The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-23

ed in Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and
West, except the Pacific coast. He
was Iowa's first senator, and in early
days was prominent in national affairs,
especially of the Northwest.
George Wallace Jones has had a remarka- (
Bile career. Born at Vincennes, Ind, April IL, I
1904, he was drummer boy in the war Of
1872, and won distinction in the Black Hawk
war. He was the last delegate to congress
from the territory of Michigan, the first dele
gate from Wisconsin and the first United
states senator from the state of Iowa, and he
selected the names Wisconsin and Iowa. He
has known every president since Monroe was
In the escort of Lafayette was business part
congress of Thomas H. Benton, Charles Sum-
ner, Stephen A. Douglas, William H. Seward
and James Buchanan, was an intimate friend
of John c.. Calhoun, Martin Van Buren, Henry
Clay, John G. Fremont, Jefferson Davis and
Franklin Pierce, was q minister to South
America before the. war, was party to seven
AFFAIRS OF honor, caught the dying victim
Of the Cilley-Graves duel In his arms, was
imprisoned by Seward on suspicion of being
in collision with Jefferson Davis was the
Chesterfield of Washington society nearly fifty
years ago. was once, the richest man In Iowa,
but in his latter years has had little income
except pension of $40 a month granted
eighty years after his service as a drummer
boy. To these must be added many minor dis
tinctions. '-s,.e..f 81 e.-sss' ~
STORY. OF, HIS EARLY LIFE. ~
General Jones is the son of John Rice Jones'
mentioned in history as the friend of Ben
jamin Franklin. The father was for years
chief justice Of the supreme court of Missouri.
The family lived at ST. Genevieve Mo-, in
1874 and when Captain Linn was commiss-
stoned to raise company of soldiers young
Jones the drummer boy who marched
about the streets in that service. He grad
uated from Pennsylvania university at Lex
ington, KY, in 1925. Henry Clay was his col
lege guardian. In 1928 he was sergeant of the
body guard of Andrew Jackson on his way to
washington to take his seat as United States
senator. When Lafayette revisited America
the young student was selected by congress as
member of a reception committee and escort
ed the French patriot through Kentucky.
When the Black Hawk war broke out in
1882 he enlisted as aid-de-camp to Gen. Henry
Dodge, father of his colleague as United
States senator from Iowa. After the war
the pioneers of Michigan territory chose him
colonel of militia without his knowledge; al
though son of Alexander Hamilton was a
candidate. Later ehe5 became "a major gem
eral. While organizing a company ofosob-
diers at what is now Mineral Point, Wis, be
not sought. the place. ..,,,,,,,5,srrse Il, se.,l
REPRESENTED A VAST TERRITORY.
In 1885 he was elected delegate to con-
gress from the territory Of Michigan, which
then embraced all the country from Lake
Huron to the Pacific, the largest district ever
represented by one man in congress One
of his first acts was to introduce bill for
the formation of Wisconsin territory which
comprised most of the country west of Lake
Michigan. He took the name from the Ouis-
consin river, so named by Marquette, and Sc
cured the passage of his bill before the bill
admitting Michigan to statehood was passed.
He was elected delegate from Wisconsin
while still holding that position from Michi-
gan. He introduced and secured the passage
of the bill creating the territory Of Iowa
President Van Buren, appointed him sur
veyor general of the Northwest territory, and
he became a resident of Dubuque. Presi-
dent William Henry Harrison removed him.
but he was reappointed by President Polk.
He was chosen first United States senator
from Iowa In 1848, position to which he
was reelected In 1859 he was appointed
minister to the country now known as COL
ombia. While there he wrote letter to
Jefferson Davis, who had been lieutenant
with him in the Black Hawk war. Jones
did not know Of the beginning of the war
and the terms Of his letter to his old friend
put him under suspicion when 1t fell into
the hands of Secretary Seward. Gen. Jones
was recalled and imprisoned in Fort Lafay-
cite for sfxty-four days President Lincoln
became convinced of his innocence and or
Jones retired from public life.
At one time he and Daniel Webster were
partners In the town site of Madison, Wis,
and Sioux City, 10. He acted as second for
Jonathan Ciley In the fatal duel with William
j. Graves in 1888. In 1892 congress voted him
pension for services in the war of 1872 and
the Black Hawk war. 1t also reimbursed
him for services while in South America.
After graduation young Jones lived three
years at st. Genevieve, studied law and was
clerk Of the United States district court for
Missouri. His health gave out and his physf-
clan ordered him into the woods to recuperate.
Accompanied by a dozen slaves and a number
Of hired men, he went to Sinsinawa Mound
then in Michigan territory, but now in Wis
censin not far from Dubuque. He engaged in
mining, smelling, farming and merchandising
living a simple, rough life which restored his
health, and he boosted freedom from sickness
for nearly seventy years thereafter.