At the 1871 South Australian Society of Arts exhibition, Jones was awarded a prize for portraits of children, and this became his speciality, reflected in his advertisements.
In 1871 Emanuel Solomon called on all colonists who had arrived before 1841 to submit to him their names so he could extend an official invitation to a grand banquet on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the foundation of South Australia.
A mosaic of the male photographs was presented to Solomon, but he died before Jones had completed the companion group, almost ten years later.
This was in part attributable to the number of female colonists who came forward having swollen to 656, and no doubt Solomon's death made the completion less urgent.
Their children included: A brother, William Thomas Jones (1827 – 23 December 1891) was variously Postmaster, sub-Collector of Customs and Clerk of Court at Port MacDonnell, South Australia for 30 years, then relieved Alfred Searcy[11] as sub-Collector of Customs in Port Darwin where he retired after two years; died from malaria.