Anson Jones
| Anson Jones | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 5th President of Texas | |
|
In office December 9, 1844 – February 19, 1846 |
|
| Vice President |
Kenneth L. Anderson (1844–1845) None (1845–1846) |
| Preceded by | Sam Houston |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 20, 1798 Great Barrington, Massachusetts |
| Died | January 9, 1858 (aged 59) Houston, Texas |
| Cause of death | Suicide |
| Nationality | American |
| Children | Samuel, Charles, Sally and Cromwell |
| Profession | Physician |
Anson Jones (January 20, 1798 – January 9, 1858) was a doctor, businessperson, member of Congress, and the fourth and last President of the Republic of Texas, sometimes called the "Architect of Annexation".
Jones was born on January 20, 1798, in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. There is no information between his birth and 1820. In 1820, Jones was licensed as a doctor by the Oneida, New York, Medical Society, and began medical practice in 1822. However, his practice did not prosper, and he moved several more times before finally being arrested in Philadelphia by a creditor. He stayed in Philadelphia for a few more years, teaching and practicing medicine, until in 1824 he decided to go to Venezuela.
Later, Jones returned to Philadelphia, earned an M.D., and reopened his practice. He never had much success as a doctor, and in 1832 he renounced medicine and headed for New Orleans, where he entered the mercantile trade. Once again, though, Jones's dreams were thwarted. Though he safely weathered two plagues, his business efforts never met with any success and within a year he had no money.
He was a member and Past Master of the Masonic Harmony Lodge #52 of Philadelphia. He was a Past Grand of Independent Order of Odd Fellows Washington Lodge no.2 and Philadelphia Lodge no.13 in Pennsylvania and a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.
In 1833, Jones headed west to Texas, settling eventually in Brazoria. Here, at last, he met with success, establishing a medical practice that prospered quickly. In 1835, he began to speak out about the growing tensions between Texas and Mexico, and that year he attended the Consultation, a meeting held at Columbia, by Texas patriots to discuss the fight with Mexico (the meeting's leadership did not want to call the meeting a "convention", for fear the Mexican government would view it as an independence forum). Jones himself presented a resolution at the Consultation calling for a convention to be held to declare independence, but he himself refused to be nominated to the convention.
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