The Horrible History of Thomas Jones

The next writing project I'd like to embark on is a collection and update of some of the local history articles I've written over the years, for a book entitled "History In Our Own Back Yard".

As I've been going through my archives, I came across this story that sounds quite interesting, and so I thought I'd share it with you.

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The Horrible History of Thomas Jones

Thomas Jones, of Delaware, Ontario, had quite a racket going during the days of the American Civil War. He would travel to Detroit to sign up for the Union Army and collecting the bounty that regiments offered. But once he had been paid that bounty, he would disappear back into Canada.

Jones’ story was, sadly, not a rare case, although, on one occasion, he once rounded up several members of the Oneida Nation to enlist, only to cheat the natives out of their bounty by pulling another disappearing act and leaving them to face angry American officials.

Jones did not emerge from his scheming unscathed, as he was caught during one attempt and sentenced to three years in jail for the crime. Quickly, however, Jones had a reputation as someone who would do anything, no matter how unethical.

In 1868, Jones disguised himself with a fake beard and undertook a scheme to rob the house of his own brother. After forcing his way into his brother’s home, he was undone when he was identified by his thirteen-year-old niece, Mary, who would later testify against her uncle.

Despite this, Mary’s mother would send her young daughter, against the better judgment of her husband, Henry, to Thomas Jones’ home. Forty-eight hours later, Mary’s body, with a fractured skull, was found a half mile away from that home.

Initially it was Elizabeth Jones, Thomas’ 13-year-old daughter, who was blamed for the murder. Elizabeth had threatened Mary’s life after the younger girl had implicated Thomas Jones in the robbery of Henry’s home. Even after it was determined that Elizabeth was not physically capable of inflicting the wounds that Mary suffered, Thomas would not confess, saying that he had only hidden the murdered girl’s body.

Elizabeth was sentenced to 10 years in a penitentiary after being found guilty of manslaughter. Angered by Jones’ attempt to use his daughter’s confession as an attempt to spare his own life, the jury showed no mercy on him, sentencing to hang on December 29th in what would be London’s last public execution.

Two hours before the execution, people began gathering in the courthouse square, despite the bitter cold conditions, and by 10:00, a crowd of 6000 (nearly half of London’s population at the time) had gathered. He professed his innocence to the end, asking only that God have mercy on him.

After his death by hanging, Jones’ wife would not accept his body. Dumped into a cheap casket, Jones’ remains were buried in an unmarked grave in a local cemetery.