George Washington Jones (Texas politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Washington Jones
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 5th district
In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1883
Preceded by	Dewitt Clinton Giddings
Succeeded by	James W. Throckmorton
10th Lieutenant Governor of Texas
In office August 9, 1866 – August 8, 1867
Governor	James W. Throckmorton
Preceded by	Fletcher Stockdale
Succeeded by	James W. Flanagan
Bastrop County Attorney
In office 1858–1860
Personal details
Born	(1828-09-05)September 5, 1828 Marion County, Alabama, U.S.
Died	July 11, 1903(1903-07-11) (aged 74) Bastrop, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	Fairview Cemetery
Political party	Greenback
Spouse	Ledora Ann Mullins ​ ​ (m. 1855; his death 1903)​
Profession	Lawyer
Military service
Allegiance	Confederate States
Branch/service	Confederate States Army Robert T. Allen’s Seventeenth Texas Infantry
Rank	Colonel

George Washington Jones (born September 5, 1828 – died July 11, 1903) was an American politician. He served as the lieutenant governor of Texas and was a member of the Greenback Party in the United States House of Representatives.

Early Life and Education

George Washington Jones was born on September 5, 1828, in Marion County, Alabama. His parents were William Dandridge Claiborne Jones and Rachel Burleson Jones. His family later moved to Tipton County, Tennessee, and then to Bastrop, Texas.

George studied law and became a lawyer in 1851. He started his law practice in Bastrop. During this time, he lived in a period when some people were forced to work for others without pay. From 1858 to 1860, he worked as the county attorney for Bastrop.

Military Service

Even though George Washington Jones supported the idea of the United States staying united, he served in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He became a Colonel and led the 17th Texas Infantry.

Public Service

In 1866, Jones was chosen to be a representative at the Texas state meeting that wrote a new constitution. Later that year, he was elected as the lieutenant governor of Texas. James W. Throckmorton was the governor at the time.

However, in 1867, both Jones and Governor Throckmorton were removed from their positions by General Philip Henry Sheridan. This happened because they were seen as obstacles to the Reconstruction efforts after the Civil War.

In 1878, Jones was elected to the United States House of Representatives for the 5th Congressional District of Texas. He was reelected in 1880 and served in Congress from March 4, 1879, to March 3, 1883.

Personal Life and Death

On August 1, 1855, George Washington Jones married Ledora Ann Mullins in Bastrop.

George Washington Jones passed away on July 11, 1903. His wife, Ledora Jones, died shortly after on August 31, 1903. Both are buried at Fairview Cemetery in Bastrop, Texas.