William Carey Jones, Jr.

William Carey Jones, former professor of law at the University of California, was born on October 15, 1854 in Washington DC, to a well-respected family with strong political and military ties. His father, also named William Carey Jones, was a United States Land Commissioner, who in 1849 headed the government's investigation into land titles in California.

His mother, Eliza Benton Jones, was the sister of General John Charles Frémont and the daughter of Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. Proceeding further back on his father's side, Jones was the great grandnephew of General Joseph Warren, who fell at Bunker Hill, and of Benjamin Thompson, later Count Rumford, a Loyalist and scientist whose inventions included central heating, the closed oven, thermal underwear, and the pressure cooker.Jones had intended upon graduating to immediately enter into practice. However, members of the University of California faculty and administration had recognized his talent in legal matters, and had begun requesting for his services. In 1876, University of California President John Le Conte offered Jones an administrative role as Recorder of the Faculties. In 1877, Jones was appointed instructor in Latin at the insistence of Professor (and future university president) Martin Kellogg. In 1879, after passing the bar exam and receiving his M.A., he attempted to resign his position at the University of California, in order to once again pursue practice of law in San Francisco. His attempt at resignation met with swift opposition from the Board of Regents.

They referred the matter to a special committee, chaired by Dr. Horatio Stebbins, who personally convinced Jones to stay on at the university.Apart from his close relationship with the University, Jones was very active in the affairs of the City of Berkeley. He served for six years as President of the Berkeley Board of Education (1884-1890), and also held a seat for two years on the Berkeley City Council (1894-1896). Jones served as President of the Berkeley Unitarian Club (1908), and also served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the First Unitarian Church of Berkeley (1911).Jones married twice; his first marriage, to Alice Harriet Whitcomb, of Berkeley, took place on October 17, 1880. They had one daughter, Alice Benton. Jones' second marriage, to Ada M. Butterfield, of San Francisco, took place on November 18, 1893. Together they had two daughters, Frances Carey, and Elsie.

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