Joseph Jones (1727 – 28 October 1805) was an American lawyer and statesman from King George County, Virginia. He was an Anti-Federalist. ^[1]

Biography

Jones was born in King George County, Virginia, part of the Northern Neck, in 1727. ^{[2] [1]} Jones was born to James Jones and Hester Lampton Jones (Davis). ^[1] [1], His father ran a country store and tavern and later became a successful merchant with many contacts to England. ^[1] Jones was educated nearby but went to England to continue his education; he went to the Inner Temple in London in 1749 and the Middle Temple in 1751, becoming a barrister. ^[1]

Jones then returned to Virginia and achieved success as a lawyer in the growing town of Fredericksburg. ^[1] In 1754, Jones become King's attorney for Fredericksburg. ^[1] In 1758, he married Mary Taliaferro, the daughter of Colonel John Taliaferro of Spotsylvania County. ^[1]

In 1772, Jones became a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses, the colonial legislature. ^{[2] [1]} Jones was a "cautious patriot" and served on the committee of safety in 1774-75. ^{[2] [1]} In 1776, Jones was a supporter of the Revolution during Virginia's second state committee of safety. ^[1] Also in 1776, Jones was elected to the Fifth Virginia Convention, which produced the Virginia Declaration of Rights. ^{[2] [1]}

Jones served as a Virginia delegate to the Second Continental Congress in 1777 and 1778. ^{[2] [1]} He was appointed to serve as judge of the Virginia General Court on January 23, 1778, and resigned in October 1779. ^{[2] [1]} Jones then returned to the Continental Congress, serving as a Virginia delegate from 1780 to 1783. ^[1]

Jones was a close friend of Thomas Jefferson. ^[1] Jones served in the House of Delegates in 1787, where he split with his longtime friend James Madison over the Constitution. ^[1] Jones wrote in an October 29, 1787 letter to Madison that he had "many objections" to the Constitution and wished to see a declaration of rights attached to it. ^[1]

Jones was a member of the 1788 Virginia Ratifying Convention, which ratified the federal Constitution. ^{[2] [1]} At the Convention, Jones was at first a supporter of the proposed constitution, but later turned against it, joining with Patrick Henry, George Mason, and others to draft proposed amendments to the Constitution. ^[1] Jones subsequently became "embittered over what he believed was Madison's betrayal of the rights of Virginians" and voted against ratification. ^[1]

Jones was then appointed once more as judge of the Virginia General Court, on November 19, 1789. ^{[2] [1]} Jones served as a major general of the Virginia militia. ^[2]

During the presidency of George Washington, Jones was a supporter of the Jeffersonian faction. ^[1] He died at his home in Fredericksburg on October 28, 1805. ^{[2] [1]} Jones was the uncle of James Monroe. ^[2]

His "Letters" were published in 1889. ^[3]

Descendants

The singer Emanne Beasha is a direct lineal descendant of Joseph Jones.^{[ citation needed]}

References

External links

• United States Congress. "Joseph Jones (id: J000241)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.