Samuel was born on July 26, 1734 at Fort Hill, Long Island, New York, United States, the son of William and Phoebe (Jackson) Jones. His grandfather, Major Thomas Jones of Strabane, County Tyrone, Ireland, in 1692 was in Jamaica, where he held a privateer's commission from James II. In that year also he appeared in Rhode Island, where he married Freelove Townshend.
Samuel Jones had a limited education at Hempstead.
After studies Jones became a sailor in the merchant service and made several voyages to Europe. Tiring of the sea, he entered the office of Judge William Smith to study law. Jones's association with Judge Smith and his connections through marriage led him to espouse the cause of the colonists, though his father remained loyal to the Crown. In the days of agitation preceding the Revolution, he served as a member of the Committee of One Hundred, a provisional war committee whose object was to support the actions of the Continental Congress.
He did not take up arms in the war, however, but spent most of his time at West Neck, Long Island, caring for his law practice. Conditions were described by John Morin Scott, in a letter dated November 15, 1775: "Every office shut up almost but Sam Jones', who will work for 6/ a day and live accordingly".
At the close of the war he rapidly gained repute as a real-estate lawyer. In 1782 Jones and Richard Varick were appointed to collect and reduce into proper form for legislative enactment all such statutes of Great Britain as were continued in force under the constitution of 1777. The revision of Jones and Varick became authoritative and "may be regarded as the only comprehensive digest or revision of the laws of New York down to 1800".
From 1786 to 1790 Jones represented Queens County in the New York Assembly, and he was in the Senate from 1791 to 1797. He held the office of recorder of New York City from 1789 to 1796. In 1806 and 1807 he was unsuccessful as Federalist candidate for the state Senate.
Retiring from public life to his farm at Oyster Bay, he wrote for the New York Historical Society several critical and valuable letters on the early history of New York. He died in 1819.
Though not so well known today as some of his more famous contemporaries Samuel Jones was an outstanding figure in the public life of his time. He was a delegate to the state convention which ratified the new federal Constitution(Jones). At first opposed to the Constitution, he was won over by Hamilton, and he was influential in securing the assent of Governor Clinton and his party. Besides, for his contributions and suceccful work Jones was appointed by Governor Jay to draft the law for establishing and regulating the office of comptroller.
Quotes from others about the person
According to New York Legal Observer, "His learning was vast. His principles were ultra conservative. He was the man above all others to adapt the system of laws to the new condition of things, and on every subject of that description the Legislature followed him implicitly, while upon any subject connected with politics, they were sure to be on the other side, with entire unanimity".
According to Chancellor Kent, "no one equalled him in his accurate knowledge of the technical rules and doctrines of real property, and in familiarity with the skillful and elaborate but now obsolete and mysterious black letter learning of the common law".
In 1765 Jones married Eleanor, daughter of Cornelius Turk, a merchant, and on her death he married in 1768 Cornelia Haring (also spelled Herring), whose grandfather was later a member of the Congress which adopted the Declaration of Independence. His son Samuel Jones, 1770-1853, was also a distinguished member of the legal profession.
