Holy Toledo: Religion and Politics in the Life of "Golden Rule" Jones

by Marnie Jones

Overview

"Do unto others as ye would have them do unto you" are the words upon which Samuel M. Jones, self-made millionaire and mayor of Toledo, Ohio (1897-1904) organized his life, business, and political career.

Unlike most progressive reformers, Jones was in a position to initiate real change. His factory workers shared in the profits and took advantage of day-care facilities for their children. As mayor, he was a nationally revered public figure who supported municipal ownership of utilities, ended the practice of jailing the homeless, and made available free legal counsel to those who needed it.

Marnie Jones relies upon a rich collection of unpublished documents to tell the compelling story of the only man in America to have run a city on the principles of the Sermon on the Mount.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813120621
Publisher:	University Press of Kentucky
Publication date:	06/24/1998
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Marnie Jones is associate professor of English and director of the honors program at the University of North Florida.

Editorial Reviews

An important book, will-researched and objectively written.

Ohioana History

Jones has combined insights gleaned from a careful study of the literature relating to the influence of religion, self-identity, and social class on the leaders of the turn of the century progressive movement to produce a fascinating biography of Samuel 'Golden Rule' Jones, mayor of Toledo from 1897 to 1904 and an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Ohio in 1899.

The Midwest Quarterly

Contributes to understanding how Protestant ideals have at times motivated individual public actors.

Indiana Magazine of History

The first scholar to plumb the inner workings of the tortured soul of one of America's premiere social reform mayors.

Melvin G. Holli

The man she presents was a conflict-ridden individual who was confounded by interlaced feelings of shame and guilt that were rooted in his Welsh evangelicalism.

Michigan Historical Review

A splendid biography depicting a divided and troubled man.

Choice

"Contributes to understanding how Protestant ideals have at times motivated individual public actors." — Indiana Magazine of History

"The first scholar to plumb the inner workings of the tortured soul of one of America's premiere social reform mayors." — Melvin G. Holli

"The man she presents was a conflict-ridden individual who was confounded by interlaced feelings of shame and guilt that were rooted in his Welsh evangelicalism." — Michigan Historical Review

"An important book, will-researched and objectively written." — Ohioana History

"Jones has combined insights gleaned from a careful study of the literature relating to the influence of religion, self-identity, and social class on the leaders of the turn of the century progressive movement to produce a fascinating biography of Samuel 'Golden Rule' Jones, mayor of Toledo from 1897 to 1904 and an unsuccessful candidate for Governor of Ohio in 1899." — The Midwest Quarterly

"A splendid biography depicting a divided and troubled man." — Choice

"The first scholar to plumb the inner workings of the tortured soul of one of America's premiere social reform mayors." — Melvin G. Holli, University of Illinois at Chicago

From the Publisher

A biography of Samuel M. Jones, a self-made millionaire and mayor of Toledo, Ohio, at the turn of the century, who ran his factories and the city along Christian democratic principles. As mayor, Jones supported municipal ownership of utilities, ended the practice of jailing the homeless, and made available free legal counsel. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

Booknews