 1924, Betty Ann would have been about 5 years old, Robert 2.5 years old, and Neal just about 6 months old.

1925-01-20 - Jones family moving to Los Gatos

The newspaper in San Luis Obispo announced the Jones family's move to Los Gatos.

1925-02-05 - Moving from San Luis Obispo back to Los Gatos

This Los Gatos newspaper article, published on Robert's 3rd birthday and three days shy of Neal's 1st birthday, announced the Jones family move to the Daves Ave ranch (note "Daves" is misspelled in the article).  As an aside, I looked up "Lobdell Ranch" and found an August 13, 1881 article in the Los Gatos News stating that "Mr. F. Lobdell is building himself a pretty English-cottage-style house on the corner of Daves Avenue and the county road" - perhaps one of the old buildings the Jones family tore down to make room for their modern bungalow.

1925-09-21 - Geraldine born

Robert and Neal's younger sister was born about nine months after the family moved from San Luis Obispo to Los Gatos.  When she was born, older sister Betty Ann was a month shy of 6 years old , Robert was about 3.5 years old, and Neal was about 1.5 years old.  I couldn't locate a newspaper announcement of Geraldine's birth.

1926-07-22 - Sidelights On People and Places - a spotlight on the family

This is an amazing article which spotlights the Jones family and the Daves Ave ranch.  It includes mention of Mrs. Jones' brother, Wells McGrady, and her mom, "Grandma" Bradley.

1927 - Jones Siblings

There is no date associated with this photo, but it may have been taken around 1927, when the siblings would have been about these ages: from left to right, Robert 5, Neal 3, Geraldine 2, Betty Ann 8.

1928-12-06 - P.T.A Bazaar

This article shows Mrs. Jones' involvement in the Parent Teacher Association when the children were ages 3 to 9.  At the P.T.A. bazaar, the Fish Pond "Supervised by Mrs. William Jones. Plenty of fun here!"

1929-04-25 - Family returns from visiting relatives in LA

The family visited relatives in LA when the Jones kids were about 3 to 9 years old.  

1929-04-25 - Star Point drill and verse

Mrs. Jones was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star - in this article, she originated a "drill and verse" to honor the visiting District Deputy Grand Worthy Matron.

1929-05-16 - Mrs Jones and twin sister singing at Los Gatos Chapter of the Eastern Star meeting

At another Easter Star event, Mrs. Geraldine Jones and her twin sister, Mrs. Genevieve Case, sang two songs: "They are twin sisters, and their voices blend sweetly together".

1930 - Census

The Jones family is listed the lower half of this page from the 1930 census when they were ages: William 45, Geraldine 36, Betty Ann 10, Robert 8, Neal 6, Geraldine 4.   Wells McGrady, age 44, older brother of Mrs. Jones, is listed as a renter.  Mrs. Jones' mother, referenced in the 1926 article about the family, Grandma Alice Bradley, age 68 is listed as a head of household.  I'm not sure why, but Neal and younger sister Geraldine are listed under Grandma Bradley's household.   Other tidbits: my favorite part of the 1930 census, next to William it says "Radio Set: Yes".    Age at first marriage, William 33, Geraldine 24.   William: Occupation Engineer, Industry Locomotive.  Wells: Occupation Laborer, Industry Farm.  Grandma Bradley: Occupation Poultry-Man, Industry Poultry Farm.

1937-04-09 - Robert and Neal earn Merit Badges

Robert, age 15, and Neal, age 13, earned merit badges in First Aid, along with several other scouts who appear to be cousins based on their last names (Case and McGrady).

1937-07-02 - Neal and Bob at Boy Scout camp

Summer 1937, Robert, age 15, and Neal, age 13, spent two weeks at a Boy Scout camp in the Santa Cruz mountains.

1939 - Billy purchases the 2-Spot

For context, Billy Jones purchased the 2-Spot locomotive from a scrap yard in San Francisco sometime in 1939.  I wasn't able to find newspaper articles from that year mentioning it.

1939-01-13 - Mrs Jones General Chairman of P.T.A.

Mrs. Jones is general chairman of the P.T.A during Robert's junior year and Neal's freshman year at Los Gatos High School.

1939-02-10 - Mrs Jones District Deputy Grand Matron and soloist at Eastern Star

In 1939 Mrs. Jones herself is now the District Deputy Grand Matron of the Eastern Star.  Mrs. Jones "sang a song she had composed for the occasion"; about 200 members were present.

1940 - Census

The Jones family is listed at the bottom of the first page, and top two row of the second page in these schedules from the 1940 census.  Their ages at the time:  William 56, Geraldine 47, Elizabeth 20, Robert 18, Neal 16, Geraldine 14.   Other interesting takeaways: it shows William highest grade completed is high school, 1st year; Mrs. Jones, college, 4th year.  Resident on farm in 1935?  Yes.    For William, hours worked in the week prior to the census, 30 hours.    Occupation, Locomotive Engineer; Industry, Steam Railroad.  Weeks worked in 1939, 52.   Income, $3,050.

1940-02-09 - Robert and Neal celebrate 18th and 16th birthdays

In February of 1940, the Jones family celebrated Robert's 18th and  Neal's 16th birthdays.  In a telling sign of their interests, sister Geraldine made them birthday cakes with an airplane design!  This article also mentions that the week prior, Billy's birthday was celebrated, and among those in attendance was Raymond Fisher, who I am guessing is the namesake of the current Los Gatos middle school.

1940-08-16 - Town to Dedicate Pageant Bowl

The Town of Los Gatos dedicated its Pageant Bowl on August 16, 1940.  For several years events were held in this amphitheater, located behind the present-day Los Gatos Library.  In the far bottom right of this newspaper clipping, it says "A striking flag ceremony is being staged by Claude Smith and William Jones assisted by a group of Boy Scouts and six buglers directed by Marshall Dakneke.".  I assume that his is the same William Jones, and perhaps Robert and Neal were among the Boy Scouts, although I could be wrong.  Elsewhere on this page (not in this clipping) is an article that mentions Neal helping organize children's games - see the Neal page to view that article.

The War Years

1941-10-12 - Older Sister Betty Ann gets married

When older sister Betty Ann got married in 1941, Neal and younger sister Geraldine were present, but "unable to be present [was] the bride's brother Robert, who is with the Army air corps at Moffett Field".  We know from the October 17, 1941 article on Robert's page that he had just returned from a 13 day leave in Wyoming, so he was probably there at the time of the wedding. 

1942-08-13 Steaming up 2-Spot for the first time

Neal and sister Geraldine with Billy and the 2-Spot locomotive.  See caption below the photo for details.

1942-10-02 - Mrs. Jones On Rationing Board

I included the full front page to show the sign of the times - encouraging young America to "Go Scrapping For Your Country".  In the article "Local Rationing Board Enlarged as Duties Expand", it mentions that Mrs. Jones was added to the board.  "With the number of items that are to be rationed for civilian use [growing] continually, as more and more effort is devoted to prosecution of the war, it has been necessary to increase the number of members on the Los Gatos rationing board."  The original three members are now handling tires and all rubber rationing.  "Four others have been recommended by the Los Gatos OCD to the state office of the OPA for appointment on panels to handle food rationing and price ceilings, and for gasoline rationing to being about November 22nd.  They include Mrs D. T. Jenkins, Mrs. William Jones . . . "

1943-07-02 - Mr. and Mrs. William Jones Honored at 25th Anniversary Dinner

Four months before Robert was killed in Alaska, William and Geraldine celebrated their 25th anniversary.  Robert and Neal couldn't be there  due to their Army Air Corps service but sent "letters and gifts".

1943-10-16 - The Golden Spike Ceremony

In this article published Friday, October 22, 1943, it describes the Golden Spike Event from the prior Saturday.  It mentions that Mr. Jones "regretted that his two sons, who helped to get the railroad started, cound not be present.  Neal is an air cadet training at Ontario, and Bob is a flight officer stationed in the Aleutians".  Robert's accident took place 13 days after this article ran.

"A black and white photograph depicting the Wildcat Railroad's Golden Spike Ceremony.  Billy Jones, Geraldine Jones, and Louis McDermott are kneeling over the tracks, while Louis is holding a hammer over the spike.  There is a little girl standing next to Billy with her mouth open, and a crowd standing behind the group, looking down towards them. "

Caption and photo of Golden Spike ceremony above courtsey of the Billy Jones Family Collection, History Collection at the New Museum Los Gatos,  https://hub.catalogit.app/new-museum-los-gatos/folder/billy-jones-family-collection/entry/wildcat-railroad-golden-spike-ceremony

After The Loss Of Robert and Neal 

1945-06 - Los Gatos High School 1945 Wildcat Yearbook

The 1945 Wildcat yearbook honored Los Gatos High School graduates who were killed in World War II, including Robert and Neal.  Neal died in March, 1945, approximately three months before this yearbook was published.

1946-06 - Los Gatos High School 1946 Wildcat Yearbook

Robert and Neal were again honored in the 1946 yearbook.  The yearbook dedication that year was "to service men".  "Therefore, it seems most fitting at this time, that some tribute, small though it be, should be paid to those who fought and died so that we may always know the meaning of independence, peace, a free country and equality among men.  It is with this thought then that the staff would like this Wildcat to be dedicated to those who lost their lives so that there might be 'Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.'"

1946-06 - WWII Army Casualties: California

In June 1946 the government published the "World War II Honor List of Dead and Missing", listing casulaties by state and county.  Robert and Neal are listed side by side for Santa Clara, California.  Both of their deaths are classified as Died, Non Battle (DNB), reflecting their deaths in accidents, as opposed to Killed In Action (KIA).

1948-03-05 - Train Rides For War Memorial Are Popular

By the late 1940's, the Wildcat Railroad ran regularly in the Daves orchard.  Riding it was free, and donations were accepted for various charities.  In this March 5, 1948 article, the beneficiary was the "Los Gatos War Memorial and auditorium" building fund.  Although Robert and Neal aren't mentioned in the article, they were surely among those on the mind that weekend.

American Legion War Memorial Building

I was curious if the American Legion War Memorial Building was ever built, since I wasn't aware of one existing today.  Sure enough, they did, and I've been in it!  Below is an architect's drawing of the nearly completed building in September 1949, and below that, its dedication October 21, 1949.  Eventually the Town of Los Gatos purchased the building.  At one point it housed the library - it opened as the "War Memorial Library" on September 1, 1954.  Today it's home to the Los Gatos-Saratoga Community Education and Recreation department.

1948-12-03 - Brothers Returned Home for Interment

The remains of Robert and Neal were returned on San Francisco the first week of December, 1948, aboard the Army Transport Dalton Victory.  "The Graves Registration Service recovered the remains of more than 280,000 service members from all theaters of action following World War II. Of these, 171,752 returned to the continental United States via the “Return of the Dead Program.” This complex repatriation program came at an unprecedented financial cost, nearly $2 billion in 2019 currency, and relied on the labor of over 13,000 uniformed and civilian workers." from https://www.cem.va.gov/docs/wcag/history/WWII-Burial-Program-America.pdf

1949-01-14 - Mrs Jones presided at engagement tea party

On January 12, 1949, Robert and Neal were interred at Golden Gate National Cemetery.  Two days later, Mrs. Jones was one of three who "presided at the tea table" at this Kennedy Road home where an engagement was announced.  Younger sister Geraldine was present as well (aka Mrs. Robert Peters).  The juxtaposition of funeral followed by engagement tea party caught my attention.  What a difficult time it must have been for the family, mourning their sons and brothers.

1953-12-31 - Mrs. Jones passes away

Sadly, Mrs. Jones passed away of a heart attack, just over 10 years after Robert's death and 8 years after Neal's death.  The article states "Ironically, the Joneses built the railroad for two sons, Robert William and Neal Seldin.  Neither ever saw it operate.  Both lost their lives in the Air Force during World War II, one in the Philippines and the other in Alaska".  We know from the December 1943 article on the Neal page that he came home for Christmas that year, so he may have seen it operate then.

Find A Grave Memorial for Mrs. Geraldine Jones:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86839691/geraldine_carolyn-jones

1954-05-28 - Memorial Lamp dedicated at Presbyterian Church

The Los Gatos Presbbyterian Church dedicated lamps in memory of church members who lost their lives in World War II and the Korean War.  Note that the misspelling of Neal's middle initial as "C" instead of "S".

1968-01-11 - Billy Jones dies at age 83

Billy Jones passed away in 1968 at the age of 83.  At the bottom of the 2nd page is a reference to Robert and Neal.

Find A Grave Memorial for Billy Jones:

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/86839720/william-jones

1968-05-24 - Memorial Light re-dedicated at First United Presbyterian Church

The Memorial Light was moved to the sanctuary and re-dedicated in 1968; Robert and Neal's names are the end of the first paragraph.

Memorial Light Plaque

I reached out to the Presbyterian Church of Los Gatos to ask if there was any signage associated with the Memorial Light, and they kindly  sent back this photo:

2010-09-01 - Robert and Neal's sister Betty Ann passes away

Robert and Neal's older sister Betty Ann passed away at the age of 90 in 2010:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mercurynews/name/elizabeth-ermert-obituary?id=21383522

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75094567/elizabeth-ann-ermert

2018-07-02 - Robert and Neal's sister Geraldine passes away

Robert and Neal's younger sister Geraldine passed away at the age of 92 in 2018:

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mercurynews/name/geraldine-peters-obituary?id=8814694

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/192853081/geraldine_alice-peters

 I have "suggested edits" to the Find A Grave site to properly associate the Jones siblings with their parents on that website.