Joel Jones

Background

Joel was born on October 25, 1795 at Coventry, Connecticut, United States, the son of Amasa and Elizabeth (Huntington) Jones. His father was a merchant and farmer and the first years of his life were spent on the farm.

Education

In his spare time Jones prepared himself for college, with the help of his pastor and the encouragement of his mother, and despite the opposition of his father and uncle, entered Yale College in 1813, taking rank from the first as a leader in his class. At the same time, however, he maintained his academic standing and even pursued some medical studies outside of his course. He graduated with second rank in the class of 1817.

Career

At the age of fifteen Joel entered the store of an uncle at Hebron, Connecticut, as a clerk. His family shortly met with financial reverses, and to support himself he tutored the sons of Judge Bristol of New Haven.

After graduation, he immediately entered the office of Judge Bristol and at the same time registered at the Litchfield Law School. His family had removed to Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and as soon as his training was completed he joined them there and was admitted to the bar of Luzerne County, but subsequently moved to Easton, Pennsylvania, where he developed a large practice.

In 1830 he was appointed one of the commissioners to revise the civil code of the state, and he wrote the report of the commission. In 1834 he moved to Philadelphia, and on April 22 of the following year was elected associate judge in the district court of the city and county. Ten years later, April 8, 1845, he became presiding judge of this court, but was forced by failing eyesight to resign in 1847. He was shortly elected (December 15, 1847) as first president of Girard College, Philadelphia, founded under the will of Stephen Girard, and he opened the institution on January 1, 1848. Since, however, the duties of his office soon became irksome, and his educational ideas were not in accord with those of the board of directors, he served but eighteen months, resigning June 1, 1849.

Immediately thereafter he was elected mayor of Philadelphia. Failing of reelection the next year, he resumed his law practice, which he continued until his death. A volume, Notes on Scripture (1861), was published after his death.

Achievements

• Joel Jones was one of three commissioners to revise the civil code of Pennsylvania. His most famous case was that of Barnet vs. Ihrie, in which the remedy of assize of nuisance was revived. He took an active interest in educational affairs and was one of the founders of Lafayette College at Easton, Pennsylvania. A contributor to the American Law Register and to several English legal publications, he was also the compiler of A Syllabus of the Law of Land Office Titles in Pennsylvania (1850).

Works

More photos

• book

  • Notes On Scripture (1860)

    (This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of th...)

  • Funeral Discourse on the Hon. Joel Jones, LL.D.: Delivered in the Second Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, Feb. 6, 1860...

    (This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923. T...)

Religion

For some time Joel was a prominent leader in the Presbyterian Church. He defended his belief in the literal fulfilment of scriptural prophecies.

Views

Jones regarded the law as a lofty science and its practice as the application of ethical principles in accordance with the rules of logic.

Membership

Jones was a member of the American Philosophical Society.

Personality

Jones showed special ability in cases that required research into forgotten law. His knowledge of the law was considerable, although it was derived more from the ancient than the modern books and for this reason he sometimes found it difficult to apply his legal ideas to new problems.

Besides, he was versed in seven languages, he was a thorough scholar in Hebrew and Greek, and a student of the Bible.

Connections

His wife was Eliza Perkins Sparhawk of Philadelphia, whom he married June 14, 1831. They had six children.

Father:

Amasa Jones

Mother:

Elizabeth (Huntington) Jones

Spouse:

Eliza Perkins Sparhawk

References

• (Custom Reprint) Yearbook: 1927 Girard High School - Reflector Yearbook (Girard, OH)
• Martin's Bench and Bar of Philadelphia
• Historical Sketches Of Lafayette College: With An Account Of Its Present Organization And Courses Of Study (1876)