Ephraim Jones
Encyclopedia
Ephraim Jones was a soldier, judge and political figure in Upper Canada
.
He was born in Weston, Massachusetts
in 1750. His father, Ephraim and five of his brothers served with the British
during the American Revolution
. He was taken prisoner in the Saratoga Campaign
of 1777 and later served with Edward Jessup
's Loyal Rangers. After the war, he settled west of the Ottawa River
in the area of Augusta Township
. He moved to the Montreal
area and became justice of the peace there in 1786. In 1788, he became a justice of the peace in the new Lunenburgh District and received a large land grant in August Township. He operated a mill and iron foundry on the Gananoque River
.
He served on the land board for Leeds
& Grenville
and was a judge in the district courts. He was elected to the 1st Parliament of Upper Canada
representing Grenville. He introduced a bill introducing trials by jury and supported the 1793 act prohibiting the further introduction of slave
s into Upper Canada.
He suffered from frail health in his later years and died in Augusta Township in 1812, aged 61.
His sons Jonas
and Charles
both served in the legislative assembly. His daughter Charlotte married Levius Peters Sherwood
and his daughter Eliza married Henry John Boulton
; both of these men became members of the assembly and judges.
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
.
He was born in Weston, Massachusetts
Weston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....
in 1750. His father, Ephraim and five of his brothers served with the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. He was taken prisoner in the Saratoga Campaign
Saratoga campaign
The Saratoga Campaign was an attempt by Great Britain to gain military control of the strategically important Hudson River valley in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War...
of 1777 and later served with Edward Jessup
Edward Jessup
Edward Jessup was a soldier, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1735 and moved with his family to Dutchess County, New York in 1744. In 1759, he served with Jeffery Amherst in the Lake Champlain region...
's Loyal Rangers. After the war, he settled west of the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
in the area of Augusta Township
Augusta, Ontario
Augusta is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada, on the Saint Lawrence River in the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.-Communities:The township comprises the communities of Algonquin, Bisseltown, Blue Church, Charlieville, Domville, Garretton, Glenmore, Herrons Corners, Lords Mills, Maitland,...
. He moved to the Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
area and became justice of the peace there in 1786. In 1788, he became a justice of the peace in the new Lunenburgh District and received a large land grant in August Township. He operated a mill and iron foundry on the Gananoque River
Gananoque River
The Gananoque River is a river in Leeds and Grenville County, Ontario which flows from Gananoque Lake near Delta, Ontario and empties into the Saint Lawrence River at Gananoque, Ontario in the Thousand Islands region....
.
He served on the land board for Leeds
Leeds County, Ontario
Leeds County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and merged with Grenville County in 1850 to create Leeds and Grenville County....
& Grenville
Grenville County, Ontario
Grenville County area is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario.The county was created in 1792, and named in honour of William Wyndham Grenville, 1st Baron Grenville, Secretary of State in 1790. The First settlers were Loyalist from the United States...
and was a judge in the district courts. He was elected to the 1st Parliament of Upper Canada
1st Parliament of Upper Canada
The 1st Parliament of Upper Canada was opened 17 September 1792. Elections in Upper Canada had been held in August 1792. All sessions were held at Navy Hall in Newark, later Niagara-on-the-Lake...
representing Grenville. He introduced a bill introducing trials by jury and supported the 1793 act prohibiting the further introduction of slave
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
s into Upper Canada.
He suffered from frail health in his later years and died in Augusta Township in 1812, aged 61.
His sons Jonas
Jonas Jones
Jonas Jones was a lawyer, judge, farmer and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Augusta Township, Upper Canada in 1791, the son of Ephraim Jones. He was educated at John Strachan's school in Cornwall and studied law with Levius Peters Sherwood in Elizabethtown...
and Charles
Charles Jones (Upper Canada politician)
Charles Jones was a businessman and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born in Montreal in 1781, the son of Ephraim Jones, and came to Augusta Township, then known as Township No. 7, in Upper Canada with his family in 1784...
both served in the legislative assembly. His daughter Charlotte married Levius Peters Sherwood
Levius Peters Sherwood
Levius Peters Sherwood was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born at St. Johns in Lower Canada, the son of Justus Sherwood. He studied law and was called to the bar in 1803. In 1804, he was appointed registrar for Grenville, Leeds, and Carleton and customs inspector...
and his daughter Eliza married Henry John Boulton
Henry John Boulton
Henry John Boulton, QC was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.He was born at Little Holland House, Kensington, England, the son of D’Arcy Boulton, in 1790. Some time later, the family settled in New York state and then moved to Upper Canada around 1800. He studied law at York ...
; both of these men became members of the assembly and judges.