George grew up on a farm just near of North Bay, Oneida County, New York. He learned his trade helping build canal boats for the Erie Canal. After his service in the Civil War in April of 1865 his first financial venture was the purchase of a 15 acre tract just outside the village of North Bay where he lived for some years. Two of his boys were born in this area. His farm was traded in on a mill property and he conducted a general business of merchandising Mill feed, flour, sawing lumber, making cider and processing vinegar, besides grinding feed for the farmer in the area. There was some unusual warm weather in January and February of 1879 after a heavy snow fall which caused a terrible freshet that took out the mill dam. After weeks of fruitless efforts trying to repair it he finally planned to try his fortune in the opening of the west. On March 3, 1879 (there is some question on this date) George and his eldest son started for the distant Dakota Territories. It was known to them only by name. He was going to develop a farm that a Dakota townsman, Peter Flanagan, a Catholic in religion, a merchant, and Postmaster had purchased. On April 7 1879 Mrs Janes, son Arza and daughter Mary left North Bay for the prairies of Dakota. They moved into a claim shanty, which in every sense of the word was a shanty. It was 14 feet square set on eight stones and had to serve as general living room, sleeping quarters, kitchen, dining room and an occasional play house. It was pioneering because there was no well from which water could be had so water for the house was drawn in a barrel from the James River, set in a lumber wagon and hauled about 5 miles to the house. Mrs Janes saved the water she used to rinse the dishes in to wash the dishes the next time. The only fuel was twisted prairie grass or hay. The first year the house was sodded on the outside which added a little to the warmth. It was so cold in the winter that kerosine froze in the lamps. It was in this shanty in January 1880 that the last child, Pearl Earl Thorpe, of the family arrived. By some hook or crock Mrs Janes had saved $10.00 for the expense of this episode. One cold January morning George Jr. and Arza were told to take the team of bays and the lumber wagon and drive 12 to 15 miles to an old Russian German midwife's to get the medical aid that would be needed. The timidity and bashfulness made it difficult for the Germans to find out what two pale faced boys were wanting of the midwife. But she suddenly guessed what was needed and hitched her horses to the buggy and put off at a great rate leaving the boys to come on more slowly for travel in a lumber wagon was not very easy or swift. As the family prospered the shanty was abandoned and George built a new big square house about a half mile away from the shanty. This was known for years as the Janes' Home or the Janes' Place. It is 5 miles east of Parkston.