Hampden Sydney College - Kaleidoscope Yearbook (Hampden Sydney, VA)

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Soon thereafter he married Miss Catherine Harris. a lady of education and high personal and social character. To the duties of a physician he added those of a planter. and lived the life of a country gentleman, surrounded by all the comforts that broad acres, numerous serv- ants. and troops of friends could supply. But in those days, in later, politics was the peculiar malady of Yirginiansg and in 1804 Doctor Jones consented to represent, his county in the General Assembly - a position he filled at various intervals until 1829. liihile a member of the Assembly he was elected by that body a member of the Privy Council. and served in that capacity. under the elder Governor Tyler, from 1809 to IS! 1. The Council was a relic of colonial times. and had been handed down as a sort ot' executive cabinet. under the first constitution. Its political and personal character was ot' considerable consequence at that date. A vacancy in Congress occurred in the Nottoway District in ISIS, by the death of Colonel Peterson lloodwyn. of llinwiddie. Doctor Jones contested for the seat but was defeated in the poll by General John Pegram. of Dinwiddie. The following year he again stood for election against General Pegram, and was successful. The issue in the election was perhaps rather one of men than measures, and he was re-elected in N21 without. opposition. As a member of Congress Doctor Jones stood regularly by the measures of his partyethc Republic-auf, and voted for the Missouri Compro- mise against the protests of .lohu Randolph and iVilliam S. Archer. In 1825, by a new apptmrtioiunent of the state. Nottoway was thrown into the Amelia districtfthen and long after represented by William S. Archeix- and Doctor .lones was not again a candidate for Congress. ln 182-L, he was identified with the Crawford wing of the licmocratic, or Republican, party, and was a presidential elector upon that ticket,- a position he held for his party through Hve consecutive national elections. ending his public career as Yan Buren elector in 1840. Doctor Jones was an imlustrious student - a man of taste and learning. His temper was conservative and his judgment greatly respected by contemporaries. He took no part in Congressional debate. Yet in this respect custom has much changed since that day, for then many ofthe wisest and ablest of statesmen did not participate in public discussion. The late Doctor William S.Whitehas left on record the opinion that lloctor Jones' modesty and diffidenee alone kept him from becoming a distin- guished debater in our national councils. His manners were those of an accomplished gentleman, bred in the best schools of two continents, polished, yet dignified almost to the point of austerity. His portrait in the state library. from the hand of H. Memin, exhibits the regulation dress of that day. with a face of intelligence, benevolence, and dignity. In early life, like so many of the cultured men in that time of Virginia, he was imbued with the free thought and infidel theology of the French revolution. At Paine- yille. now a decayed hamlet in the county of Amelia, an infidel club was organized. under the eaves of Chinquepin, an old colonial church. It was named for Tom Paine, and so the village after it. Doctor Jones became a prominent member of this clubg and tradition has it that XVilliam B. Giles, subsequently Senator and Governor, was a leading spirit. But upon the death of an only surviving child and daughter the Doc- tor was led to make a profession of religion, and some years thereafter became practi- cally the founder of the l'resbyterian church in Nottoway County. lt was at Moun- tain Hall that Doctors iYillia.m S. VVhite and Theoderick Pryor found a home during their early ministry in that cause. and it was his liberality. in large measure, which supplied the financial means of support. 12

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Ho was one- of thc- first to zulvocatc- tht- cause ol' ll'lllIl0l'2l,ll1'f' in that ser xuulu lmlmlic-aulrlresslivhilnntCvll:11'Ci'vck,i11Nottow:iv, wasannongthefirst tlf-lix um in that region upon that suhjf-vt. lloL'lo1'.lOI1ffs helongcsl to that school of public nu,-n who c-onsitlvrwl slaveix in evil, to bv gotten riil of ut. sonu- future 111132 :intl was, of Q-ourst-, on I'll'lllClPlC,lt1l Q 1 vipzitionist. He was iclentifiwl with several of the leruling colonizaition societies int lookotl to flc-portziton of the negro :is the possible solution of the great problc' still1-onfrontsthc country. llis will provides forthe nianunlission unfl tleportntion to liilwria Ul'Sllf'llUi'l1lSOWllSlilYt'S1lS shoultl Choose tliGi1'l'r0mlou llvlvft l1UKl0SC6llllLil1lS,Iillll fliml :it Mountain Hull April 25th. IS-19. His wimlow sillwivwl hini z1 tlozc-n i'0:11's. Ho was the product :intl a typo oi' Ii civilation that was overthrown at X1 ponuittox, and cannot 1'eappGa.r in history. Among thosi- of his ilay :intl pvoplc tt xx were wiser. and none nu'-rv just. Waixrlzn A, Wars- Memories In the evening by the fireside When our daily tasks are done And from chamber walls steal slowly Day streaks fading one by one, Then we sit in silence musing While we watch the embers glow, And past days in memory pictures Quickly come and quickly go. Scenes of joy, scenes of sorrow, Many an old familiar friend, Errors made in youth and manhood, All in one another blend. Embers falling soon to ashes Oft remind of loved ones gone, Lives that brightened but to perish Leaving us to wander ong But we love to sit, and musing Watch the embers ruddy glow, Living till the lamps are lighted In the days of long ago. 13 in whim h