His father was a farmer of exemplary moral and religious character and his mother was of a family greatly respected.

During the Quasi-War with France, he served under Commodore John Barry in the frigate USS United States and was commissioned a lieutenant February 27, 1801.

First Barbary War:Jones was serving on USS Constellation in October, 1802 when he was arrested for aiding and abetting the murder of Marine Capt.

On October 31, 1803, he was taken prisoner with the rest of Philadelphia's crew by the Bey of Tripoli and held until liberated in June 1805.

Despite storm damage to his ship, he attacked a British convoy on October 18 and, following an intense battle, captured the Royal Navy sloop of war HMS Frolic, in a fierce engagement.

Later, Captain Jones was sent to the Lake Ontario theater, where he commanded the frigate USS Mohawk during the last year of the war.

He was a Navy Commissioner in Washington, DC, between those tours at sea and held important commands ashore at Baltimore and New York during the 1830s and 1840s.