Overview
Since 1940, the John George Jr. Trust has been a quiet force serving Jackson County. Staying true to its founder’s legacy of service and hope, the Trust promotes education and the alleviation of poverty through its college loan program and grants to charitable organizations in the community.
History
John George Jr. was a man who knew the value of hard work. His father came to America from Wales to work in the coal mines around Jackson, Michigan. John George Jr. joined his father at a young age and later worked in a brickyard, digging clay and "pitching" bricks.
The youthful experiences hardened John for the harsh shocks of a competitive world. His willpower drove him to see and take advantage of opportunities all around him. He carefully chose his place in the world in 1875 at the age of 17 when he went to work for the Jackson Daily Citizen.
In the course of a surprisingly short time, he skyrocketed from an apprentice to advertising manager. He went on from there to become a partner in the Jackson Daily Citizen and later was owner of the Jackson Morning Patriot. He traveled around the United States but found that Jackson was the place that he preferred most. Jackson was his home.
John returned to Jackson and later became editor and manager of the Citizen Press. In that capacity, he displayed more vividly than in any of his earlier opportunities those attributes that made for his great success.
As a newspaper editor, John George Jr. was a robust figure in the community. He fought for the news and for the advertising of the community with an energy that appalled his competitors. In 1918, the Citizen Press bought the Patriot and became the Citizen Patriot. Shortly after, John George Jr., then past the age of 60, retired from active direction of the paper, but he continued to be a striking figure in the Jackson community.
Since he had been forced to work in the mines when very young to help support his family, he did not go far in formal schooling. He continued with informal education all of his life and had the utmost respect for higher education. He also believed that "the Lord helps those who help themselves" and encouraged responsibility.
John George Jr. was convinced of the value of education: a conviction he held firmly in his mind. When he prepared his last will and testament, the great bulk of his large estate was dedicated to the encouragement of higher education among the youth of his home community, and the John George Jr. Student Loan Fund was established. The descendant of a humble Welsh coal miner is today making possible the educational and cultural advantages that he was denied.