Sep 15

Sep 15 Breadfruit Seeds From Jefferson - Allen Jones and the Halifax District Brigade

Allen Jones was a Brigadier General in the North Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War.

Jones was one of the highest ranking military men in his State as well as a Continental Congressmen.

He was also one of the handful of people Thomas Jefferson bonded with over their love of farming.

Allen Jones

When the Revolutionary War broke out, Allen Jones was already a member of the North Carolina Colonial Assembly.

Allen, along with his brother, Willie, were firmly on the Patriot side and took an active part in the Provincial Government which took over control of North Carolina at the outset of the war.

Allen even spent a short time a Vice President of these meetings.

Halifax District Brigade

Just two months before the United States declared independence, Allen Jones was selected as a Brigadier General in the North Carolina Militia.

In this position, he was the third highest ranking military officer in the State.

Jones was given command of the Halifax District Brigade, leading these soldiers for over a decade...well after the Revolutionary War had concluded.

The National Stage

Jones led his men in a dozen different engagements during the war. Notable among these are the Battles of Fort Moultrie, Camden and Charlotte as well as participating in the Siege of Charleston.

A State Senator throughout his career, Jones took several leaves of absence during the war to serve as a Continental Congressman.

While in Congress, Allen helped reorganize the staffing departments for the Continental Army.

Ratification

After the war, Allen Jones became a supporter of the United States Constitution.

He was elected to attend the North Carolina Ratification Convention but that body was full of Anti-Federalists and rejected the new governments. He was not a Delegate the following year when his State decided to join the Federal Government which was already in progress.

Jones remained a member of the Federalist Party but stuck to local government for the rest of his days.

Breadfruit

Jones was always an avid gardener who studied different plants that could be grown on his plantation.

This was an interest he shared with Thomas Jefferson who, while Vice President, came upon seven seeds for breadfruit trees.

Jefferson kept one himself and sent two to Jones and four to Thomas Bee of South Carolina.

Unfortunately, breadfruit cannot survive the North Carolina winters (but if you can bring them inside you have a chance).

Want more Founders from North Carolina?

OK, here you go:

Richard Dobbs Spaight Overcomes Defeat

Timothy Bloodworth and His Futile Fight Against The Constitution

William Hooper Isn’t a Loyalist…Despite What You Heard

As usual, today’s Founder does not have a biography.

‘Crowds and Soldiers’ is an interesting look at rabble which roused during the Revolutionary War in North Carolina.

If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).