George Washington Jones (Tennessee politician)
Encyclopedia
George Washington Jones (March 15, 1806 – November 14, 1884) was an American politician who represented Tennessee
's fifth district in the United States House of Representatives
. He served in the Confederate States Congress during the American Civil War
.
, on March 15, 1806. He moved to Tennessee with his parents, who settled in Fayetteville
. He received a common school
and academical education, also apprenticed to the saddler's trade. He was a justice of the peace
from 1832 to 1835. He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
from 1835 to 1839. He served in the Tennessee Senate
from 1839 to 1841. He was clerk of Lincoln County
Court from 1840 to 1843.
He was elected as a Democrat
to the Twenty-eighth and to the seven succeeding Congresses. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1843 to March 3, 1859. During the Thirty-first Congress and the Thirty-second Congresses he was chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Rules
, and during the Thirty-fifth Congress he was chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Roads and Canals
. Jones represented the U.S. Congress at the swearing in of the terminally ill, newly elected Vice-President Willam Rufus deVane King
in Matanzas
, Cuba
.
With war impending, he was a delegate to the Peace Convention of 1861 held in Washington, D.C.
, in an effort to devise means to prevent the conflict, but he did not attend. He was elected from Tennessee as a member of the Confederate House of Representatives in the First Confederate Congress
and served from February 18, 1862, to February 18, 1864. He was not a candidate for re-election. Friend and former political ally President Andrew Johnson
pardoned Jones for his Civil War activities in June 1865.
Jones was a delegate to the State constitutional
convention in 1870. Jones strongly opposed the Poll Tax
provision of the 1870 Tennessee Constitution.
Jones died in Fayetteville, Tennessee, on November 14, 1884. He was interred
in Rose Hill Cemetery.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
's fifth district in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
. He served in the Confederate States Congress during 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...
.
Biography
Jones was born in King and Queen County, VirginiaKing and Queen County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 6,630 people, 2,673 households, and 1,897 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 3,010 housing units at an average density of 10 per square mile...
, on March 15, 1806. He moved to Tennessee with his parents, who settled in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Tennessee
Fayetteville is a city in Lincoln County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,994 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County.-History:...
. He received a common school
Common school
A common school was a public school in the United States or Canada in the nineteenth century. The term 'common school' was coined by Horace Mann, and refers to the fact that they were meant to serve individuals of all social classes and religions....
and academical education, also apprenticed to the saddler's trade. He was a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
from 1832 to 1835. He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives
Tennessee House of Representatives
The Tennessee House of Representatives is the lower house of the Tennessee General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Tennessee.-Constitutional requirements:...
from 1835 to 1839. He served in the Tennessee Senate
Tennessee Senate
The Tennessee Senate is the upper house of the Tennessee state legislature, which is known formally as the Tennessee General Assembly.The Tennessee Senate, according to the state constitution of 1870, is composed of 33 members, one-third the size of the Tennessee House of Representatives. Senators...
from 1839 to 1841. He was clerk of Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Tennessee
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. , the population was 31,340. Its county seat is Fayetteville. It is named for Major General Benjamin Lincoln, an officer in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
Court from 1840 to 1843.
He was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Twenty-eighth and to the seven succeeding Congresses. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from March 4, 1843 to March 3, 1859. During the Thirty-first Congress and the Thirty-second Congresses he was chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Rules
United States House Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules, or Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor...
, and during the Thirty-fifth Congress he was chairman of the U.S. House Committee on Roads and Canals
United States House Committee on Rules
The Committee on Rules, or Rules Committee, is a committee of the United States House of Representatives. Rather than being responsible for a specific area of policy, as most other committees are, it is in charge of determining under what rule other bills will come to the floor...
. Jones represented the U.S. Congress at the swearing in of the terminally ill, newly elected Vice-President Willam Rufus deVane King
William R. King
William Rufus DeVane King was the 13th Vice President of the United States for about six weeks , and earlier a U.S. Representative from North Carolina, Minister to France, and a Senator from Alabama...
in Matanzas
Matanzas
Matanzas is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. It is famed for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore.It is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas , east of the capital Havana and west of the resort town of Varadero.Matanzas is called the...
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
.
With war impending, he was a delegate to the Peace Convention of 1861 held in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in an effort to devise means to prevent the conflict, but he did not attend. He was elected from Tennessee as a member of the Confederate House of Representatives in the First Confederate Congress
First Confederate Congress
The First Confederate Congress was the first regular term of the legislature of the Confederate States of America. Members of the First Confederate Congress were chosen in elections mostly held on 6 November 1861.-Sessions:...
and served from February 18, 1862, to February 18, 1864. He was not a candidate for re-election. Friend and former political ally President Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson
Andrew Johnson was the 17th President of the United States . As Vice-President of the United States in 1865, he succeeded Abraham Lincoln following the latter's assassination. Johnson then presided over the initial and contentious Reconstruction era of the United States following the American...
pardoned Jones for his Civil War activities in June 1865.
Jones was a delegate to the State constitutional
Tennessee State Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Tennessee defines the form, structure, activities, character, and fundamental rules of the U.S. State of Tennessee....
convention in 1870. Jones strongly opposed the Poll Tax
Poll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
provision of the 1870 Tennessee Constitution.
Jones died in Fayetteville, Tennessee, on November 14, 1884. He was interred
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
in Rose Hill Cemetery.