William Giles Jones (November 7, 1808 – April 1, 1883) was a

United States district judge The United States district courts are the trial courts of the U.S. federal judiciary. There is one district court for each federal judicial district, which each cover one U.S. state or, in some cases, a portion of a state. Each district cou ...

of the

United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama The United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama (in case citations, M.D. Ala.) is a federal court in the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appea ...

, the

United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama The United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (in case citations, N.D. Ala.) is a federal court in the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are a ...

and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama.

Education and career

Born in

Powhatan County Powhatan County () is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,033. Its county seat is Powhatan. Powhatan County is included in the Greater Richmond Region. The James River forms the cou ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

, Jones attended Hampden–Sydney College and the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia. Founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson, the university is ranked among the top academic institutions in the United States, with highly selective ad ...

before

reading law Reading law was the method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship under th ...

to enter the bar in 1830. He was in private practice in Virginia from 1830 to 1834, then worked as a clerk in the

United States Land Office The General Land Office (GLO) was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department o ...

Demopolis Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, in west-central Alabama. The population was 7,162 at the time of the 2020 United States census, down from 7,483 at the 2010 census. The city lies at the confluence of the Black Warrior River and T ...

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

, resuming his private practice in West Greene and Eutaw, Alabama from 1836 to 1843. He was a member of the Alabama House of Representatives in 1843, thereafter relocating his private practice to

Mobile Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ( ...

, Alabama from 1843 to 1860. He again served in the Alabama House of Representatives in 1849 and in 1857.

Federal judicial service

Jones received a

recess appointment In the United States, a recess appointment is an appointment by the president of a federal official when the U.S. Senate is in recess. Under the U.S. Constitution's Appointments Clause, the President is empowered to nominate, and with the a ...

from President James Buchanan on September 29, 1859, to a joint seat on the

, the

and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama vacated by Judge John Gayle. He was nominated to the same position by President Buchanan on January 23, 1860. He was confirmed by the

United States Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and pow ...

on January 30, 1860, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on January 12, 1861, due to his resignation.

Later career and death

Following his resignation from the federal bench, Jones served as a Judge of the Confederate District Court for the District of Alabama from 1861 to 1865. He returned to private practice in Mobile from 1866 to 1883. He died on April 1, 1883, in Mobile.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, William Giles 1808 births 1883 deaths People from Powhatan County, Virginia Members of the Alabama House of Representatives Judges of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Alabama Judges of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama Judges of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama United States federal judges appointed by James Buchanan 19th-century American judges Judges of the Confederate States of America Hampden–Sydney College alumni University of Virginia alumni United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law Politicians from Mobile, Alabama Lawyers from Mobile, Alabama 19th-century American politicians