Contra Costa County Biography

MADISON RALPH JONES

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta, December, 2006.

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
                  Characterized by the same energetic activity, mental vigor, 
and business foresight that distinguished his father, Madison Ralph Jones, holds 
a high position among the leading attorneys of San Francisco and the Bay 
Counties. He was born in Martinez, California, December 15, 1872, the son of 
Hon. Joseph P. Jones, who was a native of Owen County, Indiana, and was born on 
January 27, 1844. When he was nine years of age his parents removed to Marion 
County, Oregon, where he attended the public schools and afterwards entered the 
Willamette University at Salem, graduating in 1864. In 1865 he returned to his 
native State and attended the State University at Bloomington, where he 
graduated from the law department in 1867. Returning to Oregon, he remained for 
a time, and then located in the mining section of northern California, where he 
resided until December, 1869. In that year he came to Martinez and entered upon 
the practice of his profession and achieved success. He was appointed deputy 
district attorney under H. Mills, and continued in this office until the fall of 
1875, when he was nominated and elected on the Republican ticket to the office 
of district attorney, which office he held until March, 1878. In the fall of 
1880 he was elected to the Assembly and served at the general and extra sessions 
of the legislature, being a number of the judiciary committee, as well as 
chairman of the committee on federal relations. Mr. Jones practiced his 
profession in Martinez with H. Mills under the firm name of Mills & Jones for a 
long period. Mr. Jones was elected by the people of Contra Costa County to 
represent them as superior judge, and served in this capacity for thirteen 
years. His death occurred in January, 1900. Madison Ralph Jones, the subject of 
this review, acquired his education in the public and high schools, after which 
he attended the University of California, graduating in 1895, receiving the 
degree of A.B. He graduated from the Columbian Law School, Washington D.C., with 
the degree of B.L.L. in 1897. In 1900 he returned to Martinez and practiced law 
until he removed to San Francisco, when he entered the law firm of Titus, Creed, 
Jones & Dall. Mr. Jones served as a member of the State legislature in 1911. He 
was married to Carolyn L. Oliver, of Oakland, February 12, 1908. To this union 
have been born Madison Ralph Jr., Oliver Randolph, and Carleton Letts. 
Politically, Mr. Jones adheres to the principles advocated in the platform of 
the Republican party.
 
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California," Elms Publ. Co., 1917, 
pp, 614-615.