General James I. Jones (August 25, 1786 – September 3, 1858) was an American general who was prominent in New York life in the 1800s.
Early life
Jones was born on August 25, 1786, in New York. He was the third son of John Jones (1755–1806) and Eleanor (née Colford) Jones (1755–1824),[1] who were both of English descent. His elder brother, John Jones Jr., died without issue,[1] and his younger sister, Sarah Jones, was married to Peter Schermerhorn (the uncle to James' eventual wife).[2] James' cousin, Edward Renshaw Jones (the son of merchant Joshua Jones),[3] was married to Elizabeth Schermerhorn (the aunt to James' eventual wife of the same name), and was the grandfather of Edith (née Jones) Wharton and Frederic Rhinelander Jones.[4]
After his father's death in 1806, the family farm, known as Jones's Wood, was divided into lots among his Jones and his siblings, with James retaining the main house and its lot.[1] James' sister Sarah, who had married the shipowner and merchant Peter Schermerhorn,[4] received the parcel nearest to the city where the Schermerhorns first inhabited a modest villa overlooking the river at the foot of today's 67th Street.[10] James and Peter controlled land beyond their shares as trustees for other family members.[11] Later in life, Jones led the opposition to using his family's lands for the city's main park, thereby "paving the way for the creation of today's Central Park".[9]
Through his daughter Eleanor, he was the grandfather of Eleanor Colford Morris (1863–1863), who died young;[13] Augustus Newbold Morris (1868–1928)[22] who married Helen Schermerhorn Kingsland (granddaughter of New York City MayorAmbrose Kingsland);[23]Eva Van Cortlandt Morris (1869–1947),[24] who married Emile McDougall Hawkes[25][26][27][28] William Henry Morris (1871–1871), who also died young;[13] and Lewis Morris (1873–1875), who also died young.[13]
^Brown, Henry Collins; Council, New York (N Y. ) Common (1917). Valentine's Manual of Old New York. Valentine's manual, Incorporated. p. 155. Retrieved May 24, 2018.