05/08/2026
𝐒𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐘: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐌𝐚𝐧 𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐂𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐬 𝐂𝐢𝐭𝐲
In the spring of 1908, an ambitious thirty-five-year-old named Jess L. Hontz arrived in Gas City. The gas boom days had settled, but the town still held promise—and Hontz was drawn by opportunity.
He partnered with local businessmen, including O. Gordon, to establish the Gas City Mercantile Company. Inside its doors were dry goods and ready-to-wear clothing. For four years, Hontz managed the operation with steady discipline and an eye for quality that caught the attention of local leaders.
𝐀 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩
When Mayor Barney Sullivan resigned, Hontz stepped into leadership, serving as mayor for about six months. His time in office was brief, but it revealed something about him—he wasn’t afraid to step forward when needed.
Still, the road called.
He left Gas City, traveling through places like Monticello and even as far as Oklahoma. For three years, he searched—perhaps for opportunity, perhaps for something less tangible. But in the end, the answer was simple. Gas City was home.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐫
In 1916, Hontz returned and planted roots more firmly this time. On the corner of Second and Main Streets, he opened his own store: a men’s furnishings and clothing shop that became a fixture of the community.
People didn’t just shop there—they trusted it.
Inside, you could find men’s and boy’s clothes, tailored suits, polished shoes, work clothes, custom caps —and the quiet assurance that you were being taken care of by someone who believed in his town. For nearly two decades, the store stood as a symbol of stability and pride.
By 1934, Hontz closed the shop and transitioned into a new role, managing the insurance department at Twin City State Bank. Even then, he remained woven into the fabric of Gas City life.
𝐀 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐚 𝐕𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧
When Hontz passed away in 1956, he left behind more than memories—he left a vision. His bequest to the city was substantial, ($19,000 in 1956 is equivalent to $230,660 in 2026). Hontz’s intention was clear: he wanted Gas City to have a hospital. He understood the importance of healthcare access and hoped to give his community something lasting and vital.
At the time, Mayor Robert Ray and city officials carefully evaluated the possibility. But reality intervened. The cost of building and sustaining a modern hospital—staffing, equipment, regulations—far exceeded what the donation could support.
It was a difficult decision. Let the money sit unused, or find another way to honor his legacy?
For nearly fifteen years the money had stayed in a trust until Mayor Eugene “Beaner” Linn chose to make it his mission that the people would benefit from Hontz’s generosity.
𝐀 𝐃𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲
In 1969, under Linn’s leadership, bank officials and the Gas City Park Board chose to act. Eager to begin what is now a beautiful park, they were successful in their attempt to get a court to release the hospital money in order to build a community building. Instead of a hospital, they built something they could sustain—a place where the community could gather, celebrate, and support one another. And they named it in his honor: 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐳 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥.
Located in Gas City Park, the building opened in the early 1970s and became a living extension of Hontz’s generosity. It was immediately utilized as a community senior cafe and gathering center for Gas City —and Jonesboro residents alike. Over the years this beautiful hall has hosted weddings, reunions, craft bazaars, community meals, and countless moments of connection.
It may not have been the hospital he envisioned—but it fulfilled the deeper purpose behind his gift: serving people.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐜𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐥𝐞
Decades later, the healthcare dream Hontz once imagined would finally take shape in a different form. The opening of Marion Health East brought modern medical care closer to the Gas City community. Not directly from his funds—but undeniably part of the same story of growth and care for the region.
𝐀 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬
Jess L. Hontz’s life wasn’t defined by a single role. While he had no wife or children when he died, Gas City was his family. He was a merchant, a mayor, a traveler, and ultimately, a giver. But more than that, he was a man who believed in a small Indiana town enough to leave it better than he found it.
And today, every gathering inside Hontz Hall—every laugh, every handshake, every shared meal—is a quiet echo of that belief.
𝐷𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑎 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑒𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑡 𝐻𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑧 𝐻𝑎𝑙𝑙? 𝑊𝑒’𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑡𝑜 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑖𝑡—𝑠ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 👇
