Born in Gaffneys Creek, Victoria, he was educated at South Melbourne College before becoming a goldminer and teacher.

Jones stood for the Labor Party in Indi, and was initially a heavy underdog in this strongly conservative seat.

However Country Party incumbent Robert Cook mistakenly failed to lodge his renomination papers, leaving Jones to take the seat unopposed.

The Labor Party has not come close to winning the seat since then, only tallying 45 percent of the two-party vote once.

Jones was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in 1938 for Doutta Galla Province.