Thomas Alfred Jones (March 4, 1859 – August 31, 1937) was a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

lawyer in the

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. He was an associate justice of the

Ohio Supreme Court The Ohio Supreme Court, Officially known as The Supreme Court of the State of Ohio is the highest court in the U.S. state of Ohio, with final authority over interpretations of Ohio law and the Ohio Constitution. The court has seven members, a ...

from 1915 until his death.

Biography

Thomas A. Jones was born March 4, 1859, at

Jefferson Furnace The Jefferson Furnace in the United States started operation in 1854 and stopped production in 1916. Although the current state of the furnace is one of disrepair, it is still considered a vital historic site for the Jackson County area. Located ...

Jackson County, Ohio Jackson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 32,653. Its county seat is Jackson. The county is named for Andrew Jackson, a hero of the War of 1812 who was subsequently elected Presid ...

. He was in the first graduating class of four of the

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public high school in 1876. He graduated from

Ohio University Ohio University is a public research university in Athens, Ohio. The first university chartered by an Act of Congress and the first to be chartered in Ohio, the university was chartered in 1787 by the Congress of the Confederation and subseq ...

Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

in 1881, where he was

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...

.The Supreme Court of Ohio and The Ohio Judicial System - Thomas Alfred Jones
/ref> Jones returned to Jackson County, where he taught in a rural school, and read law at a Jackson office. He passed the bar exam in 1883, and partnered with his mentor, James M. Tripp, in private practice. Jones was elected mayor of Jackson, and was the youngest holder of that office when he took office April, 1886. He served a two-year term, and did not again seek office until 1900. That year, he was elected to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, and re-elected in 1906. In 1912, he was elected to the District Court of Appeals that replaced the Circuit Court. Jones ran as a

for the

in November 1914.Perrysburg journal (Perrysburg Ohio) October 29, 1914 page 6
/ref> He was elected, and took office January 1, 1915. He was re-elected in 1920, 1926, and 1932. He wrote 329 majority, concurring, or dissenting opinions during his tenure. Jones health began to fail in 1937, and he missed some sessions, and wrote fewer opinions. He died at his

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home August 31, 1937. His funeral was at Jackson First Presbyterian Church, with burial at Fairmount Cemetery in Jackson. Jones was married to Grace Hoyt of Athens on June 30, 1886, and raised four children. He was a

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...

and Freemason.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Thomas A. 1859 births 1937 deaths Ohio Republicans Justices of the Ohio Supreme Court Ohio University alumni People from Jackson County, Ohio Mayors of places in Ohio People from Jackson, Ohio People from Columbus, Ohio