William Jones (March 20, 1624 - October 17, 1706) was an English lawyer who emigrated to the

United Colonies The "United Colonies" was the name used by the Second Continental Congress for the emerging nation comprising the Thirteen Colonies in 1775 and 1776, before and as independence was declared. Continental currency banknotes displayed the name 'The ...

and became the twenty-fourth Deputy Governor of the

Colony of Connecticut The ''Connecticut Colony'' or ''Colony of Connecticut'', originally known as the Connecticut River Colony or simply the River Colony, was an English colony in New England which later became Connecticut. It was organized on March 3, 1636 as a settl ...

Biography

Jones was born in London, Middlesex, England. He became a lawyer at Westminster and married Hannah Eaton, daughter of Governor Eaton, on July 4, 1659, in St. Andrew's Church, Holborn, by Reverend Joseph Rowe. They arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, on July 27, 1660, in company with the

regicides Regicide is the purposeful killing of a monarch or sovereign of a polity and is often associated with the usurpation of power. A regicide can also be the person responsible for the killing. The word comes from the Latin roots of ''regis'' ...

, judges

Edward Whalley Edward Whalley (c. 1607 – c. 1675) was an English military leader during the English Civil War and was one of the regicides who signed the death warrant of King Charles I of England. Early career The exact dates of his birth and death are unk ...

and

William Goffe Major-General William Goffe, in or before 1618 to , was an English religious radical and soldier who fought for Parliament in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms and served in the New Model Army. A close associate and supporter of Oliver Cromwell, h ...

. They moved to New Haven in August of the same year; took possession of the mansion of Governor

Theophilus Eaton Theophilus Eaton (January 7, 1658) was a wealthy New England Puritan merchant, first Governor of New Haven Colony, Connecticut, co founder of that same colony and co founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. His brother, Nathaniel Eaton, w ...

, and continued to live there until their deaths. Jones was made a

freeman Freeman, free men, or variant, may refer to: * a member of the Third Estate in medieval society (commoners), see estates of the realm * Freeman, an apprentice who has been granted freedom of the company, was a rank within Livery companies * Free ...

in 1661. One of the most interesting facts in his life was his connection with the two judges, Whalley and Goffe. During their hiding in New Haven, Jones' house was their place of refuge for eleven days. The honors seem to have been shared with Reverend John Davenport during this exciting episode in New Haven. Jones and his wife Hannah had thirteen children, four of whom died their first year; Theophilus, Samuel, Rebecca and Abigail; one of whom died at three years, Deodat. The eight who reached maturity were William, Nathaniel, Hannah, Elizabeth, Sarah, John, Isaac, and Susanna.

Career

For twenty-eight years, Jones was elected to the office of Assistant, or

Magistrate The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...

, of the

. This office combined the duties of a Magistrate with those of a Senator, or member of the Superior House of the

Legislature A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its p ...

, except during 1685, when Governor Andrews of New York suspended the government of Connecticut. Jones was elected Deputy-Governor of

New Haven New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...

in 1664. On the union of this Colony with Connecticut, May 11, 1665, he was chosen one of the magistrates. In July 1691, following the death of James Bishop, Jones was elected Lieutenant Governor by the General Assembly. He was elected to the same office by the freemen in 1692, and was elected each year from 1692 until he retired on May 12, 1698. Chosen

Lieutenant Governor A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...

of the Colony of Connecticut in 1689 and reelected each of the next five years, Jones was one of the trustees granted the patent of the city of New Haven by the General Assembly of Connecticut on October 20, 1704.

Death

Jones died on October 17, 1706, in New Haven, Connecticut at the age of 82. Jones and his wife Hannah were buried near her father, Governor Eaton of New Haven, Connecticut.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, William 1624 births 1706 deaths Lawyers from London Lieutenant Governors of Connecticut English emigrants 18th-century English lawyers People of colonial Connecticut