Samuel Jones

Who was Samuel Jones?

Sir Samuel Jones was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1656 and 1660. Although a parliamentarian in the English Civil War he later became a strong Royalist.

Jones was the second son of Isaac Jones, Merchant Taylor of Austin Friars, London and Petersham and his wife Elizabeth Prince, daughter of Richard Prince of Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury. He was educated at Shrewsbury in 1622.

During the Civil War, Jones commanded a parliamentary regiment under the Earl of Manchester, but his services were not needed by the New Model Army. He was commissioner for defence for Surrey in 1643 and commissioner for assessment for Surrey in 1644. He was J.P. for Surrey from 1644 to 1652. In 1652 he succeeded to property in Shrewsbury on the death of his father and added to it property at Courteenhall, Northamptonshire and other purchases. He was commissioner for assessment for Westminster in 1652 and High Sheriff of Northamptonshire for 1652–53.

In 1656, Jones was elected Member of Parliament for Shrewsbury in the Second Protectorate Parliament. He was commissioner for assessment for Surrey in 1657 and commissioner for militia for Shropshire in 1659.