He was educated at the Choctaw Academy in Blue Springs, Kentucky, where he received a diploma signed by future Vice President Richard Mentor Johnson.

During the removal of the Choctaw to Indian Territory, he accepted a contract and worked as translator for the United States to the tribe.

Jones built two sprawling mansions on his plantations Lake West and Rose Hill, complete with luxurious furnishings from around the world.

At the outbreak of the American Civil War, Jones argued vehemently for secession and an alliance between the Choctaw and the Confederacy.

In 1933, a dedication of the Jones graveyard, including the installation of a brick wall with the stones from the house, was performed by the Oklahoma Historical Society.