Butte County
Biographies
ALBERT
FOSTER JONES
The Pacific Coast has reared a generation of
men and women physically and mentally the peers of any people. Climate, descent
and a cosmopolitan association have perpetuated the chivalric blood of
adventurous pioneers. We point with pride to a native race of gallant men and
lovely women as worthy of the inheritance of this favored land. Senator Jones
is a good representative of a native Californian. He was born in the county of
Colusa, State of California, on the 28th of February, 1858. His
education was completed at Yale College, from which institution he graduated
with the degree of LL. B. in 1879, and was admitted to practice in the Supreme
Court of the State of Connecticut, and also in the Supreme Court of the State
of California in that year. In 1882 he was elected District Attorney of Butte
county, in which county he has resided since 1880. In 1886 he was elected
Senator from the Fourth District of the State of California, serving during two
sessions, during which he passed the bill creating a Normal School for Northern
California, which was located in Chico. His energies were devoted to measures
that particularly affected his district.
He has taken great interest in
fraternal societies, having served as Grand Lecturer of the Native Sons of the
Golden West during the year 1881, and in 1883 was elected Grand President of
the Order. It was during his administration that the Order began to flourish.
He is also a Mason, having taken the Templar and Mystic Shrine degrees. As an
Odd Fellow he has taken great interest in the Order, having been a delegate to
the Grand Encampment of the State of
California in 1885, at which time he presented the Grand Encampment with a
magnificent gavel and was also selected to present the jewel to the retiring
Grand Patriach (sic). In 1889, as a delegate to the Grand Lodge, I. O. O. F.,
he was selected to deliver the jewel to Past Grand Master Lloyd. He has a
pleasing address, fine physique, and a happy faculty of impressing his associates,
and in enterprises connected with the development of the northern portion of
the State and politically he has been selected a leader. His record as an
official has been clean, with an eye single for the public weal. Although
carefully pursuring (sic) his profession as Attorney at Law, he has found time
to enter into business enterprises and has become well known in the development
of the resources of Northern California. His name is frequently heard mentioned
as the young men’s candidate for executive honors.
Transcribed By: Cecelia M. Setty.
Source: “Illustrated
Fraternal Directory Including Educational Institutions on the Pacific Coast”,
Page 232, Publ. Bancroft Co., San Francisco. Cal. 1889.
© 2012 Cecelia
M. Setty.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies