He was a clerk in London before migrating to New South Wales, where he became a merchant and pastoralist.
[1][3] However, even as he appointed, his mercantile business was suffering in the economic downturn that prevailed from 1842 to 1844.
In August 1843, he was unable to pay debts of £180,000 and he became insolvent in October 1843,[4][5] forcing him to resign from the Council, effective 1 November 1843.
[6][1] Having moved to Brisbane (then part of New South Wales but later in Queensland), on 1 October 1850 Jones was elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council representing the electoral district of Counties of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley (Brisbane being within the County of Stanley).
It was estimated that 300 to 400 people attended the burial[7] One of his sons, also called Richard was appointed as a member of the Legislative Council in 1899 until his death in 1909.