Iowa
Old Press
Jackson Sentinel
Maquoketa, Jackson County, Iowa
May 30, 1872
GEN. GEORGE W. JONES
Visit of a distinguished pioneer to Milwaukee
We had the pleasure of receiving a call at the News office
yesterday from Gen. George W. Jones, of Dubuque, one of the most
distinguished men in the public history of the Northwest. His
visit was made in company of B. K. Miller, Esq.
Gen. Jones is a native of Indiana and was bred a lawyer. He was
appointed Clerk of the United States District Court, Missouri, in
1830, served as aid de camp to George Henry Dodge in the Black
Hawk War, was Colonel of the militia in 1832, and was afterwards
promoted to Major General-in 1835 he was elected delegate to
Congress in the Territory of Michigan, and was chiefly
instrumental in procuring the land grant for the Milwaukee and
Rock River Canal. He was second to the Cilley-Graves duel and
failed of an election in 1838. In 1839 he was appointed Surveyor
General of the Northwest Territory by President Van Buren, was
removed in 1841 on political grounds, but was reinstated by
President Polk in 1845 and held office until 1848. In 1848, on
admission of Iowa into the Union he was elected United States
Senator for a fractional term ending in 1853, when he was
re-elected and served until 1859. He was then appointed Minister
to Guatamala and remained in that office until 1861. In that year
during the terrible excitement in political affairs and on the
opening of the war he was arrested and confined a short time in
Fort Warren on a fictitious charge of disloyalty.
Gen. Jones was in early time a great favorite of Wisconsin people
and he is now remembered with great honor and kindness by the old
settlers. An interesting relic of the past lies before us in a
letter to him by Solomon Juneau, Byron Kilbourn, Gen. Reed, F. A.
Winfield, Giles A. Brisbaine, William Brown and George A.
Dousman, dated August 23rd, 1837, rendering him a public dinner,
which he was obliged to decline as he was hurrying on to
Washington, and his passage was engaged in the boat which left
the next morning. We also have a similar complimentary expression
from the citizens of Racine, the well remembered name of B. B.
Cary, standing at the head of the best of the list of signers
Gen. Jones is in the enjoyment of a vigorous old age, yet not so
old as to preclude the hope that he has many years of usefulness
before him. He is greatly interested in works of internal
improvement, and is engaged in active business and professional
pursuits at his home in Dubuque which we hope soon to be
connected by rail.-Milwaukee News.
[transcribed by K.W., August 2009]