Butte County
Biographies
GEORGE FOSTER JONES
GEORGE FOSTER JONES. – A native son
of Oroville, George Foster Jones was born on November 18, 1883, a son of Major
A. F. Jones, whose interesting sketch is given on another page of this history.
He was educated at the grammar and high schools of the city, graduating from
the latter institution in 1902, after which he entered the University of
California and was graduated therefrom in 1906,
receiving the degree of Bachelor of Letters. During his college course he took
a year in the law school, and entered Yale in the fall of 1906, and two years
later graduated from its law department with the degree of Bachelor of Law.
Returning to Oroville, Mr. Jones entered
upon the practice of his profession with his father, the two being associated
together as Jones and Jones. In 1910 he was nominated at the primary election
for district attorney, on the Republican ticket, leading two opponents, and at
the November election was chosen in preference to George E. Gardner, the
Democratic nominee. In January, 1911, he entered upon the duties of the office
and on so doing became the youngest district attorney in California. His
father, however, had been elected district attorney when he was only twenty-one,
and he was probably then the youngest district attorney in the state at any
time.
On December 7, 1914, District Attorney
Jones resigned his office, having been elected Superior Judge of Butte County,
for which office he was nominated and elected at the primary election; on
December 7, 1914, he went on the bench for the unexpired term, serving until
January 4, 1915, when he retired from the bench to resume the practice of law.
While he was in the office he was the youngest superior judge in the State of
California.
At Napa, November 22, 1910, Mr. Jones was
married to Miss Maidie Louise Gesford,
born in Napa, a daughter of Judge Henry Clay Gesford,
of the superior court of Napa County, who was then serving his third term. Mrs.
Jones is a graduate of Miss Head’s Seminary at Berkeley and is now the mother
of one child, Barbara Maidie, born July 26, 1913. Mr.
Jones is a member of the Republican State Central Committee. He is a member of
Chico Lodge, No. 423, B. P. O. Elks; Argonaut Parlor, No. 8, N. S. G. W., and
the Independent Order of Red Men at Oroville.
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
22 April 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Page 868, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies