Jehu Glancy Jones was born on October 7, 1811 in Berks County, Pennsylvania. He was descended from David Jones who in 1721, at the age of twelve, emigrated from Merionethshire, Wales, to join relatives in the "Welsh Tract, " Radnor township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania. He later moved on to the Conestoga Valley, where, in Caernarvon Township, Berks County, his great-grandson, J. Glancy Jones, was born. His parents were Jehu Jones, a schoolmaster, and Sarah (Glancy) Jones.
Destined by them for the Episcopal ministry, at sixteen he entered Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio, and after preliminary work there, began the study of theology in Cincinnati.
In 1832 Jehu Jones returned to Pennsylvania to marry, and then went back to Cincinnati, where he continued his studies until 1834. In the summer of that year he returned, with his family, to the home of his wife's parents in Bensalem Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and in December was ordained deacon in the Protestant Episcopal Church by Bishop G. W. Doane.
On October 11, 1835, he was ordained to the priesthood in Christ Church, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
For about three years he devoted his attention to the upbuilding of several parishes in New Jersey and then, in 1838, entered the mission field and established a church at Quincy, Gadsden County, Florida. Although he was successful in his ministry, he felt that a mistake had been made in the choice of his profession, and began the study of law.
In 1841 he resigned his charge and completed his legal studies in Georgia, being admitted to the bar of that state the same year. He returned to Pennsylvania at once and was admitted to the bar at Easton, Pennsylvania, on April 19, 1842. On the same day he delivered an address advocating a protective tariff before a meeting of "friends of American Industry. "
On December 31, 1844, he moved his residence to Reading, Pennsylvania, and on January 7, 1845, was admitted to the Berks County bar. After holding a number of local offices, in April 1847 he was appointed district attorney for Berks County, and in May 1848 was a delegate to the National Democratic Convention and one of its vice-presidents.
He was a delegate to the Democratic state conventions in 1848, 1849, and 1855, serving as president in 1855. In 1850 he was elected to the Thirty-second Congress (1851 - 53), but declined to become a candidate in 1852, desiring to return to his legal practice. His successor, however, died shortly after the opening of the Thirty-third Congress and Jones consented to fill the vacancy, taking his seat again on February 13, 1854, and serving by successive elections until October 30, 1858, when he resigned.
He was again a delegate to the National Democratic Convention in 1856, where he took an active part in securing the nomination of his friend Buchanan for the presidency of the United States. In the campaign which followed he was a leader of the Buchanan forces.
After Buchanan's victory, he was considered for a place in the cabinet but owing to the opposition of a faction within the party he was not appointed. He was offered and declined the post of minister to Berlin. Unsuccessful as a candidate for reëlection to Congress in 1858, he resigned his seat to accept appointment as minister to Austria, in which capacity he served from December 15, 1858, to November 14, 1861.
Returning to Reading, Pennsylvania, he withdrew from active participation in politics and resumed the practice of law for some ten years. Failing health then caused him to retire and he died in Reading after a long illness. Four of his nine children survived him.
Jehu Glancy Jones's career was tightly connected to the Democratic party and was highlighted by a series of achievements. He was a delegate to the Democratic State conventions in 1848, 1849, and 1855 and was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1848 and 1856. In 1851, he was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-second Congress, serving until 1853. He was elected to the Thirty-third Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Henry A. Muhlenberg in 1854, reelected to the Thirty-fourth and Thirty-fifth Congresses and served to 1858. His other achievement towards the dusk of his political career was in his appointment as a Minister to Austria by President Buchanan, serving until 1861.
In his religious affiliation Jehu Jones was an Episcopalian and began the study of theology in Cincinnati.
Jones took an active part in politics, being a Democrat by inheritance and a personal adherent of James Buchanan.
Jones supported the Kansas-Nebraska bill and the Gadsden purchase, reported the bill to establish the United States court of claims, and was chairman of the committee on ways and means in the Thirty-fifth Congress.
On June 23, 1832 Jehu Glancy Jones was married to Anna Rodman. Together they had nine children, four of which survived him.
schoolmaster
1843–1916
1833–1838
1834–1886
1836–1836
1803–1871
1840–1923
1833–1834
1837–1912
American politician and Congressman (Democratic) representing the state of Pennsylvania.
