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Note: 1792 - 1845
Son of Judge John Rice Jones and Mary Barger.
Husband of Sarah Heard.
Brother of Myers Fisher Jones, George Wallace Jones, and AugustusJones.
Uncle of Amelia Scott Jones Fariss.
He is known to have been a personal friend of Stephen F. Austin, sincethey were boyhood playmates in Potosi, Missouri.
He served in the War of 1812 at age 20 under Gen. (or Capt.) HenryDodge, as did Theodore Augustus Jones age 16, George Wallace Jones,drummer boy at age 12, Andrew Scott, and John Scott.
In Stephen F. Austin's Register of Families, Vol. 1, Page 13: "Todaycertificates were issued to the following gentlemen, and were granteduntil February 1, 1831 to bring their families from Missouri: John(Rice) Jones, Myers Fisher Jones, John Hawkins." In Vol. 1, Page 73,line 383, his wife is Mary, age 30, and they have 4 boys, 1 girl at thistime (1831 ?). "Age 38, arrived 4/10/1829", with 4 boys, ome girl, andapparently 6 slaves, according to a Stephen F. Austin book at the NGSConference in Houston June 1994.
He came to Texas in 1831 and probably settled first in what is nowBrazoria County. He was granted a league of land in Fayette County onCummins Creek, near Round Top, and he called it Fairland Farm.
Actually his full name was John Jones, but after the death of hisfather, he took the middle name of Rice to distinguish himself fromseveral other John Jones of those times. Since many Texas heroes hadcome to escape debtor's prison in other states, there may have beenseveral "John Jones."
As shown on old Texas maps, the "John Rice Jones League" is a hugepiece of land 3 miles southwest of Shelby, or 10 miles south of RoundTop. A hand-written note from Lyda Fariss Wilson reports thatStephen F. Austin owed the family some money. The Jones boys came toTexas from Caledonia, Missouri and got land in payment for the debt.The land was near Round Top, says Lyda.
He enlisted in the Texas Army under Gen. Stephen F. Austin on October6, 1835.
John Rice Jones, who lived near Round Top, was appointed the firstPostmaster General of Texas on Oct. 23, 1835, and served until 1836.He was Postmaster General under the three forms of the Republic ofTexas: Provisional 1835-1836 under Henry Smith; Ad Interim under DavidG. Burnett; and Constitutional under Mirabeau B. Lamar. On Dec. 14,1839 he was reappointed Postmaster General by President Lamar. Lamarwas President from Dec. 10, 1838 until Dec. 13, 1841.
He served in the cabinets of Gov. Henry Smith, Pres. David G. Burnet,and Mirabeau B. Lamar. He was a friend of Stephen F. Austin andconsidered Gen. Sam Houston a dear friend.
Anson Jones, the Texas Secretary of State, is no relation.
He wrote a letter to his brother, George Wallace Jones in Dubuque,Iowa on June 18, 1840 from "Peach Creek," the plantation home of hisfriend, James F. Perry, in Brazoria County. He needed money: "Pleasesell my part of our father's land; you keep half for your trouble; sendme the other half." He entrusted the letter to a friend to be mailed inCincinnati, but it was posted in Louisville, Kentucky. The Perry familyis proud and well-noted in South Texas for keeping Peach Creek in thefamily for so many generations. Cotton, cattle, and then oil.
He was one of the Executors of the Will of Col. William B. Travis, andhad the obligation to take care of the Travis children. The otherExecutor of the Will was ex-Governor Henry Smith.
His name is listed on a historical marker on the square at Round Top.
He is listed in the 1974 Giddings newspaper article as "the famousTexas pioneer," and as the first Postmaster General of the Republic ofTexas.
There are numerous references to him in Chapter V of "Missouri'sStruggle for Statehood" by Shoemaker.
He died on his place "Fairland Farm" on Cummins or Cummings Creek,Fayette County TX in 1845.
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