Trail Blazers - a new book about the beginnings of the Katy Trail and the work of Ted and Pat Jones

Magnificent Missouri has released Trail Blazers, a new book about Ted and Pat Jones and their work in establishing the Katy Trail. All proceeds from Trail Blazers support Magnificent Missouri and will be used for conservation along the Katy Trail. More about the new book:

A Fortune 500 financial-services firm, the nation’s longest bike path, a 700-acre prairie, and the state park at the confluence of America’s two greatest rivers all have something in common: the story of two families, those of Ted and Pat Jones.  The new book, Trail Blazers: The Free-Spirited and Extraordinary Lives of Ted and Pat Jones, takes readers on their journey and explores their singular approaches to business, conservation and life.

 

Trail Blazers, published by Magnificent Missouri, was released on Monday, April 18.

 

This book is about two people who could have done anything or lived anywhere.  Although one of them had a name that would become synonymous with a business that touched the lives of millions of investors across North America, for them, accumulating money was not the objective.  They chose preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of Missouri for future generations as their primary passion.  In the process, they created one of the country’s finest examples of ecological restoration at Prairie Fork Conservation Area and a trail, the Katy, that brings visitors from around the world to Missouri.

 

Pat Jones was one of the first women to graduate from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a degree in agriculture and could whisper horses, dogs, and anyone who wanted to learn about the natural world.  Ted was a farmer at heart.  He took his father’s traditional St. Louis brokerage firm, founded in 1922, and created a strategy to grow it into a company that would change millions of lives by expanding opportunities for investors and their families.

 

Ted and Pat lived simply and ignored convention. What they cared about was creating places where visitors —people they would never know—could experience the rich nature of Missouri and enjoy its peaceful countryside.   Pat Jones liked to say, “We didn’t have any children, so we just adopted the State.” 

 

 

Trail Blazers, a double biography, will inspire readers and lift their spirits.  It blazes a trail through Ted and Pat's unconventional approach to life, the genius behind Ted’s business success, and their shared passion for conservation and love of the land.   Readers will find themselves wondering what they can do to follow in the many paths blazed by Ted and Pat!

 

Copies of Trail Blazers are available at MagnificentMissouri.org

 

More About Trail Blazers

 

Former United States Attorney General John Ashcroft worked with Ted and Pat on the creation of the Katy Trail during his tenure as Missouri Governor in the 1980s and Former Governor Jay Nixon helped expand the Trail during his time in office — both were interviewed for Trail Blazers.  

 

“During my privilege of serving as Missouri’s governor, I hoped that our efforts would have a lasting impact. The Katy Trail was a chance to show the world Missouri’s history and natural landscape, and though the fight was not easy, Ted and Pat Jones never gave up. Millions have experienced the Katy now, but I will never forget that blustery opening day in Rocheport in 1990!” said John D. Ashcroft, former United States Attorney General.

 

“Ted and Pat wanted everyone to experience the beauty of the Missouri countryside. The Katy Trail and Confluence Point State Parks and Prairie Fork and Young Conservation Areas give visitors from around the world a perspective possible because of these two visionaries. My family and I have hiked, biked, and explored all of these places during the past 30 years, and we are grateful to Ted and Pat on every outing,” said Jay Nixon, former Governor of Missouri.

 

Penny Pennington, who today serves as Managing Partner of Edward Jones, the position formerly held by Ted Jones, reflected on the business that he created and the impact they continue to have on Edward Jones today. 

 

“This is a story of two people, both bold and no-nonsense, who lived true to themselves. I often heard Pat talk about her love for the land and her determination to share it with others, especially children," Pennington said. "We see the legacy of her work every day in our commitments to conservation and sustainability. I never knew Ted, but I work at the firm he created, and the principles he pioneered have proven extraordinarily resilient. I think he’d be thrilled to see the way our firm continues to be purpose-led as we create opportunity and make a positive impact in the lives of our clients, colleagues and communities.”

About Magnificent Missouri

Magnificent Missouri (a 501c3) was created in 2012, inspired by the work of Ted and Pat Jones in conservation and their role in the creation of the Katy Trail.  Magnificent Missouri’s mission is to conserve and enhance the corridor along the Katy Trail and in the Missouri River Valley west of St. Louis.  MagnificentMissouri.org

About the Author, Jeannette Cooperman

A staff writer at St. Louis Magazine for 12 years, she received the Writer of the Year award at the 2019 City & Regional Magazine Awards.  Author of five other books, Cooperman is a member of the St. Louis Media Hall of Fame, and her work for The Common Reader, a journal of the essay based at Washington University, was cited in The Best American Essays 2021.

 

She needed every bit of her c.v.—a Ph.D. in American studies, a degree in philosophy, years as an award-winning investigative reporter—to dig into the details, and the essence, of Ted’s and Pat’s shared life.

The story of Ted and Pat Jones truly is a remarkable one - and one that needed to be told. We had the opportunity to get to know Pat Jones in our work at MoBikeFed.  She was truly a remarkable individual, still formidable both in public and in her private life.

Even into her last year of life, Pat spent hours operating a large mowing machine - which required a special-built ramp so that she could mount and dismount - and greeting visiting schoolchildren at the Jones' farm in Williamsburg.  The Jones farm is now known as Prairie Fork Conservation Area, thanks to Pat's generous bequest.

One of the top goals of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri is building a world-class bicycle and pedestrian transportation system in Missouri.  Champions like Ted and Pat Jones were among the early forerunners of that ambitious goal - they envisioned statewide trail connections giving everyone in the state convenient access to safe places to walk, hike, bicycle, and explore nature.

Your membership and generous financial contributions help turn our Vision into reality--building the statewide public support for bicycling, walking, and trails that make major advances like the Rock Island Trail possible.