| Background: |
Solomon Jones was born in New Jersey, his parents having emigrated from Wales c.1750. They moved later to the Hudson River in New York and settled near Fort Edward. Solomon attended medical school in Albany, and during the American Revolution became a surgeon's mate in the King's Loyal Americans, later known as Jessup's Corps. After the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga, the family fled to Canada and Solomon continued to use his medical skills in several Loyalist refugee camps. At the close of the Revolution he received a land grant in the Township of Augusta, not far from Cornwall, where he farmed, practiced medicine, and built his residence, Homewood. He was one of the first physicians in Upper Canada. From 1796 to 1800 he served as a member of the Legislative Assembly, justice of the peace for the Johnstown District, a judge of the District Court, commissioner of highways, and member of the Land Board. He died at his home on 22 September 1822. |
| Contents: |
The reel contains the Papers of Solomon Jones (1756-1822) and consists of personal, business and legal documents; correspondence; accounts; printed petitions; appointments; and the Johnstown District records of the Court of Requests, 1798-1813. A few specific documents include: an appointment as surgeon to the Battalion of Militia of Edwardsburg, Augusta and Elizabethtown; land board certificates granting land in the District of Lunenburg; appointment as judge of the District Court of the District of Johnstown; complaints to the justices of the peace for the District by Olivier Everts, inspector, who was responsible for the collection and receipt of revenues for the Crown, and for hearing and determining misdemeanors, with a record of judgments of the justices concerning the complaints; monthly reports to the building committee for erecting the court house and jail in Brockville; the will of John Jones; and many more historically significant records. |
