Patrick Henry Jones (November 20, 1830 – July 23, 1900) was an American lawyer, public servant and Postmaster of New York City during the mid-to late 19th century.

[2] Born in Clonmellon, County Westmeath, Ireland on November 20, 1830, Jones attended grammar school in Dublin for three years until emigrating with his family to the United States in 1840.

A lifelong Democrat, he became disillusioned by the party's support of Southern succession from the Union and, in May 1861, decided to join the military in defense of the United States.

After his release from hospital in Annapolis, Maryland, Jones was placed in charge of paroled prisoners before returning to active duty [11] and accompanied the XI Corps upon being transferred to Tennessee.

[9] On May 8, he was seriously injured in a skirmish at Buzzard's Roost (Mill Creek Gap) when his horse fell off a cliff during the Battle of Rocky Face Ridge.

[10] He was cleared to return to duty a month later, however his surgeon recommended "a change of climate and mode of living" allowing Jones to take another sick leave in December.

[3][8][10][11] After his resignation, Jones resumed his law practice in Ellicottville and in November 1865 was elected on the Republican ticket as Clerk of the New York Court of Appeals.

[13] On April 1, 1869, Jones was appointed by President Ulysses S. Grant as Postmaster of New York City and was eventually succeeded by Thomas L. James upon his resignation in 1872.

In several signed letters to Jones, Romaine offered the return of Stewart's body for $250,000 and was instructed to contact him through personal ads in the New York Herald.

A letter was sent six days later, postmarked Boston, in which Romaine offered the return of Stewart's body on several conditions which included payment of $250,000 in cash, that the body would be delivered to an arranged spot 25 miles from Montreal, Quebec, Canada only to Jones and Hilton, Jones would hold the money to turn it over to a representative and for "both parties to maintain forever an unbroken silence in regard to the transaction".

[10][14][15] Jones suffered serious medical problems in his old age, specifically deafness and chronic diarrhea, which his physician blamed on his exposure to artillery fire and his time in the swamps along the Chickahominy River during his military service.

His liver and spleen were both enlarged by percussion, his skin looked anemic, the conjunctiva of his eyes were yellowish, and had suffered considerable weight loss.

His condition did not respond to therapeutic treatments as he lost control of his bowels and was unable to keep down solid food, living on scalded milk and brandy.