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| caption =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1827|3|12}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1827|3|12}}
| birth_place = [[Rockingham, Virginia]] [[United States|U.S.]]
| birth_place = [[Rockingham County, Virginia]] [[United States|U.S.]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1901|4|1|1827|3|12}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1901|4|1|1827|3|12}}
| death_place = [[Harrisonburg, Virginia]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| death_place = [[Harrisonburg, Virginia|Harrisonburg]], [[Rockingham County, Virginia]] [[United States|U.S.]]
| resting_place = [[Harrisonburg, Virginia]]
| resting_place = Woodbine Cemetery, Harrisonburg, Virginia
| occupation = educator, soldier, judge
| occupation = educator, soldier, probate official
| education =[[Virginia Military Institute]]
| education =[[Virginia Military Institute]]
| party =
| party =
| spouse = Sarah Louisa Brashear Jones
| spouse = Sarah Louisa Brashear Jones
| children =
| children = Mary (acknowledged)
| residence =
| residence =
| religion =
| religion =
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|unit= [[33rd Virginia Infantry]]<br>[[48th Virginia Infantry]]
|unit= [[33rd Virginia Infantry]]<br>[[48th Virginia Infantry]]
|serviceyears=1861-1863
|serviceyears=1861-1863
|rank=<!-- [[File:Confederate_States_of_America_Brigadier general.png|35px]] --> [[Brigadier general (United States)|Colonel]]
|rank=<!-- [[File:Confederate_States_of_America_Brigadier general.png|35px]] --> [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]]
|battles = [[First Battle of Manassas]], [[Valley Campaign|Shenandoah Valley Campaign]], [[Seven Days Battles]], [[Battle of Antietam]], [[Battle of Chancellorsville]]
|battles = [[First Battle of Manassas]], [[Valley Campaign|Shenandoah Valley Campaign]], [[Seven Days Battles]], [[Battle of Antietam]], [[Battle of Chancellorsville]]
}}
}}


'''John Robert Jones''' (March 12, 1827&ndash;April 1, 1901) was a [[Virginia]] educator who became a controversial [[Brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]] in the [[Confederate States Army]] during the [[American Civil War]], and later served as a commissioner in chancery in [[Harrisonburg, Virginia|Harrisonburg]].
'''John Robert Jones''' (March 12, 1827&ndash;April 1, 1901) was a [[Virginia]] educator who became a [[Brigadier general (United States)|brigadier general]] in the [[Confederate States Army]] during the [[American Civil War]], during which he twice received severe wounds. After the war, he became a merchant and later served for decades as a commissioner in chancery (probate official) in [[Harrisonburg, Virginia|Harrisonburg]].


==Early and family life==
==Early and family life==
Born in [[Rockingham County, Virginia]] to David Jones (d. 1879) and his wife the former Harriet Yost (d. 1875). J.R. Jones had 3 brothers and three sisters. J.R. Jones graduated from the [[Virginia Military Institute]]. He then became the principal of a military school in [[Urbana, Maryland]].<ref>Find a Grave no.11002</ref>
Born in [[Rockingham County, Virginia]], in the [[Shenandoah Valley]] to David Jones (d. 1879) and his wife the former Harriet Yost (d. 1875). J.R. Jones had 3 brothers and three sisters. He graduated from the [[Virginia Military Institute]], then became the principal of a military school in [[Urbana, Maryland]].<ref>Find a Grave no.11002</ref>
He married Sarah Brashear (1832-1878), one of the daughters of Thomas Cook Brashear (1805-1851) of [[New Market, Maryland]], but the couple had no children.<ref>Find a Grave no.31359258</ref><ref>1870 U.S. Federal Census for Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia p. 9 of 71</rEf> Three years before his wife's death, Jones fathered a child with freed slave Malinda Rice, who had begun working in their household at age 16. Jones would eventually acknowledge Marie Magdalene Rice as his granddaughter, as described by her daughter (his granddaughter) [[Carrie Allen McCray]].<ref>Carrie Allen McCray, Freedom's Child: the Life of a Confederate General's Black Daughter (Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books 1998) ISBN:1-565121864</ref>
He married Sarah Brashear (1832-1878), one of the daughters of Thomas Cook Brashear (1805-1851) of [[New Market, Maryland]], but the couple had no children.<ref>Find a Grave no.31359258</ref><ref>1870 U.S. Federal Census for Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia p. 9 of 71</ref> Three years before his wife's death, Jones fathered a child with freed slave Malinda Rice, who had begun working in their household at age 16. Jones would eventually acknowledge Marie Magdalene Rice as his granddaughter, as described by her daughter (his granddaughter) [[Carrie Allen McCray]].<ref>Carrie Allen McCray, Freedom's Child: the Life of a Confederate General's Black Daughter (Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books 1998) ISBN:1-565121864</ref>


==American Civil War==
==American Civil War==
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Jones raised a volunteer company, the Rockingham Confederates, which became Company I, [[33rd Virginia Infantry]]. He began his career as [[Captain (United States)|captain]] of that company and fought at the [[First Battle of Manassas]]. In early 1862, he was promoted to [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]] of the 33rd. He fought in General [[Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson]]'s [[Valley Campaign|Shenandoah Valley Campaign]] in the spring of 1862 and was appointed to command a [[brigade]] in the Stonewall Division. He commanded the brigade throughout the [[Seven Days Battles|Seven Days fighting]] at the [[Battle of White Oak Swamp]] and [[Battle of Malvern Hill|Malvern Hill]], where he was wounded.
At the outbreak of the Civil War, Jones raised a volunteer company, the Rockingham Confederates, which became Company I, [[33rd Virginia Infantry]].<ref>Lowell Reidenbaugh, 33rd Virginia Infantry (Virginia Regimental History Series, Lynchburg, H.E. Howard Inc. 1987) ISMB0-930919378<ref> Initially commissioned as [[Captain (United States)|captain]] on June 22, 1861, he fought at the [[First Battle of Manassas]]. On August 21, 1861, he was promoted to [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|lieutenant colonel]] of the 33rd. He fought in General [[Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson]]'s [[Valley Campaign|Shenandoah Valley Campaign]] in the spring of 1862, under Col. [[John Francis Neff]] (a Lutheran minister's son and fellow VMI graduate died of wounds received in the [[Second Battle of Manassas]] on August 28, 1862). Jones was then appointed to command a [[brigade]] in the Stonewall Division. He commanded the brigade throughout the [[Seven Days Battles|Seven Days fighting]] at the [[Battle of White Oak Swamp]] and [[Battle of Malvern Hill|Malvern Hill]], where he was wounded, mustered out and recommissioned.


Jones rejoined the army during the [[Maryland Campaign]] and took command of the Stonewall Division, leading it in capturing the [[Union Army|Union]] outpost at [[Harpers Ferry]]. At the [[Battle of Antietam]], he was stunned by a shell burst. Though not actually wounded, he was forced to relinquish command. Following the Maryland Campaign, he was tasked with rounding up deserters in the [[Shenandoah Valley]].
Jones healed and rejoined the army during the [[Maryland Campaign]] and took command of the Stonewall Division, which then captured the [[Union Army|Union]] outpost at [[Harpers Ferry]]. At the [[Battle of Antietam]], his brigade and that led by Winder were on the front line and attacked early on September 17. They held the line for about an hour before partially retreating. However, a nearby shell burst stunned Jones and caused hearing loss, so he relinquished his command to Brig. Gen. [[William E. Starke]], who fell mortally wounded, leaving Col. A.J. Grigsby in command. Following the Maryland Campaign, Jones returned to the [[Shenandoah Valley]], and was tasked with rounding up deserters.


Jones rejoined the [[Army of Northern Virginia]] the day before the [[Battle of Fredericksburg]] when he returned to command his old brigade. After Fredericksburg, charges of [[cowardice]] were levelled against him by several subordinates, who claimed he had used a tree for protection. He was acquitted in April 1863 after a month-long trial, but again charged with cowardice for leaving the [[Battle of Chancellorsville|Chancellorsville]] battlefield because of an ulcerated leg. He was never given a field command again and was seized by Federal troops on July 4, 1863, near Smithsburg, Maryland. He was imprisoned for the rest of the war with no desire by [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] authorities to affect an exchange.
Jones rejoined the [[Army of Northern Virginia]] the day before the [[Battle of Fredericksburg]] when he returned to command his old brigade. After Fredericksburg, charges of [[cowardice]] were levelled against him by several subordinates, who claimed he had used a tree for protection. He was acquitted in April 1863 after a month-long trial, but again charged with cowardice for leaving the [[Battle of Chancellorsville|Chancellorsville]] battlefield because of an ulcerated leg. He was never given a field command again and was seized by Federal troops on July 4, 1863, near [[Smithsburg, Maryland]]. He was imprisoned for the rest of the war with no desire by [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]] authorities to affect an exchange.


==Postwar==
==Postwar==

Revision as of 21:55, 2 January 2020

For other people named John Jones, see John Jones (disambiguation).
John Robert Jones
Personal details
Born(1827-03-12)March 12, 1827
Rockingham County, Virginia U.S.
DiedApril 1, 1901(1901-04-01) (aged 74)
Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia U.S.
Resting placeWoodbine Cemetery, Harrisonburg, Virginia
SpouseSarah Louisa Brashear Jones
ChildrenMary (acknowledged)
EducationVirginia Military Institute
Occupationeducator, soldier, probate official
Military service
Allegiance Confederate States of America
Branch/service Confederate States Army
Years of service1861-1863
RankBrigadier General
Unit33rd Virginia Infantry
48th Virginia Infantry
Battles/warsFirst Battle of Manassas, Shenandoah Valley Campaign, Seven Days Battles, Battle of Antietam, Battle of Chancellorsville

John Robert Jones (March 12, 1827–April 1, 1901) was a Virginia educator who became a brigadier general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War, during which he twice received severe wounds. After the war, he became a merchant and later served for decades as a commissioner in chancery (probate official) in Harrisonburg.

Early and family life

Born in Rockingham County, Virginia, in the Shenandoah Valley to David Jones (d. 1879) and his wife the former Harriet Yost (d. 1875). J.R. Jones had 3 brothers and three sisters. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute, then became the principal of a military school in Urbana, Maryland.[1] He married Sarah Brashear (1832-1878), one of the daughters of Thomas Cook Brashear (1805-1851) of New Market, Maryland, but the couple had no children.[2][3] Three years before his wife's death, Jones fathered a child with freed slave Malinda Rice, who had begun working in their household at age 16. Jones would eventually acknowledge Marie Magdalene Rice as his granddaughter, as described by her daughter (his granddaughter) Carrie Allen McCray.[4]

American Civil War

At the outbreak of the Civil War, Jones raised a volunteer company, the Rockingham Confederates, which became Company I, 33rd Virginia Infantry.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).[5]

Although his only daughter, Mary, was raised by her maternal uncle John and his wife, the general continued to employ Malinda as his housekeeper, and often visited. He bought books for Mary and took her to visit her grandmother Martha in Singer's Glen. When his wife died in 1878, Jones sold his house and moved in with the family of his merchant friend Jonas Lowenbach, and also bought a small house for Malinda (who had married her fiance Caleb Rice) and her children. Nonetheless, his acknowledgment of Mary's paternity had social repercussions for both him and his child.[6] The 1900 U.S. Federal Census shows Mills living with 33-year old black female servant Loisa Mills and her three young sons.[7]

Death and legacy

Jones died in 1901 and is buried beside his wife in Harrisonburg's Woodbine Cemetery.[8] His granddaughter's book about her family secret was published in 1998.

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Find a Grave no.11002
  2. ^ Find a Grave no.31359258
  3. ^ 1870 U.S. Federal Census for Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia p. 9 of 71
  4. ^ Carrie Allen McCray, Freedom's Child: the Life of a Confederate General's Black Daughter (Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books 1998) ISBN:1-565121864
  5. ^ 1880 U.S> Federal Census for District 71, Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia p. 5 of 63
  6. ^ McCray pp. 42-44
  7. ^ 1900 U.S. Federal Census for district 60, Central Rockingham County, Virginia p. 13 of 72
  8. ^ Find a Grave no.11002

References

  • Eicher, John H., and David J. Eicher, Civil War High Commands. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2001. ISBN 978-0-8047-3641-1.
  • Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Civil War. New York: Facts On File, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8160-1055-4.
  • Sifakis, Stewart. Who Was Who in the Confederacy: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Biographical Reference to More Than 1,000 of the Principal Confederacy Participants in the Civil War New York: Facts on File, 1988. ISBN 978-0-8160-2204-5.
  • Warner, Ezra J. Generals in Gray: Lives of the Confederate Commanders. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1959. ISBN 978-0-8071-0823-9.
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