Background
Jones was born in Monterey, Highland County, Virginia.
Jones was born in Monterey, Highland County, Virginia.
He attended the University of Virginia Law School graduating with distinction in 1868.
He enlisted in the Confederate States Army. He served as a Private in the 18th Virginia Cavalry. And according to the Fort Stevens Confederate order of battle the unit was assigned to Imboden"s and West.L. Jackson"s Brigade participating in the Gettysburg Campaign, skirmishing the Federals in western Virginia.
Later the cavalry served in the Shenandoah Valley before disbanding in April, 1865.
He established a law practice in Monterey, Virginia. Jones was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 1883.
In 1885 he was elected to the Virginia State Senate, serving the counties of Highland, Bath and Allegheny until 1897. He was the last Rector to serve the university before they adopted the presidential system for the school.
The first president of the University, Edwin A. Alderman was informally installed as President September 15, 1904.
The Honorable Charles P. Jones formally inducted the new president at a ceremony on Thomas Jefferson"s birthday anniversary, April 13, 1905 He died in Monterey, Virginia. The C.P. Jones House and Law Office at Monterey was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
From 1898 to 1906, he was a member of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia and in that first year was elected by the board to be the Rector of the University.