Topics: J : Jones, Shirley

Shirley Mae Jones was born on March 31st 1934, in the small town of Charleroi, Pennsylvania. The only child of Paul and Marjorie Jones who named their daughter after Shirley Temple. At the age of three, the family moved to Smithton, Pa., another beautiful, small town only a few miles away.Smithton rests along the banks of the Youghiogheny River. Shirley's Grandfather, William B. Jones, founded the Jones Brewery in 1907 and her father and uncle helped run this establishment that is still in operation today. Shirley's grandfather also owned and operated The Jones Hotel. Shirley attended the local schools and at the age of six she was the youngest member of the Methodist Church Choir. She graduated from South Huntingdon High in 1952. Rodgers and Hammerstein gave her her start in show busness by hiring her to play the role of Laurey Williams in theirfirst wide screen motion picture adaptation of their hit musical OKLAHOMA!