Jones was a physician and Texas politician, serving as the last elected president of the Republic. Jones was born in Massachusetts in 1798 and received his medical license in 1820. He practiced medicine or ran drugstores in many locations before getting his M.D. from Jefferson Medical College in 1827. He gave up medicine and moved to New Orleans in 1832. Friends convinced him to give Texas a try, and he moved to Brazoria and opened a medical practice there. Jones was elected as a representative to the Texas Congress where he quickly took an active interest in foreign relations. After his term, Sam Houston appointed him as minister to the US where he opposed annexation and worked to gain recognition for Texas. When recalled to Texas, he assumed William Wharton’s Senate seat and actively opposed President Lamar’s policies. He was appointed Secretary of State under President Houston, and his main work was trying to get both recognition from Mexico as well as an offer of annexation from the US. He continued this policy after being elected President in 1844, though this made him widely unpopular as sentiment overwhelmingly favored annexation. He was able to delay long enough to get a treaty of recognition of Mexico and presented both options for approval, but the Texas Congress approved the resolution for annexation and censured Jones. After annexation, Jones returned home where he became a prosperous planner. He also felt like his accomplishments and work for Texas were being overlooked, and he grew increasingly angry as he was passed over for a Senate seat he wanted and felt he deserved. He committed suicide in Houston in 1858.
