Samuel Jones (MP)
Encyclopedia
Sir Samuel Jones was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1656 and 1660. Although a parliamentarian in the English Civil War
he later became a strong Royalist.
Jones was the second son of Isaac Jones, Merchant Taylor of Austin Friars, London and Petersham and his wife Elizabeth Prince, daughter of Richard Prince of Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury. He was educated at Shrewsbury in 1622. During the Civil War, Jones commanded a parliamentary regiment under the Earl of Manchester, but his services were not needed by the New Model Army. He was commissioner for defence for Surrey in 1643 and commissioner for assessment for Surrey in 1644. He was J.P.
for Surrey from 1644 to 1652. In 1652 he succeeded to propety in Shrewsbury on the death of his father and added to it property at Courteenhall and other purchases. He was commissioner for assessment for Westminster in 1652 and High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
from 1652 to 1653.
In 1656, Jones was elected Member of Parliament
for Shrewsbury
in the Second Protectorate Parliament
. He was commissioner for assessment for Surrey in 1657 and commissioner for militia for Shropshire in 1659. He was commissioner for militia for Shropshire and Northamptonshire in March 1660. In April 1660 he was elected MP for Shrewsbury in the Convention Parliament. He offered a loan to the exiled Court, and 24 May he was one of five Members sent into the City to raise £2,000 for the King who failing to raise the sum agreed to advance the whole amount themselves. in the parliament he showed himself as an ultra-Royalist, taking a hard line against regicedes and others who benefitted from the Commonwealth. He was commissioner for assessment for Shropshire and Denbighshire from August 1660 to 1661 and commissioner for assessment for Northamptonshire from August 1660 to 1669. He was knighted on 2 September 1660. From 1661 to his death he was colonel of the militia for Northamptonshire and from 1662 to his death he was JP for Northamptonshire. In 1663 he inherited further property in Shropshire on the death of his brother Sir William Jones of Berwick. He was High Sheriff of Shropshire
from 1663 to 1664 and was secretary and auditor to the council in the marches of Wales from 1663 until his death. He was commissioner for assessment fro Oxfordshire from 1665 to 1669. He became a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber in 1667. From 1669 to 1670 he was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire.
Jones died at the age of 63, and was buried at Courteenhall. He left bequests to endow a school at Courteenhall and almshouses on his estate in Shropshire. He also left £500 to provide interest-free loans to young tradesmen in Shrewsbury.
Jones married firstly by 1647, Margaret Middleton, daughter of Timothy Middleton of Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex and secondly by licence issued on 1 June 1669, Mary Tryon, daughter of Peter Tryon of Bulwick, Northamptonshire.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
in 1656 and 1660. Although a parliamentarian in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
he later became a strong Royalist.
Jones was the second son of Isaac Jones, Merchant Taylor of Austin Friars, London and Petersham and his wife Elizabeth Prince, daughter of Richard Prince of Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury. He was educated at Shrewsbury in 1622. During the Civil War, Jones commanded a parliamentary regiment under the Earl of Manchester, but his services were not needed by the New Model Army. He was commissioner for defence for Surrey in 1643 and commissioner for assessment for Surrey in 1644. He was J.P.
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...
for Surrey from 1644 to 1652. In 1652 he succeeded to propety in Shrewsbury on the death of his father and added to it property at Courteenhall and other purchases. He was commissioner for assessment for Westminster in 1652 and High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
High Sheriff of Northamptonshire
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Northamptonshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
from 1652 to 1653.
In 1656, Jones was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Shrewsbury was a parliamentary constituency in England, centred on the town of Shrewsbury in Shropshire.It was founded in 1290 as parliamentary borough, returning two members to the House of Commons of England until 1707, then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the...
in the Second Protectorate Parliament
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...
. He was commissioner for assessment for Surrey in 1657 and commissioner for militia for Shropshire in 1659. He was commissioner for militia for Shropshire and Northamptonshire in March 1660. In April 1660 he was elected MP for Shrewsbury in the Convention Parliament. He offered a loan to the exiled Court, and 24 May he was one of five Members sent into the City to raise £2,000 for the King who failing to raise the sum agreed to advance the whole amount themselves. in the parliament he showed himself as an ultra-Royalist, taking a hard line against regicedes and others who benefitted from the Commonwealth. He was commissioner for assessment for Shropshire and Denbighshire from August 1660 to 1661 and commissioner for assessment for Northamptonshire from August 1660 to 1669. He was knighted on 2 September 1660. From 1661 to his death he was colonel of the militia for Northamptonshire and from 1662 to his death he was JP for Northamptonshire. In 1663 he inherited further property in Shropshire on the death of his brother Sir William Jones of Berwick. He was High Sheriff of Shropshire
High Sheriff of Shropshire
The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere or are now defunct, so that its functions...
from 1663 to 1664 and was secretary and auditor to the council in the marches of Wales from 1663 until his death. He was commissioner for assessment fro Oxfordshire from 1665 to 1669. He became a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber in 1667. From 1669 to 1670 he was High Sheriff of Oxfordshire.
Jones died at the age of 63, and was buried at Courteenhall. He left bequests to endow a school at Courteenhall and almshouses on his estate in Shropshire. He also left £500 to provide interest-free loans to young tradesmen in Shrewsbury.
Jones married firstly by 1647, Margaret Middleton, daughter of Timothy Middleton of Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex and secondly by licence issued on 1 June 1669, Mary Tryon, daughter of Peter Tryon of Bulwick, Northamptonshire.