J. William Jones

J. William Jones
Born John William Jones
September 25, 1836
Louisa County, Virginia
Died March 17, 1909
Columbus, Georgia
Education University of Virginia
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Occupation Preacher
Title Reverend
Spouse(s) Judith Page Helm
Children

1.Carter Helm Jones, 2.Edloe Pendleton Jones, 3.Francis William Jones,

4.Meredith Ashby Jones, 5.Howard Lee Jones.
Parent(s) Francis William Jones
Ann Pendleton Ashby Jones

J. William Jones (25 September 1836 – 17 March 1909) was an American Southern Baptist preacher. He served as a Confederate chaplain during the American Civil War of 1861-1865. Later, he was campus minister at Washington and Lee University, the University of Virginia and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He wrote many books about the Lost Cause and Christianity.

Early life

John William Jones was born on September 25, 1836 in Louisa County, Virginia.[1][2][3][4] His father was Francis William Jones and his mother, Ann Pendleton Ashby Jones.[2] He graduated from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1859.[2][4] He then joined the first class to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Greenville, South Carolina.[1][2][4]

Career

Jones became a Baptist minister at Little River Baptist Church in Louisa County, Virginia.[2] During the American Civil War of 1861-1865, he served as a chaplain in the Confederate States Army.[1][2][3][4][5] In his writings about the wartime chaplaincy, he recalled that Colonels often discouraged religion as they feared it might give soldiers qualms about killing the enemy, but the yeoman soldiers demanded it and saw sermons as their privilege.[6]

After the war, Jones served as Baptist minister in Lexington, Virginia.[2] He then served as campus minister at Washington College, later known as Washington and Lee University, in Lexington, Virginia.[2] He then served as campus minister at his alma mater, the University of Virginia, and at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.[2]

Jones served as secretary of the Southern Historical Society from 1875 to 1887, and as chaplain-general of the United Confederate Veterans from 1890 to 1909.[2] He was a proponent of the Lost Cause, arguing that the Confederate States of America had been righteous in waging a holy war.[1] He wrote an article about Lexington, Virginia entitled "The Old Virginia Town, Lexington" in the first issue of the Confederate Veteran in 1893.[7]

Personal life

Jones married Judith Page Helm in December 1860.[2] They had five children.[2] Four of their sons became Baptist ministers.[1]

Death

Jones died on March 17, 1909 in Columbus, Georgia.[1][2]

Bibliography

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 David S. Williams, J. William Jones (1836-1909), New Georgia Encyclopedia, 06/15/2004
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 A Guide to the J. William Jones Papers, 1861-1892, Library of Virginia
  3. 1 2 Faith Baptist Church
  4. 1 2 3 4 John Wesley Brinsfield , The Spirit Divided: Memoirs of Civil War Chaplains : the Confederacy, Macon, Georgia: Mercer University Press, 2006, p. 194
  5. ↑ Gary W. Gallagher, Alan T. Nolan, The Myth of the Lost Cause and Civil War History, Indiana University Press, 2000, p. 204
  6. ↑ Mark Summers, The Great Harvest: Revival in the Confederate Army During the Civil War, Acton Institute, Religion & Liberty, Volume 21, Number 3
  7. ↑ Goff, Reda C. (Spring 1972). "The Confederate Veteran Magazine". Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 31 (1): 48. JSTOR 42623281. (Registration required (help)).
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