Owen Jones (December 29, 1819 – December 25, 1878) was an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a

Democratic Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 5th congressional district for one term from 1857 to 1859. During the American Civil War he raised a troop of cavalry that would become Company B of the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment and served as colonel.

Early life and education

Owen Jones was born on December 29, 1819, near Ardmore, Pennsylvania, to Jonathan and Mary (nee McClenaghan) Jones. He attended the public schools and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He studied law in Philadelphia under

William M. Meredith William Morris Meredith (June 8, 1799 – August 17, 1873) was an American lawyer and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He served as the United States Secretary of the Treasury, during President of the United States, President Zachary ...

. He was admitted to the bar of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in 1842, and commenced

practice Practice or practise may refer to: Education and learning * Practice (learning method), a method of learning by repetition * Phantom practice, phenomenon in which a person's abilities continue to improve, even without practicing * Practice-based ...

in Ardmore. He also was active in agriculture and raised animals and worked on the improvement of farming techniques. In 1845, he purchased a former estate in West Philadelphia and realized a huge gain in value. He served as a county commissioner.

Political career

Jones was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-fifth Congress. While in Congress, he served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Expenditures in the Department of State. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in

1858 Events January–March * January – **Benito Juárez (1806–1872) becomes Liberal President of Mexico. At the same time, conservatives install Félix María Zuloaga (1813–1898) as president. **William I of Prussia becomes regent f ...

. He served as a delegate from Pennsylvania for the 1860 Democratic National Conventions.

Military career

During the American Civil War, Jones raised a company of

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

known as the Lower Merion Troop that would become Company B of the 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment. Jones fought at Dranesville,

Battle of Cross Keys The Battle of Cross Keys was fought on June 8, 1862, in Rockingham County, Virginia, as part of Confederate Army Maj. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's campaign through the Shenandoah Valley during the American Civil War. Together, the batt ...

, Battle of Cedar Mountain,

Second Battle of Bull Run The Second Battle of Bull Run or Battle of Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, in Prince William County, Virginia, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of the Northern Virginia Campaign waged by Confederate ...

and at Fredericksburg. Jones also took part in the failed offensive attempt to capture Richmond, Virginia known as the Mud March. This was the last engagement that Jones took part in during the Civil War. Jones entered service as a captain, was promoted to major on August 5, 1861, to lieutenant colonel on January 3, 1862, and to colonel on May 5, 1862. He resigned his commission in October 1863 and returned home to practice law near Ardmore.

Personal life and death

Jones married Mary Roberts and together they had two children. Jones lived in a mansion built in 1803 that he named Wynne Wood in honor of the link between the Wynne and Jones families. The mansion burned down in 1858 and was rebuilt. The name Wynnewood is used for the surrounding community of Wynnewood, Pennsylvania and Wynnewood railroad station. The former estate is now part of the Merion Cricket Club. He died on December 25, 1879. He was found dead while walking to his neighbor's house for a social engagement. The reported cause of death was apoplexy. He was interred in Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia.

Citations

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Owen 1819 births 1878 deaths 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American legislators American lawyers admitted to the practice of law by reading law American people of Welsh descent Burials at Laurel Hill Cemetery (Philadelphia) Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania Farmers from Pennsylvania Montgomery County Commissioners (Pennsylvania) Pennsylvania lawyers People from Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War Union Army colonels University of Pennsylvania alumni