Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jones, John (1791-1889)

1400726Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 30 — Jones, John (1791-1889)1892Daniel Lleufer Thomas ‎

JONES, JOHN (1791–1889), archdeacon of Liverpool, son of Captain Rice Jones (who was of Welsh descent) by Mary his wife, was born 5 Oct. 1791, in the parish of St. George's, Hanover Square, London. He was privately educated, entered St. John's College, Cambridge, in 1811, and graduated B.A. in 1815 and M.A. in 1820. In February 1815 he was ordained to the curacy of St. Mary's, Leicester, but soon afterwards became first incumbent of St. Andrew's Church, Liverpool, which Sir John Gladstone had built. There was, it is said, but one evangelical minister in Liverpool before Jones's arrival (W. E. Gladstone on ‘The Evangelical Movement’ in Gleanings of Past Years, vii. 213–14). His ministry, in spite of opposition, was so successful that the church had to be enlarged. In December 1850 he succeeded, on the death of his second son, C. J. Graham Jones, to the incumbency of Christ Church, Waterloo (in Liverpool), and in 1855 he was appointed to the archdeaconry of Liverpool, in succession to Brooks, the first archdeacon. This post he held until 1887. A serious accident had incapacitated him from preaching since 1883. He died on 5 Dec. 1889, in his ninety-ninth year, being at the time probably the oldest clergyman in the church of England.

Jones married in 1816 Hannah, daughter of John Pares, banker, of Leicester, and of Hopwell Hall, Derbyshire, by whom he had one daughter, who remained with him until his death, and seven sons, of whom five took holy orders.

Jones was the author of the following works: 1. ‘Sermons,’ London, 1829, 8vo. 2. ‘Expository Lectures on the Acts of the Apostles,’ 2 vols. London (Leicester printed), 1841, 12mo. 3. ‘Lectures on the Types of the Old Testament,’ 2 vols. London (Leicester printed), 1845, 12mo. 4. ‘Hints on Preaching,’ London (Leicester printed), 1861, 12mo. 5. ‘The Wedding Gift,’ 12mo, four editions. Many of his sermons preached on national occasions were also separately published; the first was preached just after the battle of Waterloo, on behalf of the widows and orphans.

[Liverpool Daily Post, 6 Dec. 1889; Pall Mall Gazette, 6 Dec. 1889; Guardian, 11 Dec. 1889; Luard's Graduati Cantabr.]

D. Ll. T.

Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.170
N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line

Page Col. Line  
185 i 7 f.e. Jones, John (1791-1889): for ninety-eighth read ninety-ninth