My Genealogy Hound

Gen. Daniel W. Jones, formerly attorney-general of Arkansas, but now one of the leading practicing lawyers in Little Rock, was born December 15, 1839, in the then Republic of Texas. He is a son of Dr. Isaac N. Jones, of Granville County, N. C., a physician of note while residing in that State, but who at the time of Daniel’s birth was a member of the Texas Congress. In politics the elder Jones was a Whig, and a leader of his party. Shortly after the birth of his son he removed to Arkansas and purchased a large plantation in Lafayette County. The greater portion of his time was spent in Washington, Ark., but while at his plantation inspecting the machinery of his gins and presses, a boiler in one of the gins exploded and killed him instantly. This occurred February 11, 1858. His wife before marriage was a Miss Elizabeth W. Littlejohn, of Oxford, N. C. The issue of their union was eight children, of whom seven lived to maturity and five yet remain. The mother died January 27, 1867, at the age of sixty-two years. Daniel W. was reared in Hempstead County, and received a good education at the high school of that place. When twenty years of age he commenced the study of law with the late Judge John R. Eakin, of the State supreme court, but the Civil War commencing in 1861 interrupted his studies. He enlisted in Gratiot’s regiment of State troops, and remained with them until after the battle of Oak Hills when the regiment was then disbanded. Mr. Jones then raised a company of his own, of which he was made captain, and that body was mustered in as Company A, of the Twentieth Arkansas Confederate troops. At the battle of Corinth he was severely wounded by being shot through the body. At that time he had been promoted to the rank of major, but upon his recovery, in December, 1862, he was made colonel of the regiment and served in that rank until almost near the close of the war, when he was given command of a brigade. Gen. Jones was married on February 9, 1864, to Miss Margaret P. Hadly, of Ashley County, Ark., and shortly after the war had ended resumed his law studies and was admitted to the bar in September, 1865. He commenced practicing in the same year at Washington, Ark., and in January, 1866, was appointed prosecuting attorney without any solicitation on his part, his appointment being made by Gov. Murphy on recommendation of members of the bar of that county. After his time had expired, the General continued his practice until 1874, when he was elected prosecuting attorney of the Ninth judicial circuit, serving one term. In 1876 he was presidential elector for the then Second Congressional district, for Tilden and Hendricks, and in 1880 was a presidential elector at large in Arkansas for Hancock and English. In 1884 he was a candidate for attorney general before the Democratic convention. He was nominated and elected in September of that year, and in 1886 was a candidate for re-election and had no opposition. Since his retirement from office (January 18, 1889), he has continued in the practice of law, but has made his home in Little Rock since 1885. Gen. Jones is a member of the Masonic and Odd Fellow fraternities and also of the State Bar Association. He is also a stockholder in the Little Rock board of trade. In religious belief he belongs to Grace Episcopal Church. Seven children have been born to him and his wife, of whom five are yet living, two daughters and three sons: Claudius (who was married to Miss Gabie Beauchamp, by whom he has a daughter named Virginia), Elizabeth W., Bobbie N., Daniel W., Jr., and Howard H. Mrs. Jones and the remainder of the family are also members of the same church.