Jones, Clifford Bartlett, 1885-1972

Businessman, ranch manager and college president. Born in 1885 in Rico, Colorado. Manager of the Spur Ranch in Dickens County, Texas, from 1913-1939. Instrumental in the establishment of Texas Technological College, served on the original Board of Directors, and was the third president of the college from 1939-1944. Member of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce and the Good Roads Movement. Active in land sales and colonization, banking and politics, and numerous social, historical and fraternal organizations. Died in 1972 in Lubbock, Texas.

From the description of Papers, 1836-1973, 1919-1972. (Texas Tech University). WorldCat record id: 24395907

Clifford Bartlett Jones was born in Rico, Colorado, in 1886 and came to Texas to work with his father on S. M. Swenson's Spur Ranch in 1907. Jones supervised the dispersal and sale of the ranch property from 1913 to 1939. He served as mayor and president of the Chamber of Commerce of Spur. In 1939 he became the third President of Texas Technological College and served in this position until resigning in 1944 due to poor health. Jones was a civic and business leader in West Texas.

From 1936-1939 he had also served as president and board chairman of the Spur Security Bank, in which he maintained controlling interest until 1962. He was also director of the Mercantile National Bank in Dallas and became director and chairman of the board of the Lubbock National Bank in 1944. Jones held numerous other administrative positions, including being director of the Southwestern Public Service Company, life insurance and motor companies, several railroad companies, and serving as the third president of the West Texas Chamber of Commerce and vice president of the Texas Highway Association. The football stadium at Texas Tech University was established through a trust fund set up by Jones and in 1947 the stadium was dedicated as Jones Stadium.

The Handbook of Texas has published a more in-depth online biography of Clifford B. Jones at http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/search.html

From the guide to the Clifford Bartlett Jones Papers, S 499. 1., 1814-1973 and undated, (Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University)