P.T. Barnum who founded the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus was known as the “Greatest Showman.” But a Tioga County man, founded and managed the  John J. Jones Exposition, one of the first to use steel railroad cars and one of the largest of its kind, exceeded in size only by Barnum and Bailey. In operation for over 50 years through the continental United States and Canada, the show reached a total of 50 steel cars carrying 100 wagons during its heyday in the 1920s. [1A]

Born June 08, 1874, Jones was a native of Arnot, in Tioga County. He was the son of Welsh immigrants, working alongside his father in the local coal mines from the age of ten.[1] He graduated to hawking newspapers first on the streets and then aboard the Pennsylvania Railroad passenger train, where he also sold sandwiches, cigars, and sundries. Dubois, Pennsylvania historianMajoor Israel McCreight recalled: “After the arrival of the 1 o'clock train Johnny J. Jones could be heard yelling at the top of his voice, "Pittsburgh, Gazette; all about the big fire.” [2]

Jones wed Etta Louise "Hody" Hurd in 1920 and fathered a son, Johnny J. Jones Jr. (1921) [3] In his mid-40s at the time, he would not have long with his family. Jones had developed an alcohol problem in his youth, and in the mid-1920s was hospitalized for alcoholism. The impact on his health was profound. He died of kidney failure at the age of 56 on Christmas Day in 1930. [4]

Jones entered the carnival business in 1895 with his purchase of a cane rack booth at a local fairground and opened his first small traveling fair in 1899.[5] Localized to Western Pennsylvania, The Johnny J. Jones Ferris Wheel Company featured a miniature railroad and Ferris wheel among its entertainments.[6] Jones's carnival evolved to become the "Johnny J. Jones Exposition Shows & Trained Wild Animal Exhibition" in 1906 when he added a circus, and he began touring regionally through the Eastern United States and Canada.[7] In 1916, he expanded into the west.[8]

His fame grew along with his program; in 1917, he was featured on the covers of Billboard and Optimist magazines. Jones had a reputation for running a clean operation, suitable for children.[9] By 1928, Jones had two traveling carnivals. He combined these into the second-largest traveling show in America, the 50-car, 100-wagon exhibition coming in behind Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.[9]

According to Dr. Beckwith "Johnny was always proud of his hometown. For years, the side of his train cars and his show wagons were lettered: "From the Capital of the World, DuBois, Pennsylvania" [10]

In 1929, Jones made the national press again when he paid $2,000 to fly a female gorilla from France into the United States. Susie the Gorilla was not only the only female gorilla in the United States at the time, but the first gorilla in the world to be trained. Her twice-daily performances featured her eating with a knife and fork. Susie was featured in the Johnny J. Jones Exposition and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus before permanently relocating to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens in 1931 [11][12]

The Billboard touted itself as “The Dominant Note in Theatrical Journalism.” The September 08, 1917, edition carried a photo of Jones on its cover.  He was featured in a Frontispiece on page 27 of the magazine:

“Much has been said about the Johnny J. Jones Exposition Shows. Much good has been said about them, we might add. They are a splendid aggregation of attractions, away above the average. and are justly entitled to the mention that has been made of them.

But what about the man who is responsible for this institution, originated and operated, to amuse the public? What of Johnny J. Jones? Johnny Jones’ meteoric rise from obscurity to affluence reads like one of Horatio Alger’s novels. He began life in the coal mines, and his first position, which was not at all lucrative, was as a news butcher on railroad trains, in which capacity he was engaged during the term of his residence in Williamsport, Pa.

His Johnny Jones Shows are known throughout the entire nation as a classy, refined combination of attractions, and the fact that he was a pioneer in eliminating the objectionable features from outdoor amusements, together with his square dealing methods, has contributed largely to his remarkable success.”

Following his death in 1930, his family continued the show without him, Hody Hurd Jones managing the Exposition until 1950, [13] with the help (aside from a military stint in World War 11 of the couple's son. {14} It could not be sustained forever and closed with a final show in DuBois, Pennsylvania. In 1951, the IRS sold its equipment to satisfy tax debt. {15}

Like many circus entertainers, Jones made his winter home in Florida. He is buried at Greenwood Cemetery, Orlando, Orange County, Florida.