A.Jones,
mining
Fayette
engineera profilein diversity
Socorro,
NM
Resources,
ofMines
L. Holts,
Associate
Bureau
andMineral
byCandace
Editor,
NewMexico
ProfessorJonesis a self-mademan in thetrue
American meaningof the word . . . [He] is
first of all, a practicalman, who believesin a
strenuouslife; this coupledwith his scientific
and versatility,strictintegrityand a
attainments
genialnature,make him a prominentexample
of New Mexico.
for the youngsters
collegefor financial reasonsand married
AgnesAlmyra Cairns,daughterof a Missouri farmer. Over the next few years,
threechildrenwereborn: a son, Elston; a
daughter,Theta Phi; and a secondson,
(Twitchell,l9l7).
Frank
-SanraFeNey
In
1883
Jonesaccepteda job teaching
Y;:i:#,
in a country schooland also the position
a post
Fayette Alexander Jones, a man of of city engineerfor Independence,
many talents, led an extraordinary life he held until 1889. In addition, from
marked by an astonishingarray of voca- 1884-88,he held two other positions:
tions, ventures,and adventures.A mining deputy county surveyor for Jackson
engineer,he servedas third and seventh County and assistantroad and bridge
presidentof the New Mexico School of commissioner.
wearing
This simultaneous
Mines-the only personto hold the office of severalhats was characteristicof his
Faynrrs A. JoNrs.
more than once.The aboveexcerptis but entirelife (Twitchell,l9l7).
Fayettebecamea collegestudentagain
one from the many articlesproclaiming
his virtues and diversity. As part-time in 1889,enrolling at the Missouri State 1896,he also becamea chemist for the
editor, author, and lecturer,he had ample Schoolof Mines at Rolla. During his sec- Missouri Geological Survey (Twitchell,
opportunityto keephis namein the public ond year, he was offered the opportunity 1917).
The family moved back to the Southeye-opportunity he was not inclined to to supporthis young family by servingas
assistantprofessor of engineeringand westin the summerof 1898,for Joneshad
overlook.
Joneswas born on a farm 9 mi south- mathematics.In 1892he graduatedfirst in beenhired as Directorof the New Mexico
east of Independence,Missouri, on his class,with degreesin both civil and School of Mines in Socorro. As third
August l, 1859to ElizabethGray Jones,a mining engineering.Awaiting him was a directorof the ll-year-old school(Chrisclose relative of the Lee family of Vir- job with the Union Mining Company in tiansen, 1964), he initiated various
ginia; and Martin O. Jones,a descendant Phoenix, Arizona-and his first trip to academicprograms and began the first
of the Puritans. Martin helped settle the Southwest (Santa Fe New Mexicon, directedathleticprogramby coachingthe
school baseballteam. Theseyears comJacksonCounty, Missouri in 1848, and 1902).
prised
a period of substantialgrowth for
was
with
successservedbriefly
the Union Army durAt the Union mine, Jones
ing the Civil War. The war touchedthe ful in laying the longest pipeline-I4 the school.In l90l he also becamefield
entire family in 1863,when Martin was mi-in the Arizona Territory. While assistantfor the U.S. GeologicalSurvey;
forced to abandonhis farm during guer- working on the pipeline, he and his co- a position he held until 1906(Twitchell,
rilla warfare along the state border. workers were attackedby the infamous l 9 l 7 ) .
In 1902the NashvilleCollegeof Law
Although Fayettewas only 4 yearsold at Apache warrior, "the Kid." The party,
that time, he later wrote that the ". .
said Jones, "narrowly escapeddeath" chose to recognizeProfessor Jones by
awarding him the honorary degree of
destruction,desolation,deathand despair (Santa Fe NewMexican, 1902).
In the fall of 1893,he donnedoneof his Doctor of Laws. The letter from the colare as vivid today as they were
(Twitchell,
former hats to becomechief of a railroad lege'sPresidentFarr beganenthusiastic."
l917).
[then].
I have the honor to inform
He had little early education,"consist- surveyingparty. The arduoustask of this ally: ".
ing of what a country schoolcould afford crew was to surveya line from Maxwell you that the Honorary degreeof Doctor
to impart" (Twitchell, l9l7). Before en- City, New Mexico, west through Cimar- of Laws has been conferred upon You
tering college,he worked in a flour mill ron Canyonto Elizabethtown,over Taos . . and if you could feel the unostenfor 2 yearsin Blue Springs,Missouri, as Passto Taos. and from Taos to the Rio tatious ecstasy which pervades the
of my heart in rejoicingin your
engineer, bookkeeper, and assistant Grande.The economiccrashof late 1893 recesses
'It
miller. Two yearslater the mill's financial prevented completion of this project, happiness,I am sureyou would say, is
in mak- well' " (Farr, 1902). The newly titled
agent abscondedwith a large sum of althoughthe group wassuccessful
(one
(Santa
New "Dr." Jones was pleasedto accept the
ruining
preliminary
Fe
money,
the owners
of whom ing a
survey
honor (and remit the requisitel0 dollars).
was Martin Jones) and thereby ending Mexicon,lN2).
Fayette's job (Santa Fe New Mexican,
Jonesspentmuch of the next 2 yearsas He usedthe title frequently for the rest of
1902).
chief of engineersfor an expeditioncross- his life.
After leavingthe New Mexico School
In 1880 Fayette enteredthe Missouri ing the Isthmusof Tehuantepec.
Upon his
StateUniversity,which he attendedfor 2 return, the family moved back to Mis- of Minesin 1902,Jonesmovedhis family
years.He supportedhimselfat the time by souri, wherehe had beenappointedU.S. to Albuquerque.This movewas the most
working at the university agricultural assayerin chargeof foreign ores for the practicalapproachto continuingboth his
farm for l0 centsan hour. In 1882he quit Port of Kansas City. In the spring of
NewMexico Geology
November1979
position with the U.S. GeologicalSurvey
and his privateconsulting.In addition,he
in a farm and otherprophad investments
erty in Missouri, and in a westernmining
company.Correspondence
housedin the
New Mexico StateRecordsand Archives
shows his extensiveinterestsin mining
companies and landholding over the
years.
In 1903GovernorMiguel A. Otero appointedhim to the New MexicoBoard of
Exposition Managers for the Louisiana
PurchaseExposition, St. Louis World's
Fair, 1904.The board was made up of
three Democrats, including Jones, and
four Republicans (Santa Fe New Mexican, 1903).Jones,chairman of the Committeeon Mines,hasbeengivencredit for
the superbdisplay of New Mexico mineralsat the fair.
One of the outstanding accomplishments of FayetteJones'scareerwas his
book, New Mexico mines and minerals
-the first comprehensiverecord of
mineral resourcesin the New Mexico
Territory-prepared for the 1904World's
Fair. Jonestried to contacteveryonewho
could possiblycontributeto sucha study:
In return, he received letters, photographs,ore samples,wateranalyses,
pamphlets, and the memoirs of miners who
had made New Mexico's 1880'smining
boom a reality. He incorporatedthe information into his book and preserved
much of the correspondence
he received.
Accuracyof the book is questionablein
somecases:Jones,after all, was bent on
promoting his consulting business,and
the New Mexico Bureau of Immigration
(the publisher)was eagerto reachpotential residentsof New Mexico. While New
Mexico minesand minerslsvyasproduced
partly as promotional tourist and immigrant literature, the book is still consideredthe first definitive work on the
subject.
For the next 2 years Jones acted as
statisticianof the U.S. Mint for precious
metalsof New Mexico (Twitchell, l9l7).
He continuedto consultfor mining companies,and advisedand assistedclients
with mining investments.Jones, widely
known and trustedby investors,acquired
substantialpropertyand stockholdingsin
return for providing new companieswith
investors. During this period he also
wrote articles for the Engineering and
Mining Journal, Mining Science,Mining
World, and the New Mexico Bureau of
Immigration. In recognitionof his many
accomplishments
in the field of mining, in
1906 he was elected New Mexico vice
president for the International Miners'
Association(Knight, 1972).
In 1908he was hired as a geologistby
November1979
New Mexico Geology
Governor Torres of Sonora to send a rescue
the Colorado, Columbus, and Mexican
party.
Railway. The sameyear he also founded
and edited a magazine,South-Western In late Decemberall eight explorers
Mines.
returned. They were disappointed,not
Undoubtedly one of the highlightsof havingfound gold mines,but on the other
his life took placethe following year: He hand, neitherhad they beeneatenby the
joined an expeditionplanning to explore
"cannibals." Jones reported that the
Tiburon Island, off the west coastof the Grindell party had not beenmurderedMexican mainland. The group hoped to rather, they had died of thirst in the
find gold deposits and other mineral Sonorandesert.He alsopointedout that,
wealth. Severalpartieshad previouslyat- in over 5 weekson the island, his party
temptedthe trip, and someliveshad been had not seena singleIndian. On the mainlost. Onegroup diedof thirst (with the ex- land, however, they had seen several
ception of one man), and anotherparty Seris-all friendly and eagerto tradetheir
was shipwreckednear Tiburon (Jones, bows and arrows for food and clothing.
l9l0). Among the known hazardswere Jonesand his party inferred from their
the reportedly savageSeri Indians. The observations that the Seris lived on
Socorro Chieftain (1909) reported that Tiburon only during the turtle season,
"These Indians, it is claimed, are can- betweenMay and July (Jones,1910).
nibals and of a very low order of the
Further. he declaredtherewereno mingenushomo. They practicallybelong to eral resourceson Tiburon itself (Jones,
the stone age. . . ." The trip was 1910):
originallyorganizedby a group of six men
from Bisbee, Arizona. Correspondence Nothing of value in minerals was found and
from the group spokesman,JamesJohn- the unanimousverdict of the party pronounced
ston (1909),suggests
that contrary to the the island practicallydestituteof mineral wealth.
golden
of the island
report in the Socorro Chieftain, Jones Thus, the supposeddream treasure
and the spell of enis now a shattered
had not "receivedan urgentinvitation to
chantmentthat oncesurroundedit has beenforaccompany" the group, but rather had
everbroken by the Jonesexpedition.
simply beenacceptedin the samemanner
As restlessas ever, Jonesthen went to
as any other applicant; however, after
Oregon
to practicemining engineeringin
Jonesbeganto publicizethe expedition,
the post
l9l0
1911.He alsoaccepted
and
peoplewrote to ask ftls permissionto join
geological
mineralthe
and
of
chief
of
the party. Accounts of the forthcoming
as ogical explorations through central
excursionappearedin suchnewspapers
the Chicago Daily News and the New British Columbia, to help develop the
York Herald. Requeststo join Professor Grand Trunk Pacific Railway(Twitchell,
1917).
Joneswerenumerous.
The next new role for ProfessorJones
Although the original plan was to have
l5 to 20 men in the party, ultimatelyonly came with his appointmentto the New
8 journeyedto Tiburon. Permitsfor arms MexicoSchoolof MinesBoardof Regents
were obtained through the American in April 1913 (a short appointmentinConsulat Hermosillo,because
the SeriIn- deed,for in July he was againselectedas
dians were evidentlynot only cannibals president of the school). He had "atreputationas
but, accordingto Johnston,"dirty, thrift- taineda United States-wide
(Independence
educator"
and
an
explorer
lessand sneaky"! The party left Arizona
for Guaymas in mid-October of 1909. Examiner, 1913); news of his appointFrom Guaymas,they carried full provi- ment was greetedwith considerableinsions for about a month's stay on the terest throughout the Southwest. The
island. The Mexican government pro- Board of Regentshad fought over this
vided them an escort of 50 Mexican election,with Jones'sprimary enemybesoldiers,and they sailedto Tiburon. By ing C. T. Brown (Torres, I9l3; Jones,
early December,rumors of death had l9l3a, b, and c). Brown, a major mine
begun.A KansasCity newspapergavean operatorin SocorroCounty and a leading
El Paso datelinefor this item (Cunning- benefactorof the school over the years,
servedon the Boardof Regentsfrom 1899
ham, 1909):
absencefrom
to 1922,with a conspicuous
l9l3-17; not coincidentally,the yearsof
Missing for a month on the cannibalIsland of
FayetteJones'ssecondpresidency(ChrisTiburon in the Culf of California, eight Arizona
tiansen,
1964).
men and fifty Mexican soldiers are believedto
Prior to the election, Jones's letters
have met the same faie as Prof. Thomas Grindell, who was killed on the island severalyears
reflect both his personalambitions and
ago while leadingan exploring party. The island
his growingconcernfor the welfareof the
. . is inhabited by the cannibalSeri Indians, a
remnant of renegadesdriven from the mainland.
. Americans. . are preparingto ask
(continued on page 63\
Resources,finally establishedin 192'1, financial manager, organizer, andperhapsmostsignificantly-promoter.
(continued from page 54)
owesmuchto theseearlyefforts.
published
The mineralsindustry in New Mexico
also
In 1916-17the school
The Gold Pan. Fayette Jones was might not be quite what it is today withAlexschool:In a letter written only a few days founder, generaleditor, and managerof out the past influence of Fayette
on
book
before the election.he stated ". . . no the periodical; faculty members and anderJones.His comprehensive
geolNew
Mexico
and
camps
more
early
mining
one realizesbetter than myself the great studentsworkedtogetherto makeit
mines,
and thanklesstask entailedin building up than just a collegenewspaper:The Gold ogy, his fight for a statebureauof
Mexico
New
of
the
his
establishment
throughout
widely
circulated
was
Pan
an institution of learning in which the
public has lost interestand confidence." New Mexico's mining camps (Christian- Mineral ResourcesSurvey,his many efHe had some very positiveideas to im- sen, 1964).At the time, Joneswas also forts on behalfof the New MexicoSchool
with
superintendentof the Department of of Mines and his correspondence
provethesituation(Jones,l9l3d):
conminers-all
Mexico's
New
many
of
New
Mexico
the
for
Minerals
Mines and
It is my plan to have every newspaperin the
State Fair-thereby effecting additional tributed an insight into an exciting and
productiveperiodin New Mexicohistory'
state-at most everyone of its issues-to have
publicityfor the Schoolof Mines.
somethingto sayabout the schooland its work in
grasP
of In a statethat continuesto rely heavily on
By 1916,Jones,againin the
developing the mineral resources of the
its mining and mineralsindustries,Faynew
challenges,
for
and eager
restlessness
. We will invadeeveryminingcampin
state.
paretteJoneshasleft an indeliblernark.
possible
exploration
about
inquired
the stateand rub up againstthoseengagedin the
businessof mining. We will find new mineral
ties to Peru, Chile, and China. Although
speciesand describethem and set the scientific
he had not found a new Position Yetcited
References
pressat work all over the country.
. Everyapart from his usual consulting-he
bodymustgetbusy,it will becatching.
1972, Fayette Jones papers,
Bruce,
Ashcroft,
resignedthe presidencyof the New Mex1915-18:
NewMexicoStateRecordsand Archives,
After winningone particularbattleat a ico School of Mines in the summer of
manuscript
JonesPapers,unpublished
Christiansen.P. W., 1964, Of earth and sky:
regents'meeting,local photographerand l9l7 (Ashcroft,1972).
Socorro. New Mexico, New Mexico Institute of
Still concernedthat the state had no
regentJosephE. Smith warned Jonesto
107P.
Mining and TechnologY,
push
for
to
he
continued
remain wary: "The hydra-headedmon- bureauof mines,
Cunningham,R. E., 1909,Letter with unidentified
duringwhich
actionin 1917-18,
legislative
ster," said Smith, "will die hard-look
KansasCity newspaperclipping to A. A. Jones,
out for a stingin the dark" (Smith,1913). time he compiled the state mining laws
Decemberl3: New Mexico StateRecordsand Archives,JonesPapers
Jones'sopinion of the situation after (Ashcroft, 1972).In 1918 he servedas
Jones,August
in a forthright mineral examinerfor the U.S. Land Of- Farr, William, 1902,Letter to F. A. and
the electionwas expressed
Archives'
27: New Mexico State Records
position
followed
a
Albuquerque;
W. fice in
manner:To Magdalenabusinessman
JonesPapers
M. Borrowdale,anotherSchoolof Mines by more yearsas an Albuquerqueconsul- Johnston,J. 8., Letter to F. A. Jones,August 28:
New Mexico State Recordsand Archives, Jones
Regent: "Hundreds of congratulations tant.
The Depressionof the earlY 1930's Papers
You have suchave come to me.
F. A., 1904,New Mexicominesand minerals,
ceeded[by hiring Jones]in 'busting' the causedJonessevereeconomichardship. Jones,
World's Fair edition: Santa Fe, New Mexico
most iniquitous political catapult and He owned property in severalplaces,inPrintingCompanY,367P.
trust that haseverhad its grip fastenedon cluding Albuquerqueand Missouri, but
1910,Theislandof Tiburon:South'Western
5, P. 3-4
Mines,v.2,no. l, JanuarY
no one could or would buY land at the
the people." To GovernorMcDonald; "I
W. M. Borrowdale,July
to
Letter
l9l3a,
land.
undeveloped
built the institution up once and I now time-especially
16: New Mexico State Recordsand Archives,
find conditions there worse than in the Scrapingtogetherthe property-taxmoney
JonesPapers
."
was difficult at best. He also had outbeginning.
l9l3b, Letters to Governor W' C.
McDonald,July: New Mexico StateRecordsand
Joneswasa miningcom- standingloans, some long overdue,and
From 1913-16
Archives,JonesPaPers
missionerfor the New Mexico Board of his creditorsdid not want to wait, for they
1913c,Letterto J. E. Smith,July 17:New
age
his
old
With
own
Exposition Managers for the Panama- too had unpaidbills.
MexicoStateRecordsandArchives,JonesPapers
California Expositionin San Diego. Still financiallyinsecure,Jonesworked feverl9l3d. Letterto J. E. Smith,July 12:New
president of the New Mexico School of ishly in behalf of the TownsendPlan, a
Mexico StateRecordsand Archives,JonesPapers
1915.The mineralresourcesof New MexMines,he viewedthis asyet anotherprime proposedforerunnerof the SocialSecurSurvey,Bull.
ico:
New
MexicoMineralResources
more
than
one
publicize
the school.
ity act. He belongedto
opportunityto
1 , 1 7p .
to
many
letters
wrote
Club
and
Jones
initiated
the
New
Mexico
Townsend
In 1915
Knight, D. w., FayetteJonespapers1906, 190'l:
Mineral ResourcesSurvey,a forerunner federaland stateofficials to gain support
New Mexico State Recordsand Archives, Jones
Papers,unpublishedmanuscriPt
of the New Mexico Bureauof Mines and for the proposal.
Fayette Jones died on April 4, 1936, Santa Fe New Mexican, 1902, Fayette A. Jones:
Mineral Resources.Previously, he had
New Mexican, APril 19
tried to get statesupport for a geological havinglived almost77 yearsof an excep- SantaFe
1903, The New Mexico Commission for
His publica- tionally full life. A man of many accom- Louisiana PurchaseExposition: Santa Fe New
survey,but wasunsuccessful.
tion, The mineral resourcesof New Mex- plishments,he servedas editor, author,
Mexican,lllay 19
a shortenedrevisionof his lecturer, bookkeeper, assistant miller, Smith, J. E., 1913,Letterto F. A. Jones,April 20:
ico (essentially
New Mexico State Recordsand Archives, Jones
city
1904 New Mexico mines and minerals), farm worker, country schoolteacher,
Papers
was publishedby the Surveyin 1915as engineer,county surveyor,assistantroad Socorro Chieftain, 1909, Doctor FayetteA. Jones
Bulletin l. This book and the two rhat and bridge commissioner,student,assis- .
will join scientific expedition to Tiburon
lI
followed helped promote the School of tant professor, civil engineer, mining
Island:SocorroChieftain,September
Mines.No financialsupportwasprovided engineer,minet, assayer,chemist,geol- Torres,A. C., 1913,Letter to F. A' Jones,July 15:
Archives, Jones
by the state, making the publication of ogist, collegepresident,baseballcoach, New Mexico State Recordsand
Papers
these three books a significant accom- private consultant, explorer, political T w i t c h e l l , R . 8 . , 1 9 1 7 , T h e leading facts of New
plishment (Christiansen,1964).The New lobbyist, researcher,statistician,mineralMexican history: Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Torch
n
Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral ogist, collegeregent, mineral examiner, P r e s s ,v . 5 , p . 1 8 2 - 1 8 4
A.Jones
Fayette
New Mexico Geology
November1979