- JONES, Burr W., a resident of Madison, one of the leading
members of the Madison bar, and
- an ex-member of congress, was born March 9th, 1846, in the
town of Union, Rock county, Wis., near the present village of
Evansville, the son of William JONES, a native of Pennsylvania,
who was married and came to Wisconsin in 1845, settled on a farm
in the town of Union, Rock county, in 1846, and died in 1855.
Burr W. JONES' mother, Sarah M. PRENTICE before marriage, was
born in Genesee county, New York, in 1825. After the death of
her husband, she married Levi LEONARD, one of the earliest settlers
in Rock county. They are still living in Evansville. On his father's
side Mr. JONES is of Welsh descent, although his grandfather
was born in Scotland, but came to Wisconsin at an early day,
The ancestors of his mother came from England, and several members
of the family were in the Revolutionary war.
- Mr. JONES had the usual experience of country boys of attending
the district school in winters
- and working on the farm in summers, and later had the opportunity,
by walking two miles, of attending the Evansville Seminary several
terms, and there made such preparation as he could for college.
He taught school several winters and in this way earned part
of the money to defray the expenses of a college course. He entered
the state university in 1866, taking the classical course; worked
on the farm during his vacations to assist in paying his expenses,
and graduated in 1870, with one of the honors of his class. During
his university course he was a member of the Hesperian society,
and participated in two of the public joint debates. After his
graduation from the literary course, he entered the law department,
at the same time studying in the offices of John D. GURNEE and
Wm. F. VILAS. He graduated from this department in 1871, being
the representative of his class at commencement. He began the
practice of his
profession, at Portage in the winter of 1871-2, but was soon
afterward offered a partnership with Judge A. S. SANBORN, and,
in the spring, returned to Madison. In the fall of 1872 he was
elected district attorney of Dane county on the Democratic ticket,
was re-elected in 1874, but declined to be a candidate for a
third term. Afterward, he was, for several years, city attorney
of Madison. His partnership with Judge SANBORN was dissolved
in 1873. Then followed successively partnerships with A. C. PARKINSON,
F. J. LAMB and E. Ray STEVENS, the latter being still in existence.
- Although Mr. JONES has always devoted himself to his profession,
he has taken an active interest
- in public affairs. His first political speeches were in the
Greeley campaign of 1872, and he has ever since been in demand
in political campaigns, and has given such time to his party
as could be spared from his professional duties. In the fall
of 1882, while trying a case in a distant county, he was notified
by telegram that he had been nominated as the Democratic candidate
for congress in the Third district, the nomination being wholly
unsought and unexpected. Although there seemed then little prospect
of success, as the campaign progressed the prospects brightened
and the situation was made more favorable for the young candidate
by the fact that a bitter struggle was waging in the Republican
camp between the rival candidates - E. W. KEYES and Geo C. HAZELTON.
As the contest progressed toward the close it became apparent
that Mr. JONES would be the victor, and he was elected by more
than 1,300 votes over the combined vote of both his opponents.
It was one of those "tidal wave" years, which have
become such a feature of American politics. The same year G.
L. WOODWARD and John WINANS, Democrats, were also elected to
congress from strong Republican districts. Mr. JONES was nominated
for reelection in 1884, and, although he ran largely ahead of
his ticket, he was defeated by the Republican candidate, Mr.
La Follette, and the district which had not before been lost
to the Republicans for many years was regained by them. During
his term in congress, Mr. JONES had an opportunity for much more
active service than new members usually have. He was second on
the important committee on war claims; and, as the chairman,
Judge Geddes of Ohio, was in feeble health much of the time,
and unable to perform the duties of chairman, such responsibilities
were thrown upon Mr. JONES that he often participated in the
debates and had charge of important business. During his service
in congress he was in accord with his party on the questions
of tariff, revenue and finance, and especially has been identified
with the movement for the reform of the civil service. On leaving
congress he continued his professional work, declining opportunities
for political preferment, but rendering his party service in
its campaigns. In 1892 he was temporary and permanent chairman
of the Democratic state convention, in Milwaukee, and, in his
address, indicated the lines on which the campaign should be
conducted; and, in the two years following, he was a member of
the state central committee. In the campaign of 1896, he, in
common with many other Democrats, declined to follow the leadership
of Bryan, and refused acquiescence in the doctrines of the Chicago
convention. He attended the Milwaukee convention which close
delegates to the Indianapolis National Democratic convention,
was selected one of those delegates, and was the one chosen to
present the name of Gen. Bragg to the convention as candidate
for president. This he did in an appropriate and impressive speech.
- In 1885 he was elected one of the professors in the law school
of the Wisconsin state university,
- and still holds that position, his subjects being evidence,
public corporations and domestic relations. He is the author
of a work on the law of evidence, which has met with much favor
in the profession, and has had an extended sale. His law practice
has been extensive, embracing the various branches of the profession,
including railroad land-grant questions before the courts and
the departments at Washington. He has also of late conducted
much litigation for and against municipalities and private corporations.
- Mr. JONES was married in December, 1873, to Olive I. HOYT,
daughter of Lansing W. HOYT,
- an old resident of Madison and former treasurer of Dane county.
They had one child - a daughter, Marion Burr JONES, aged thirteen
years.
- Mr. JONES was recently appointed by Gov. Scofield one of
a commission for a revision or
- unification of the tax laws, and is chairman of the commission.
-
- [Taken from "Men of Progress: Wisconsin" (c)1897
The Evening Wisconsin Company, Milwaulee, pp. 303-305]
Courtesy of Lori
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