William Claude Jones (c. 1815 – March 3, 1884) was an American politician, poet, fabulist, and "pursuer of nubile females,"[1] including several teen brides.

[2] During his lifetime, Jones is known to have given five different locations for his birth including a claim, made while he was living in the New Mexico Territory, that he had been born to an American consul in Catalonia, Spain.

Beginning in late 1838, Jones served as clerk for a legislative committee established by the Missouri General Assembly designed to look into improper use of troops from the state during the war.

[2] A Missouri newspaper editorialized his wandering spirit, claiming "from California we suppose he will go to Oregon, and from thence to the Sandwich Islands, Tierra del Fuego, Cape Cod or Point-no-Point, and thence perhaps to the Lower Regions.

[6] After returning to Missouri in 1853, Jones gave speeches advocating the organization of Nebraska Territory throughout his home state and eastern Kansas.

[6] President Franklin Pierce acted upon Jones' request for federal appointment in August 1854, nominating him to become United States Attorney for New Mexico Territory.

[8] Being "acquainted with the Spanish language, and the customs and laws of the country", Jones quickly became "very popular" with the Hispanic population along the Rio Grande.

While there was probably truth to the accusation, the intended target of the charges was most likely Simeon Hart, an El Paso-based businessman with significant political connections.

After the divorce was finalized, Jones married "a very young Mexican girl" from Mesilla apparently named Maria v. del Refugio.

New Mexico's Territorial Delegate to Congress Miguel Antonio Otero, in January 1858, responded to news of the marriage by claiming Jones had "abducted" the supposedly twelve-year-old bride and demanded that President James Buchanan fire the U.S. Attorney.

When Charles Debrille Poston met him in 1856 the two men organized a petition to the United States Congress supporting the Gadsden Purchase.

[13] When the American Civil War reached New Mexico Territory in July 1861, Jones was in Santa Fe with battle lines preventing his return to Mesilla.

[Note 4] There he was arrested on suspicion of treason but was released several months later when an Albuquerque based grand jury declined to issue an indictment.

He remained in the Mexican city, Union officials unwilling to allow the perceived Confederate sympathizer to return to the United States, until President Abraham Lincoln announced his general amnesty plan.

[14] There he partnered with Colonel George W. Bowie and Captain C. A. Smith, both from the 5th Regiment California Volunteer Infantry, to reopen several mines in the Dragoon Mountains.

The filings claimed that Jones had discovered "two ledges of goldbearing quartz" along with silver and copper deposits in June 1856 and had "reopened [them] in 1861 and 1864, but [they] have not been continually worked owing to the hostility of the Apache Indians".

These partnerships appear to have revived Jones' financial health from his loss to Mexican bandits because, on July 6, 1864, he had enough resources to purchase former Sonoran Governor Manuel Gándara's share of the Mission Guevavi mine.

In June 1864, he presided over a convention to organize a municipal government in Tucson[2] The next month saw his election to represent Pima County in the 1st Arizona Territorial Legislature.

[15] In recognition of his extensive knowledge, his fellow legislators convinced Jones to give a series of public lectures on the geography, resources, and history of the new territory.

[18] On March 6, a mere 11 days after arriving, he swore fealty to the Kingdom of Hawaii and was made a naturalized citizen of the island nation.

Mark Twain wrote, in his June 22, 1866, letter from Hawai'i, that "Judge Jones" informed him that "he has already more law practice on his hands than he can well attend to."

[19] He resigned because of objections raised by Noble C. R. Bishop, husband of Princess Pau'ahi, as to his right to sit as a representative from South Kona because Jones had not been domiciled in the district prior to his election for the legally required period of three years.

The union produced sons Bennington, Ulysses and Elias and daughters Aletheia and Minerva before her death in 1881, at age 28, from a smallpox epidemic in Honolulu that eventually killed 287 people, most of them native Hawaiians.

His abilities as a public speaker were also in demand with locals appreciating "his eloquence ... his commanding nose, flashing eyes and marked gestures" and bestowing the sobriquet Aeko (eagle) upon him.