Ira B. Jones (December 29, 1851 - December 12, 1927) was a chief justice on the

South Carolina Supreme Court The South Carolina Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The court is composed of a Chief Justice and four Associate Justices.

and a candidate for governor in 1912.

Life and career

Jones was born in Newberry, South Carolina on December 29, 1851. Jones began college at

Newberry College Newberry College is a private Lutheran college in Newberry, South Carolina. It has 1,250 students. Accreditation Newberry College is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award ...

, but he graduated from

Erskine College Erskine College is a private Christian college in Due West, South Carolina. It is an undergraduate liberal arts college and a graduate theological seminary. The college was founded in 1839 by the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Its sp ...

in 1870. After college, Jones returned to Newberry, taught school for two years, and studied to practice law. He moved to Lancaster, South Carolina in 1875. In 1890, Jones was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives, and he was chosen to be the Speaker of the House upon the election of John M.L. Irby as a United States senator. Jones had been the vice president of the South Carolina Constitutional Convention of 1895. On January 30, 1896, he was unanimously elected an associate justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. The newly adopted South Carolina Constitution created a fourth seat on the state's highest court, and Jones was the first person elected to fill the position. On January 22, 1902, he was reelected to an eight-year term. When Chief Justice Pope resigned, Jones was chosen to complete the unexpired term. He was sworn in on April 15, 1909. On September 11, 1911, Jones sent his resignation to Governor

Cole Blease Coleman Livingston Blease (October 8, 1868 – January 19, 1942) was an Americans, American politician of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party who served as the List of governors of South Carolina, 89th governor of South Carolina ...

, effective January 9, 1912. He ran against Blease in the 1912 Democratic Gubernatorial campaign and lost a narrow contest. Jones was married to Rebecca Wyse. He died on December 12, 1927, and is buried at the West Side Cemetery in Lancaster, South Carolina.

References

Justices of the South Carolina Supreme Court Chief Justices of the South Carolina Supreme Court 1851 births 1927 deaths People from Newberry, South Carolina People from Lancaster, South Carolina Members of the South Carolina House of Representatives Speakers of the South Carolina House of Representatives Erskine College alumni {{SouthCarolina-politician-stub