Samuel J. Jones - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Samuel J. Jones
Postmaster of Wesport, MO
In office
Pre-1855 – February 1, 1856
Sheriff of Douglas County
In office
November 21, 1855 – January 7, 1857[1][nb 1]
Succeeded byWilliam T. Sherrard[nb 2]
Personal details
Born
Samuel Jefferson Jones

(1829-04-16)April 16, 1829
Virginia, USA[5]
DiedDecember 10, 1883(1883-12-10) (aged 54)[5]
Spouse(s)Mary Jones[5]
ChildrenWilliam T. Jones, Mollie Jones, Nannie Jones, Ida May Sargent, Samuel J. Jones Jr., and Henry W. Jones[5]

Samuel Jefferson Jones (April 16, 1827 – December 10, 1883) was a pro-slavery man who was the Douglas County sheriff in Kansas Territory from late 1855 until early 1857. He helped create the territorial capital of Lecompton. He was an important person in the "Bleeding Kansas" conflict.

In 1858, he moved to La Mesilla, New Mexico Territory. In September 1858, he was chosen to be the collector of customs at Paso del Norte (now Ciudad Juárez). In New Mexico, he was involved with the promotion of Mowry City. When that town's future failed, he bought a ranch near La Mesilla and died there in 1883. His grave was later returned to Lecompton in 2013.[6]

Notes[change | change source]

  1. Some sources suggest that Jones resigned in October or December of 1856, rather than at the start of 1857.[2]
  2. William T. Sherrard, a pro-slavery settler, was appointed by the legislature to be Jones's successor as the sheriff of Douglas County. However, Territorial Governor of Kansas John W. Geary refused to approve his appointment.[3] Sherrard was eventually killed in a shoot-out,[3] and the position was assumed by Harrison Hutcher in July of 1857.[4]

References[change | change source]

  1. Adams (1896), p. 276.
  2. Adams (1896), p. 277, 278.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Stampp (1992), p. 156.
  4. Andreas (1883), p. 311.
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "COL Samuel Jefferson Jones". Find a Grave. Retrieved July 3, 2018.
  6. Doornbos, Caitlin (July 3, 2018). "Territorial Sheriff Samuel Jones' tombstone resting in Lecompton". Lawrence Journal-World. Retrieved July 8, 2013.