John William Jones (April 14, 1806 – April 27, 1871) was an American politician, planter, educator and physician. Born in Maryland and raised in Kentucky, Jones served one term in the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

representing

Georgia's 3rd congressional district Georgia's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Georgia. The district is currently represented by Republican Brian Jack. The district's boundaries have been redrawn following the 2010 census, which grant ...

, before resuming his careers as a planter and physician in Alabama as well as helped found two female seminaries before returning to Georgia. During the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, Jones accepted a commission as a surgeon in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

, and postwar taught medicine in Atlanta.

Early and family life

John William Jones was born on April 14, 1806, in Rockville,

Montgomery County, Maryland Montgomery County is the most populous County (United States), county in the U.S. state of Maryland. As of the 2020 United States census, the county's population was 1,062,061, increasing by 9.3% from 2010. The county seat is Rockville, Maryland ...

. His family moved west to

Nicholas County, Kentucky Nicholas County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,537. Its county seat is Carlisle, which is also the only incorporated community in the county. Founded in 1799, the county is named ...

in 1810. John attended school at Carlisle, the county seat, then moved to

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

to study at the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

(1830-1831). He graduated from the Jefferson Medical College (later,

Thomas Jefferson University Thomas Jefferson University is a Private university, private research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Established in its earliest form in 1824, the university officially combined with Philadelphia University in 2017. ...

), in 1836. In the 1850 census, his wife was Charlotte Jones and their eldest son, 19 year old John W. Jones Jr. was studying medicine. Their sons William, Newton and Leonidas and daughters Elizabeth, Tabitha and Louisa also lived in the household, as did 71 year old Winifred Rogers.1850 U.S. federal census for District 19, Chambers, Alabama, family 407 In 1859, he married widow Ann Belle Olive Vinson (1804-1880), sister of fellow Dr. Young Burt Olive; the couple had no children.

Career

Dr. Jones began practicing medicine in

Washington County, Tennessee Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 133,001. Its county seat is Jonesborough. The county's largest city and a regional educational, medical and commercial center is ...

in 1826. He later moved to

Monroe, Georgia Monroe is a city and the county seat of Walton County, Georgia, Walton County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. It is located both one hour east of Atlanta via U.S. Route 78 in Georgia, US 78 and Georgia State Route 138, GA 138 to I ...

, and then to

Campbellton, Georgia Campbellton is an unincorporated town in southwestern Fulton County, Georgia Fulton County is a county in the north-central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, the population w ...

, in 1829. He moved to Culloden,

Monroe County, Georgia Monroe County is a county located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 27,957. The county seat is Forsyth. The county was created on May 15, 1821. The county was named for James Monro ...

in 1833. He was elected to the

Georgia House of Representatives The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republican Party (United States), Repu ...

in 1837. He moved to

Griffin The griffin, griffon, or gryphon (; Classical Latin: ''gryps'' or ''grypus''; Late and Medieval Latin: ''gryphes'', ''grypho'' etc.; Old French: ''griffon'') is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk ...

Spalding County, Georgia Spalding County is a County (United States), county in the West Central Georgia, West Central region of the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 67,306. The county s ...

, in 1841. In 1846, Jones was elected to the

U.S. House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

as a Whig to represent

. He did not run for reelection in 1848, serving one term from March 4, 1847, through March 3, 1849. After his congressional term ended and another Whig took the seat, Jones moved to Oak Bowery,

Chambers County, Alabama Chambers County is a County (United States), county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Alabama. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 34,772. Its county seat is LaFayette, Alabama, LaFayette. ...

and practiced medicine in addition to serving on the board of the Oak Bowery Female College in 1850. The next year, he moved to nearby

Auburn, Alabama Auburn is a city in Lee County, Alabama, United States. It is the largest city in eastern Alabama. The population was 76,143 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Auburn metropolitan area, Alabama, Aubu ...

, and helped found the Auburn Masonic Female College (current-day Auburn High School). In 1856, Jones moved to

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, and was a professor at the Atlanta Medical College (modern

Emory University Emory University is a private university, private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campu ...

) from 1856 to 1862. During the

of 1861–1865, Dr. Jones served as a surgeon in the

. After the war, he returned to the Atlanta Medical College and remained with that faculty from 1865 until 1870.

Death

He died on April 27, 1871, in

Decatur, Georgia Decatur () is a city and the county seat of DeKalb County, Georgia, DeKalb County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. With a population of 24,928 in the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, th ...

. He was buried in Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, John William 1806 births 1871 deaths People from Rockville, Maryland American people of Welsh descent Members of the Georgia House of Representatives Physicians from Georgia (U.S. state) Auburn High School (Alabama) people Confederate States Army officers Emory University faculty Jefferson Medical College alumni University of Pennsylvania alumni Whig Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia (U.S. state) Burials at Oakland Cemetery (Atlanta) Members of the United States House of Representatives who owned slaves 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century members of the Georgia General Assembly