CONFEDERATE BIOGRAPHY:  JOHN B. JONES - Austin, TX

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Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
14 April 2002 
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TEXANS WHO WORE THE GRAY by Sid S. Johnson - page 161

JOHN B. JONES.

John B. Jones, of Austin, was born in Fairfield district, S. C., 
December 22, 1834. His father, Col. Henry Jones, came to the Republic 
of Texas in 1838, and for many years was promillent ill public affairs; 
he commanded a regiment in the young republic when Gen. Lamar was 
president, taking part in the fights at Brushy and Plum creeks. He was 
in command at Austin in 1842, and prevented the removal of the archives 
at the time of the invasion of the Mexicans, who came as far as San 
Antonio. The subject of this sketch was educated at Matagorda and 
Independence, and afterward, was graduated from Mount Zion College in 
his native state.  He was living the lIfe of a Texan planter when the 
tocsin of war sounded In 1861. Repairing early to the scene of action 
in Virginia, he enlisted under the brave Col. Terry and was on duty in 
Kentucky when he received the appointment of adjutant of the Fifteenth 
Texas Infantry and entered the Trans-Mississippi department. He was in 
all the battles and skirmishes of Gen. Dick Taylor in Louisiana, and was 
adjutant-general with the rank of captain in the brigade commanded 
successively by Gen. Speight, the Prince de Polignac and Gen. Harrison. 
He fought until the surrender, coming out with a major's' commission, 
and then returned to his Texas plantation, and later began the practice 
of law.  He was called by a vote of the people to a seat in the 
legislature in 1868, but was counted out by the returning board. Without 
any solicitation on his part he was appointed by Gov. Coke in 1874 the
major of the frontier battalion of Texas Rangers and during the 
succeeding years they made history. No command of its size has 
contributed a more romantic chapter in the story of American valor than 
this one recruited from the plains of Texas. It guarded the state from 
the incursions of Indians, the raids of Mexican banditti and the pillage
of cattle thieves. Of the many engagements with the Indians that with 
the celebrated Kiowa chief "Lone Wolf" is most noted. With. thirty-seven
men Major Jones defeated and drove back into the Indian Territory a 
hundred and fifty well armed warriors. He was appointed by the 
President of the United States in 1878 one of the commissioners, along
with officers of the regular army, to investigate the El Paso troubles 
with Mexico in that year. He was, Jan. 25, 1879, made the adjutant-
general of Texas, though still retaining the direct command of the 
Rangers.  We quote here from the Houston Telegram a notice of him of 
that time. "Major John B. Jones is by birth and education a gentleman, 
by, profession a lawyer.  This daring chief of the border, as he 
appears, on our streets and as a guest in our most cultured, homes, 
is a small man, scarcely of medium height and build, whose 
conventional dress, of black broadcloth, spotless, linen and dainty 
boot on a small foot, would not distinguish him from any other citizen, 
while in his quiet, easy manner, almost free from gesticulation, his 
soft and modulated voice, his grave but genial conversation, one would 
look in vain for marks of the frontier bravo."  Major Jones was 
broadly well read, a frequent contributor to standard periodicals, 
and was on occasions an effective speaker.  He was for thirty years 
a prominent Mason, being grand high priest in 1872, and grand master 
in the state in 1879.  He was married in Austin, Feb. 25, 1879, to
Mrs. A. H. Anderson, widow of the late Col. T. J. Anderson, of 
Robertson county.  Major Jones died July 19, 1881, mourned by the 
state he had served so gallantly.