"[2]: 53 Although his parents expected him to attend Harvard, he transferred to a less disciplined school briefly and then took a job instead in April 1852 at age 14.

In January 1871 he became a partner with Henry A. P. Carter in C. Brewer & Co. which acted as agent for the growing number of sugarcane plantations in Hawaii.

In December 1879, while Carter was away on a diplomatic mission, the other partner John D. Brewer died, making him effectively head of the business.

He was appointed to the Executive Council of the Provisional Government of Hawaii, as its minister of finance on January 17, 1893, but served only until March 15.

In December 1897 he officially chartered the Bank of Hawaii with Charles Montague Cooke, Joseph Ballard Atherton.

[8] After the January 1900 Chinatown fire, the chapel provided health care for some of the people left homeless, but resources ran low by 1904.

Jones donated both the land and building to the Hawaiian Evangelical Board on February 7, 1907, for their use until a permanent home was built for them in 1916.

[11] Son Edwin Austin Jones, was born May 11, 1863, married Belle Fuller on November 8, 1888, had four children, served as cashier of Bank of Hawaii, but died on July 10, 1898.