Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1858-05-13
From Frank Leslie's illustrated Newspaper.
Hon. George Washington jones,
OF TENNESSEE.

!, OF TENNESSEE.
: In the life of Mr.. Jones We ha,
e a striking instance Of that indelat
I gable spirit, the true characteristic
: superior intellect, which forces i
e way from social obscurity to tn
t highest stations in the public seryic'
He is descended from "the people,
his ancestors having neither rank nc
fortune, and be never forgets the elias
! from which he sprung. He was Dor
on the 10Th of March, 1906, in Kin
and Queen county, Virginia. Hi
estimable mother (whose maideI
name was Jane Slaughter) died wher
be was young, and in 1916 his fathe
(James jones' married for the tbir(
time; and emigrated into Tennessee
He settled in Giles county, where hi
resided until his decease, in 1920
Young George, thus forced to gain bi:
daily bread by honest labor, was ap.
prenticed, when in bis sixteenth year
to Robert and William Dickson, oI
Fayetteville, to learn t'e art and
trade of saddler. He served his
apprenticeship of four and hall
years faithfully, and at its expiration
worked as journeyman saddler for
the Messrs. Dickson until the fall Of
1880, when he farmed a copartner-
ship with Mr.. John T. Morgan, with
whom he carried on the saddlery bu-
siness in Fayetteville until the year
1884. During all this time be had
only short term of education at the
County Academy, in addition to bis
previous boyish attendance at "Old
Field" or rather New Country
Schools; but he let no opportunity
pass of improving his mind, and of
acquiring useful information. This
n turally brought him to the notice Of
the community in which he lived, as
a young man who vas worthy Of con-
fdence.
In October, 1882, be was appoint
ed and commissioned by the Tennes-
see Legisla ure a Justice of the Peace
for Lincoln county. In 1884, bis
fellow justices chose him one of the
Quorum to hold the Court of Common
Pleas and Quarter Sessions. He also
had charge, curing the year 1884, of
the oflice, an( be discharged the du-
ties Of County Registrar of Deeds.
In January. 1885. be resigned :.he
office of Justice of the Peace and of
the Quorum, aid took charge of the !
office of Clerk o. Common Pleas and
Quarter Sessions. In March, 1885,
he people of tennessee adopted
new Constitution, ly which the county
IF Lincoln became entitled to two
Representatives in the popular branch,
md when the time of election ap-
preached, Mr.. Jones, with five others,
oecame a candidate. aud was elected
oy a majority of five hundred and
fifty votes over his ophnents.
In August, 1887, Mr.. Jones was
he first in that Legislature to state
lis approval of that pan of Mr.. Van
3uren's message which recommended
he Sub Treasury, as the proper way
# divorcing the public Business from
hat of banking associations.
In August, 1889, Mr., Jones was
.lected to represent in the State Sen
tie the district composed ofitbe eoun-
les of Lincoln and Giles, by The hand
ONE majority of two THOUSAND three1
lundred and fifty,six votespver his
Vhig competitor, the former senator..
n the spring of lS43, he became a
andidate' for Congress in the Encoln
District, most of which had ben IN I
he district originally representa- by {
James X. Polk, and although OPPOSED {
" Democrat who had high legal j
md private reputation, be was aect- I
u by majority Of two thousandtwo I
and seventy votes. Mvo- +,
.ating at Washington the same soc- t
rines which he supported at hane, I
nd carefully attending to the Ute f
ests Of his constituents. he was lre-
lected in 1916, in 1S47, in 1879. I
nd again in 1851, without caucufs, t
nominations or opp@i-
ion. In 1852 the boundaries OF lis {
Iistriet we're changed, but he was agan q
e-elecbed in August, 1858, without {
pposition, or convention, or nomip- {
ion. In February, 1855, he a.
Iressed a letter to his constituents,
Ieclining a reelection at the coming j
Iugust, and as several aspirants fF !
he succession presented themselves t