DeLancey Floyd-Jones
Encyclopedia
DeLancey Floyd-Jones was a career officer in the United States Army
, serving in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War
, as well as on frontier duty in the Old West.
. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
at West Point, 45th in the Class of 1846. With the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, he was promoted to second lieutenant and assigned to the 4th U.S. Infantry. He participated in several major battles, including the Siege of Veracruz
, the Battle of Molino del Rey
, and the Battle for Mexico City
. For gallant and meritorious conduct at Molino del Rey, he was brevetted
to first lieutenant on September 8, 1847, receiving a promotion to the full rank in January 1848, when he was briefly assigned to duty in Pascagoula, Mississippi
.
Floyd-Jones was reassigned to a garrison in Detroit, Michigan
, from 1848–50. He then performed recruiting duty for two more years before being assigned to Benicia, California
. During the Yakima War
, he served at Fort Vancouver
and at Fort Steilacoom
in the Washington Territory
until 1855. Floyd-Jones was promoted to captain on July 31, 1854 while in Washington. He returned to California
for a year before being assigned to duty in Oregon
.
of the 11th U.S. Infantry on May 14, 1861, and sent to the Eastern Theater
. During the 1862 Peninsula Campaign
in Virginia
, Floyd-Jones commanded the 11th Infantry at the battles of Yorktown
, Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill
. He was appointed a brevet Lieutenant Colonel
on July 4, 1862 for "gallant and meritorious service during the Peninsular Campaign." He served in the Northern Virginia Campaign
, August to September 1862, including the Second Battle of Bull Run
. During the Maryland Campaign
, his regiment was lightly engaged at the Battle of Antietam
, where they took a position immediately east of Sharpsburg
.
Floyd-Jones was active in the Rappahannock Campaign
and the Mud March
, then went into winter camp prior to seeing action again at the Battle of Chancellorsville
. At the Battle of Gettysburg
, Floyd-Jones led his men into action near the Wheatfield, suffering substantial casualties. He was appointed a brevet Colonel
, July 2, 1863, for "gallant and meritorious service at Gettysburg."
On August 1, 1863, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 19th U.S. Infantry and was assigned to supervise recruitment at Fort Independence in Massachusetts
. In October of that year, he assumed command of the defenses and fortifications of Boston Harbor
, a post he held until March 1865. He was brevetted Brigadier-General on March 13, 1865 and became commander of the 19th Infantry in April 1865.
in Kentucky
from October 1865 to March 1866, and the occupation garrison of Little Rock, Arkansas
, from March to August 1866. Following sick leave, he was assigned as Acting Assistant Inspector General
and Judge Advocate of the Department of Arkansas from December 1866 to February 1867. He was then in command of Fort Smith, Arkansas
until October 1867, and then of Fort Gibson
and the District of Indian Territory until January 1868. On June 25, 1867, he was promoted to Colonel and assigned to the 6th U.S. Infantry. He served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Idaho Territory
from June 1869 to November 1870, then at various times commanded Fort Dodge, Fort Hays, the post at Holly Springs, Mississippi
, Jackson Barracks in Louisiana
, and the garrison in Helena, Montana
. In 1871, he was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry. He retired March 20, 1879.
Floyd-Jones traveled around the world many times, during leaves from the army and after his retirement in 1879. He documented these journeys in letters home, and frequently had his observations and descriptions of these faraway places published in local Long Island, New York newspapers such as The South Side Signal and The Hempstead Inquirer. He also published a well-reviewed book about his travels to India, China, and Japan in the late 1880s, entitled Letters From The Far East.
He was also the founder and builder, in 1896, of the first free library on the south shore of Long Island, the Delancey Floyd-Jones Free Library
, contributing his personal books.
After retirement, he became more involved in the many social and military organizations he had joined over the years. In 1847, he was among the establishers of The Aztec Club of 1847. In 1885, he was elected treasurer of the club; in 1892 he presented the club with a silver centerpiece manufactured by Tiffany’s representing an ancient Aztec Teocali. The centerpiece is still used at their annual meetings to this day. In 1894 he was elected vice president of the club, and succeeded to the presidency the following year, while also remaining treasurer. He was also an active member of the South Side Sportsman’s Club, The St. Nicholas Society, the Loyal Legion of the United States, and was a lifetime member of the Sons of the Revolution.
A note on the hyphenation of his last name: DeLancey Floyd-Jones is descended from Major Thomas Jones (1665–1713) privateer and soldier, for whom Jones Beach, Long Island, is named; and Colonel Richard Floyd (1620-@1690). In 1757, Thomas Jones's granddaughter, Arabella Jones, married Colonel Richard Floyd IV, son of Richard Floyd III, whose will stated that his (sizeable) estate would be handed down to the first male issue of any issue with provision that the name be hyphenated to contain "Floyd." Arabella fulfilled that provision, and thus, the name was hyphenated Floyd-Jones. This is almost a shame since the family that the phrase "Keeping up with the Jones's" was created about was his family.
DeLancey Floyd-Jones was also related (through direct line or marriage) to William Floyd
and Philip Livingston
, both signers of the Declaration of Independence
; writer James Fenimore Cooper
; John Loudon McAdam
(creator of the road construction style named after him); Daniel Webster
, Governor DeWitt Clinton
of New York
, Edith Wharton
, and Alexander Hamilton
.
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, serving in the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, as well as on frontier duty in the Old West.
Early career
DeLancey Floyd-Jones was born in South Oyster Bay, New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point, 45th in the Class of 1846. With the outbreak of the Mexican-American War, he was promoted to second lieutenant and assigned to the 4th U.S. Infantry. He participated in several major battles, including the Siege of Veracruz
Siege of Veracruz
The Battle of Veracruz was a 20-day siege of the key Mexican beachhead seaport of Veracruz, during the Mexican-American War. Lasting from 9-29 March 1847, it began with the first large-scale amphibious assault conducted by United States military forces, and ended with the surrender and occupation...
, the Battle of Molino del Rey
Battle of Molino del Rey
The Battle of Molino del Rey was one of the bloodiest engagements of the Mexican-American War. It was fought in September 1847 between Mexican forces under General Antonio Léon against an American force under General Winfield Scott at a hill called El Molino del Rey near Mexico City.-Background:On...
, and the Battle for Mexico City
Battle for Mexico City
The Battle for Mexico City refers to the series of engagements from September 8 to September 15, 1847, in the general vicinity of Mexico City during the Mexican-American War...
. For gallant and meritorious conduct at Molino del Rey, he was brevetted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
to first lieutenant on September 8, 1847, receiving a promotion to the full rank in January 1848, when he was briefly assigned to duty in Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
.
Floyd-Jones was reassigned to a garrison in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, from 1848–50. He then performed recruiting duty for two more years before being assigned to Benicia, California
Benicia, California
Benicia is a waterside city in Solano County, California, United States. It was the first city in California to be founded by Anglo-Americans, and served as the state capital for nearly thirteen months from 1853 to 1854. The population was 26,997 at the 2010 census. The city is located in the San...
. During the Yakima War
Yakima War
The Yakima War was a conflict between the United States and the Yakama, a Sahaptian-speaking people on the Northwest Plateau, then Washington Territory and now the southern interior of Eastern Washington, from 1855 to 1858.- Naming :...
, he served at Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading outpost along the Columbia River that served as the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the company's Columbia District...
and at Fort Steilacoom
Fort Steilacoom
For the adjacent park, see Fort Steilacoom ParkFort Steilacoom was founded by the U.S. Army in 1849 near Lake Steilacoom. It was among the first military fortifications built by the U.S. north of the Columbia River in what was to become Washington...
in the Washington Territory
Washington Territory
The Territory of Washington was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from February 8, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington....
until 1855. Floyd-Jones was promoted to captain on July 31, 1854 while in Washington. He returned to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
for a year before being assigned to duty in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
American Civil War
With the outbreak of the Civil War, Floyd-Jones was promoted to Major (United States)Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
of the 11th U.S. Infantry on May 14, 1861, and sent to the Eastern Theater
Eastern Theater of the American Civil War
The Eastern Theater of the American Civil War included the states of Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia, and the coastal fortifications and seaports of North Carolina...
. During the 1862 Peninsula Campaign
Peninsula Campaign
The Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War was a major Union operation launched in southeastern Virginia from March through July 1862, the first large-scale offensive in the Eastern Theater. The operation, commanded by Maj. Gen. George B...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, Floyd-Jones commanded the 11th Infantry at the battles of Yorktown
Battle of Yorktown (1862)
The Battle of Yorktown or Siege of Yorktown was fought from April 5 to May 4, 1862, as part of the Peninsula Campaign of the American Civil War. Marching from Fort Monroe, Union Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan's Army of the Potomac encountered Maj. Gen. John B. Magruder's small Confederate force...
, Gaines Mill and Malvern Hill
Battle of Malvern Hill
The Battle of Malvern Hill, also known as the Battle of Poindexter's Farm, took place on July 1, 1862, in Henrico County, Virginia, on the seventh and last day of the Seven Days Battles of the American Civil War. Gen. Robert E. Lee launched a series of disjointed assaults on the nearly impregnable...
. He was appointed a brevet Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
on July 4, 1862 for "gallant and meritorious service during the Peninsular Campaign." He served in the Northern Virginia Campaign
Northern Virginia Campaign
The Northern Virginia Campaign, also known as the Second Bull Run Campaign or Second Manassas Campaign, was a series of battles fought in Virginia during August and September 1862 in the Eastern Theater of the American Civil War. Confederate General Robert E...
, August to September 1862, including the Second Battle of Bull Run
Second Battle of Bull Run
The Second Battle of Bull Run or Second Manassas was fought August 28–30, 1862, as part of the American Civil War. It was the culmination of an offensive campaign waged by Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia against Union Maj. Gen...
. During the Maryland Campaign
Maryland Campaign
The Maryland Campaign, or the Antietam Campaign is widely considered one of the major turning points of the American Civil War. Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's first invasion of the North was repulsed by Maj. Gen. George B...
, his regiment was lightly engaged at the Battle of Antietam
Battle of Antietam
The Battle of Antietam , fought on September 17, 1862, near Sharpsburg, Maryland, and Antietam Creek, as part of the Maryland Campaign, was the first major battle in the American Civil War to take place on Northern soil. It was the bloodiest single-day battle in American history, with about 23,000...
, where they took a position immediately east of Sharpsburg
Sharpsburg, Maryland
Sharpsburg is a town in Washington County, Maryland, United States, approximately south of Hagerstown. The population was 691 at the 2000 census....
.
Floyd-Jones was active in the Rappahannock Campaign
Battle of Fredericksburg
The Battle of Fredericksburg was fought December 11–15, 1862, in and around Fredericksburg, Virginia, between General Robert E. Lee's Confederate Army of Northern Virginia and the Union Army of the Potomac, commanded by Maj. Gen. Ambrose E. Burnside...
and the Mud March
Mud March
Mud March can refer to:*Mud March — In the American Civil War, an abortive Union attempt at a winter offensive in January 1863....
, then went into winter camp prior to seeing action again at the Battle of Chancellorsville
Battle of Chancellorsville
The Battle of Chancellorsville was a major battle of the American Civil War, and the principal engagement of the Chancellorsville Campaign. It was fought from April 30 to May 6, 1863, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, near the village of Chancellorsville. Two related battles were fought nearby on...
. At the Battle of Gettysburg
Battle of Gettysburg
The Battle of Gettysburg , was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The battle with the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War, it is often described as the war's turning point. Union Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade's Army of the Potomac...
, Floyd-Jones led his men into action near the Wheatfield, suffering substantial casualties. He was appointed a brevet Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, July 2, 1863, for "gallant and meritorious service at Gettysburg."
On August 1, 1863, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the 19th U.S. Infantry and was assigned to supervise recruitment at Fort Independence in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. In October of that year, he assumed command of the defenses and fortifications of Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor
Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, and is located adjacent to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the northeast.-History:...
, a post he held until March 1865. He was brevetted Brigadier-General on March 13, 1865 and became commander of the 19th Infantry in April 1865.
Post-war career
After the war, Floyd-Jones served in a variety of administrative posts, commanding Newport BarracksNewport Barracks
Newport Barracks was a military barracks on the Ohio River, across from Cincinnati, Ohio in Newport, Kentucky. It was operational from 1803 until 1894.-History:In 1803, James Taylor Jr. solicited the help of his cousin, James Madison, who was then U.S...
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
from October 1865 to March 1866, and the occupation garrison of Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
, from March to August 1866. Following sick leave, he was assigned as Acting Assistant Inspector General
Inspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
and Judge Advocate of the Department of Arkansas from December 1866 to February 1867. He was then in command of Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...
until October 1867, and then of Fort Gibson
Fort Gibson
Fort Gibson, now located in Oklahoma and designated Fort Gibson Historical Site, guarded the American frontier in Indian Territory from 1824 until 1890...
and the District of Indian Territory until January 1868. On June 25, 1867, he was promoted to Colonel and assigned to the 6th U.S. Infantry. He served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Idaho Territory
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 4, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Idaho.-1860s:...
from June 1869 to November 1870, then at various times commanded Fort Dodge, Fort Hays, the post at Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs, Mississippi
Holly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and...
, Jackson Barracks in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, and the garrison in Helena, Montana
Helena, Montana
Helena is the capital city of the U.S. state of Montana and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. The 2010 census put the population at 28,180. The local daily newspaper is the Independent Record. The Helena Brewers minor league baseball and Helena Bighorns minor league hockey team call the...
. In 1871, he was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Infantry. He retired March 20, 1879.
Personal life
DeLancey Floyd-Jones was the fifth child of Major General Henry Onderdonk Floyd-Jones and Helen M. Watts. He was married twice, first on June 24, 1852 to Laura Jane "Jennie" Whitney of Rochester, New York (1827 - October 4, 1852) who died only three months after their wedding while Floyd-Jones was stationed in Washington; then on April 29, 1878, to Minnie Oglesby of New Orleans, LA (1858 - Oct 18, 1929) though they separated only a few years after their wedding but never divorced.Floyd-Jones traveled around the world many times, during leaves from the army and after his retirement in 1879. He documented these journeys in letters home, and frequently had his observations and descriptions of these faraway places published in local Long Island, New York newspapers such as The South Side Signal and The Hempstead Inquirer. He also published a well-reviewed book about his travels to India, China, and Japan in the late 1880s, entitled Letters From The Far East.
He was also the founder and builder, in 1896, of the first free library on the south shore of Long Island, the Delancey Floyd-Jones Free Library
Grace Church Complex (Massapequa, New York)
The Grace Church Complex is a historic Episcopal church complex in Massapequa, Nassau County, New York. The complex consists of the church, surrounding parish cemetery, the Floyd-Jones family cemetery, and the DeLancey Floyd-Jones Free Library. The small church was built in 1844 and remodeled in...
, contributing his personal books.
After retirement, he became more involved in the many social and military organizations he had joined over the years. In 1847, he was among the establishers of The Aztec Club of 1847. In 1885, he was elected treasurer of the club; in 1892 he presented the club with a silver centerpiece manufactured by Tiffany’s representing an ancient Aztec Teocali. The centerpiece is still used at their annual meetings to this day. In 1894 he was elected vice president of the club, and succeeded to the presidency the following year, while also remaining treasurer. He was also an active member of the South Side Sportsman’s Club, The St. Nicholas Society, the Loyal Legion of the United States, and was a lifetime member of the Sons of the Revolution.
A note on the hyphenation of his last name: DeLancey Floyd-Jones is descended from Major Thomas Jones (1665–1713) privateer and soldier, for whom Jones Beach, Long Island, is named; and Colonel Richard Floyd (1620-@1690). In 1757, Thomas Jones's granddaughter, Arabella Jones, married Colonel Richard Floyd IV, son of Richard Floyd III, whose will stated that his (sizeable) estate would be handed down to the first male issue of any issue with provision that the name be hyphenated to contain "Floyd." Arabella fulfilled that provision, and thus, the name was hyphenated Floyd-Jones. This is almost a shame since the family that the phrase "Keeping up with the Jones's" was created about was his family.
DeLancey Floyd-Jones was also related (through direct line or marriage) to William Floyd
William Floyd
William Floyd was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a U.S. Representative from New York.-Biography:...
and Philip Livingston
Philip Livingston
Philip Livingston was an American merchant and statesman from New York City. He was a delegate for New York to the Continental Congress from 1775 to 1778, and signed the Declaration of Independence.-Family history:...
, both signers of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of independence
A declaration of independence is an assertion of the independence of an aspiring state or states. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another nation or failed nation, or are breakaway territories from within the larger state...
; writer James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales, featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo...
; John Loudon McAdam
John Loudon McAdam
John Loudon McAdam was a Scottish engineer and road-builder. He invented a new process, "macadamisation", for building roads with a smooth hard surface that would be more durable and less muddy than soil-based tracks....
(creator of the road construction style named after him); Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
, Governor DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton , was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, short story writer, and designer.- Early life and marriage:...
, and Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
.
External links
- Guide to the Floyd-Jones Family Correspondence at The Bancroft Library