J.R. Jones

J. Ras Jones

Full Name: James Ras Jones
Date of birth: August 26, 1834
Date of death: February 26, 1916

Terms of Service top

Chamber District Dates of Service Legislatures Party City/County Note Counties in District
H 14 Jan 13, 1903 - Jan 10, 1905 28th (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)   Democrat Long Branch / Panola   Panola
H 7 Jan 13, 1891 - Jan 10, 1893 22nd   Democrat Pinehill / Panola   Panola
H 7 Jan 8, 1889 - Jan 13, 1891 21st (7) (8) (9)   Democrat Pinehill / Panola   Panola
H 7 Jan 11, 1887 - Jan 8, 1889 20th (10)   Democrat Pinehill / Panola   Panola
H 7 Jan 13, 1885 - Jan 11, 1887 19th (11)   Democrat Carthage / Panola   Panola

(1) R. Ras Jones, Longbranch, Panola County. "Members of the Twenty-Eighth Legislature, House of Representatives," 11/9/1902, p. 24. Galveston Daily News.
(2) PINEHILL, TEXAS. "Pinehill, also known as Pine Hill, is on a hill covered with pine trees eleven miles east of Henderson in far eastern Rusk County." Handbook of Texas Online.
(3) Long Branch, Panola County. House Journal.
(4) Long Branch, Panola County. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(5) Pine Hill. Texas Legislative Manual.
(6) Long Branch. Year Book for Texas, Volume II, 1903.
(7) Democrat. Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas: List of Senators and Representatives.
(8) Democrat. Legislative Reference Library Card File.
(9) Roster of Representatives of the 21st Legislature, "Twenty-First Legislature: Members of the House, Address, Occupation and Politics," Galveston Daily News, 1/5/1889, p. 2, crediting Abilene Library Consortium. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(10) Roster of senators and representatives of the 20th Legislature with their postoffice address, Austin Weekly Statesman, "Governmental," 12/30/1886, p. 6. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(11) "Maj. J. Ras Jones . . . a sound Democrat." Fort Worth Daily Gazette, 11/11/1884, p. 6. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers.

Terms of Service top

House District 14
Jan 13, 1903 - Jan 10, 1905
Legislatures: 28th (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Long Branch / Panola
Counties in district: Panola
House District 7
Jan 13, 1891 - Jan 10, 1893
Legislatures: 22nd  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Pinehill / Panola
Counties in district: Panola
House District 7
Jan 8, 1889 - Jan 13, 1891
Legislatures: 21st (7) (8) (9)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Pinehill / Panola
Counties in district: Panola
House District 7
Jan 11, 1887 - Jan 8, 1889
Legislatures: 20th (10)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Pinehill / Panola
Counties in district: Panola
House District 7
Jan 13, 1885 - Jan 11, 1887
Legislatures: 19th (11)  
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Carthage / Panola
Counties in district: Panola

(1) R. Ras Jones, Longbranch, Panola County. "Members of the Twenty-Eighth Legislature, House of Representatives," 11/9/1902, p. 24. Galveston Daily News.
(2) PINEHILL, TEXAS. "Pinehill, also known as Pine Hill, is on a hill covered with pine trees eleven miles east of Henderson in far eastern Rusk County." Handbook of Texas Online.
(3) Long Branch, Panola County. House Journal.
(4) Long Branch, Panola County. Members of the Texas Congress 1836-1845; Members of the Texas Legislature 1846-2004, 2005.
(5) Pine Hill. Texas Legislative Manual.
(6) Long Branch. Year Book for Texas, Volume II, 1903.
(7) Democrat. Biennial Report of the Secretary of State of the State of Texas: List of Senators and Representatives.
(8) Democrat. Legislative Reference Library Card File.
(9) Roster of Representatives of the 21st Legislature, "Twenty-First Legislature: Members of the House, Address, Occupation and Politics," Galveston Daily News, 1/5/1889, p. 2, crediting Abilene Library Consortium. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(10) Roster of senators and representatives of the 20th Legislature with their postoffice address, Austin Weekly Statesman, "Governmental," 12/30/1886, p. 6. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
(11) "Maj. J. Ras Jones . . . a sound Democrat." Fort Worth Daily Gazette, 11/11/1884, p. 6. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers.

Biographical Information top

Resolutions and Journal entries

  • 22nd Legislature (1891) - J. Ras. Jones, postoffice Pine Hill, nativity Georgia, age 56, farmer, 24 years in Texas, member of previous legislatures: 19th, 20th, 21st. House Journal.

Biographical Sketches

  • Biography of Louis Jones - J. Ras Jones arrived in Panola County in 1867 and later served as State Representative; reprinted from Rusk County History. Lady Texian County Research Pages.

Other Resources

  • J. Ras Jones of Carthage, Panola County, born circa 1835. Confederate pension application disapproved 3/25/1907; War Department memo. Pension File No. 02820, Alabama, Texas and Virginia, U.S., Confederate Pensions, 1884-1958. Ancestry.com.
  • "Mortuary - Father of Mrs. W. R. Jones Dead," 3/25/1916, p. 4. Also notes "Judge W.R. Jones of Brownsville, whose father, J. Ras Jones, died in Clayton [Panola County], Texas, a month ago . . . " Brownsville Herald.
  • "Personals," 12/21/1910, p. 3. "J. Ras Jones of Carthage, Tex., arrived in the city yesterday to spend a month at the home of his son, Attorney W.R. Jones. The older Mr. Jones bears the distinction of having served for fourteen years in the State legislature." Brownsville Herald.
  • Census of 1870 - J.R. Jones, Carthage, Panola County, age 36, born circa 1834 in Georgia, farmer, wife Emily, children John, Charles, Lizzie, Emily.
    Census of 1880 - James R. Jones, Precinct 8, Panola County, age 45, born circa 1835 in Georgia, farmer, wife Emily E., children John R., Charles S., Ever E., Emily J. , William R., Martha V.
    Census of 1900 - Junius Jones [James R. Jones], Justice Precinct 8, Panola County, age 66, born Aug. 1834 in Georgia, farmer, wife Emily E., children Dorsey, Cora.
    Census of 1910 - J. Ras Janes [J. Ras Jones], Justice Precinct 8, Panola County, age 75, born circa 1835 in Georgia, widowed, living in household of daughter Belle Jones and son-in-law Joseph H. Jones. FamilySearch. 1870 1880 1900 1910
  • J. Ras Jones, birth date 8/26/1834, death date 2/26/1916, burial in Pinehill Baptist Cemetery, Pinehill, Rusk County. Find a Grave.
  • Mentioned in Personnel of the Texas State Government for 1885, 19th Legislature, 1885.
  • Mentioned in Personnel of the Texas State Government with Sketches of Distinguished Texans, 20th Legislature, 1887.
  • 28th Legislature (1903) - J. Ras Jones, postoffice Pine Hill, nativity Georgia, age 68, farmer, member of former legislatures: 19th-22nd, Democrat. Texas Legislative Manual.

Photographs

  • Photograph. J.R. Jones, 28th Legislature, State Preservation Board
  • Photograph. J.R. Jones, 21st Legislature, State Preservation Board
  • Photograph. J. Ras. Jones, 19th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

Committee Information top

28th R.S. - 1903
Claims and Accounts  
Examination of Comptroller's and Treasurer's Accounts  
Penitentiaries  
Public Debt (Chair) 
State Asylums  
22nd R.S. - 1891
Commerce and Manufactures  
Penitentiaries  
Public Building and Grounds  
Representation and Apportionment on Senatorial and Representative Districts  
Roads, Bridges and Ferries (Chair) 
Town and City Corporations  
21st R.S. - 1889
Constitutional Amendments  
Public Health and Vital Statistics  
Roads, Bridges and Ferries (Chair) 
State Asylums  
20th R.S. - 1887
Comptroller's and Treasurer's Office, Examine (Chair) 
County Government and County Finance  
Revenue and Taxation  
State Lunatic Asylum, Charges Against Management and Condition of Female Inmates (Chair) 
Stock and Stock Raising  
19th R.S. - 1885
County Governments and County Finances  
Public Debt  
Revenue and Taxation  

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.