Wilcox County AlArchives Obituaries.....John Paul Jones September 14 1903
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Stephen Lee leeactive@aol.com December 2, 2003, 2:13 pm

Wilcox Progressive Era, Thursday, October 1, 1903

Dr. John Paul Jones. 
  In the sorrow which has fallen upon the family of our late townsman, 
Dr. John Paul Jones, we extend our sincerest sympathy and realize that 
in the death of so leading a citizen, Alabama herself, has lost a 
loved son.
  Like a sycamore he stood among us for upwards of three score years, 
tall and commanding, but grown familiar to the eye of all, until we 
had come to believe that he would be with us for years and years. But 
the withering hand of Death uprooted the familiar landmark and there 
remains now only recollections of the charm of his striking 
personality to make us mindful of his real worth; only the memory of 
some kindly deed to recall one who was known far and wide for high 
skill in his profession, steadfastness in his friendships, 
unimpeachable honor and widely extensive charities of an 
unostentatious character.
  Man of business that he was, and filled with that measure of energy 
which, when coupled with intelligent application commands success, 
there was another side to the nature of Dr. John Paul Jones. Within 
hundreds of homes has his kindly presence brought hope to distracted 
parents or comfort to suffering mortals. With the gentleness of a 
woman he could ease the fever racked patient or quiet the tossing of 
an ailing child. In his skill as a practitioner people reposed that 
full confidence which comes only after years of successful 
ministration, and from many a heart has gone up a fervent "Thank God" 
when he reached the bedside of a loved one. For more than a full life-
time, he labored in Wilcox County until his fame had extended beyond 
the confines of Alabama but he bore his professional honors with a 
quiet dignity that stamps a gentleman, and never esteemed himself 
above answering a call from the lowliest of his fellow men. In fair 
weather and in foul, in sunshine and in storm, across swollen branches 
and rivers he journeyed, in the day and through the night, to answer 
the choking cry of sorrow or to respond to a hurried call for aid. His 
skill as a practitioner was a gift from on high - a gift which was 
richly developed by energy and opportunity. To this was added a degree 
of personal attention which won for Dr. Jones many a hard fought with 
his final adversary.
  He was never too busy or burdened with cares to be a kind and 
devoted husband, a generous and loving father. His home life was rich 
in all that makes for happiness although tempered by so much of grief 
that his fellow townsmen felt deeply for him and his in their 
bereavements.
  In was an unhappy coincidence, the fatal illness of two such devoted 
brothers as Gen. Jones and Dr. Jones, at the same time. Their deaths 
within a day of each other added emphasis to their life long devotion.
  For years Dr. Jones was a member of the Baptist Church, and always 
contributed generously to the upbuilding of Master's cause. His daily 
life showed his religious devotion.
  A Virginian, Dr. Jones was born in Brunswick County, June 21, 1837 
and was the son of John Cargill and Mary Ann Jones, born Walker. His 
parents were cultured and had lived in Virginia for years. In 1844 the 
family removed to Camden, and since then Dr. Jones lived until his 
death, making his home among us and rearing his family ?page torn?. 
Here he was prepared for college and in 1859 was graduated from the 
University of Alabama, of which ???itution he was an A. M. He 
determined to adopt medicine as a profession and was graduated in 
?page torn? the New Orleans School ?page torn? taking second honors in 
a class of seventy-five; a distinction worthy of note when the mental 
calibre of his associates is considered. Less than four months elapsed 
after his graduation and he joined the Confederate Army and threw into 
his work for the South all the fire and ardor of a patriotic nature. 
Joining the Wilcox Mounted Rifles he served as an escort to General 
Bragg and in the following year was assigned to Gen. Wither's staff as 
assistant surgeon in charge of his escort, ranking as captain.
Into his work he carried that same devotion to duty and intrepid 
fearlessness which in quieter walks of life, marked his riper years. 
Time and again he served as dispatch bearer for Gen. Withers in many 
instances relieved wounded comrades in the face of galling firing.
This was notably true in the battle of Murfreesboro, when he displayed 
a high order of courage and gave aid to Gen. Dan Adams and other 
wounded in exposed places. Later he requested to be transferred to 
hospital service; believing that his skill could be best availed of, 
where shot and shell and bayonet-thrust had marked their gaping path. 
He was sent to the Academy hospital at Chattanooga, Tenn., then in 
charge of Alabama's distinguished son, Dr. Frank Hawthorne. There he 
remained until the close of the war, succeeding Dr. Hawthorne a year 
before surrender as surgeon in charge, and throughout those long 
months which tried men's souls, Dr. Jones nursed and ministered to his 
stricken comrades with such devotion and ability as gave him 
prominence second to no man of his years in the Southern Army.
  So marked his skill, so generally admitted was his ability and so 
untiring was he in his work, as to call forth the following high 
encomium from Dr. D. D. Saunders, surgeon in charge of the hospitals 
at Memphis, Tennessee; "Had our whole country been actuated by the 
same spirit as you have shown in the discharge of your duties, we 
should now have been a free and independent people."
  At the cessation of hostilities Dr. Jones returned to Camden and 
lived uninterruptedly, until his death; centering here his life and 
giving to the county and to the people of his adopted state the best 
of his high abilities. He was president of the County Medical Society, 
and was for two terms vice-president of the State Medical Association.
  Though possessed of ample means and owning large plantations, he 
remained true to his profession and applied himself to it until his 
last illness.
  In 1866 Dr. Jones was married to Miss Camilla Hunter, daughter of 
Major Frank Boykin, and to them were born nine children. Five sons 
survive him, of whom, three are already well advanced in the 
profession to which their father was so bright an ornament, one is our 
County Solicitor and the other is just approaching manhood's estate.
  To these worthy sons of an honored father and to the sorrowing woman 
who weeps near the newly made grave, we extend our sincerest sympathy, 
for he was a model of manly dignity, honor, honesty and uprightness of 
character. Their loss is measurably our loss and in their grief we 
join, certain that men and women, young and old, in high places and in 
lowly walks of life have keenly felt the loss of a loved one who was 
indeed a ministering angel to his fellow man.
"Ah, broken is the golden bowl
The spirit flown forever;
Let the bells toll
A saintly soul has crossed the Stygian River."


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