{{Short description|American politician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Use American English|date=January 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder |name=James B. Jones |office=13th [[Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico]] |term_start=January 1, 1943 |term_end=January 1, 1947 |predecessor=[[Ceferino Quintana]] |successor=[[Joseph Montoya]] |governor=[[John J. Dempsey]] |birth_date={{birth date|1886|9|24}} |birth_place=[[Edgefield, South Carolina]], United States |death_date={{death date and age|1947|8|9|1886|9|24}} |death_place=[[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], United States |party=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] |relatives=[[William B. Travis]] (grandfather) |spouse={{marriage|Maud St. Vrain|1913}} }} '''James Brooks Jones''' (September 24, 1886 – August 9, 1947), nicknamed "'''Jawbone'''", was an American politician from the US state of New Mexico. He served as the 13th [[lieutenant governor of New Mexico]] from January 1, 1943, to January 1, 1947.
==Early life== Jones was born in [[Edgefield, South Carolina]], United States, on September 23, 1886.<ref name=elected/> His grandfather, [[William B. Travis]], was the commander of the [[Texas Army]] at the [[battle of the Alamo]].<ref name=nmhistory/> Jones lived in South Carolina until he was 18 years old, when he moved to Wyoming and worked on a sheep ranch.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115158340/former-columbian-seeks-office-in-new/ |title=Former Columbian Seeks Office in New Mexico |work=The State|page=14|via=Newspapers.com |date=August 22, 1940 |accessdate=December 25, 2022}}</ref> He enlisted in the [[United States Marine Corps]] in 1912 and rose to the rank of corporal.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/image/156355535/ "James 'Jawbone' Jones Dies After Long Illness"], ''[[Albuquerque Journal]]'', Albuquerque, New Mexico, 67th year, volume 273, number 41, August 10, 1947, page 1. (obituary) {{subscription required}}</ref> He then served in the [[United States Army]] from April 1917 to April 1919 in the infantry and became a first lieutenant.<ref>"U.S. Veterans Bureau Form 7202 Index Card", "United States Government, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917–1940" database, National Archives and Records Administration, St. Louis, Missouri, available through [[FamilySearch]]. "Enl" is listed as "4/6/17" and "Dis" is listed as "4/25/19".</ref> He fought with the Army in [[World War I]]. After the war, he settled in [[Raton, New Mexico]].<ref name=nmhistory/>
Jones moved to [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], in 1920, and worked as a traveling salesman for a soap company. He earned the nickname "Jawbone" from the Spanish word for soap, ''jabón''.<ref name=nmhistory/>
==Political career== In 1940, Jones was a candidate for [[Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico|lieutenant governor of New Mexico]]. He lost the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] nomination in the primary election to [[Ceferino Quintana]]. Jones ran again in 1942,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115177992/jawbone-jones-to-make-new-try/ |title=Jawbone Jones To Make New Try|work=The Santa Fe New Mexican|page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |date=June 30, 1942 |accessdate=December 25, 2022}}</ref> and won the nomination, defeating [[A. K. Montgomery]] and two other candidates in September.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115177951/jawbone-jones-is-winner/ |work=Clovis News-Journal |title='Jawbone' Jones Is Winner|page=1|via=Newspapers.com |date=September 14, 1942 |accessdate=December 25, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/156270705/?terms=%22john%20j%20dempsey%22%20%22james%20b%20jones%22&match=2 |title=Close Congress Race Takes Primary Spotlight|agency=Associated Press|work=Albuquerque Journal |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |date=September 14, 1942 |accessdate=December 26, 2022|url-access=subscription}}</ref> He then won the general election.<ref name=elected>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115170445/jb-jones-is-elected-in-new-mexico/ |title=J.B. Jones Is Elected in New Mexico |work=The State|page=13|via=Newspapers.com |date=October 6, 1942 |accessdate=December 25, 2022}}</ref> Jones served two terms as lieutenant governor to [[Governor of New Mexico|Governor]] [[John J. Dempsey]].<ref name=obit/> He served as acting governor for 268 days over 21 separate occasions when Dempsey was out of the state.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115181022/dempsey-absent-from-state-268-days/|title=Dempsey Absent from State 268 Days Which Gives 'Jawbone' Jones $9000|first=Gordon P.|last=Marin|page=1|work=Albuquerque Journal|date=November 9, 1946|accessdate=December 25, 2022}}</ref>
Jones ran for a seat from {{ushr|NM|AL}} in the [[United States House of Representatives]] in the [[1946 United States House of Representatives elections#New Mexico|1946 elections]]. He lost the race.<ref name=nmhistory/>
==Personal life== Jones married Maud St. Vrain, a grand-niece of [[Ceran St. Vrain]], in 1913. They had four children.<ref name=elected/> One son, [[Preston Jones (playwright)|Preston Jones]], was a playwright.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115197824/regional-theater-has-new-hero/|title=Regional theater has new hero|work=The Morning Call|first=Don|last=Shirley|page=F-2|via=Newspapers.com |date=April 25, 1976 |accessdate=December 25, 2022}}</ref> His other son, James Jr., was taken prisoner during World War II.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115197950/jawbone-jones-son-is-prisoner/ |title=Jawbone' Jones Son Is Prisoner|work=Albuquerque Journal|page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |date=January 3, 1943 |accessdate=December 25, 2022}}</ref>
Falling ill after losing the 1946 election, Jones moved to [[Hot Springs, New Mexico|Hot Springs]]. He died on August 9, 1947, at the Methodist Sanitarium in Albuquerque.<ref name=nmhistory>{{cite web|url=https://www.proquest.com/openview/48dc34fe4adb1d3055b4d1c3a28a3695/1|title=James Brooks Jones|publisher=New Mexico Historical Review|volume=23|issue=1|date=January 1, 1948|page=74|accessdate=December 25, 2022}}</ref> He was buried in the [[Santa Fe National Cemetery]].<ref name=obit>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/115125701/obituary-for-james-b-jones/ |title=Services Set For J.B. Jones on Wednesday|agency=United Press|page=1|work=Santa Fe New Mexican|via=Newspapers.com |date=August 11, 1947 |accessdate=December 26, 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
{{Lieutenant governors of New Mexico}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, James B}} [[Category:1886 births]] [[Category:1947 deaths]] [[Category:Burials at Santa Fe National Cemetery]] [[Category:New Mexico Democrats]] [[Category:Lieutenant governors of New Mexico]] [[Category:Military personnel from South Carolina]] [[Category:People from Edgefield, South Carolina]] [[Category:United States Army officers]] [[Category:United States Marine Corps non-commissioned officers]] [[Category:United States Army personnel of World War I]]