James Brooks Jones (September 24, 1886 – August 9, 1947), nicknamed "Jawbone", was an American politician from the US state of New Mexico. He served as the lieutenant governor of New Mexico from January 1, 1943, to January 1, 1947.
Jones moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1920, and worked as a traveling salesman for a soap company. He earned the nickname "Jawbone" from the Spanish word for soap, jabón.[2]
In 1940, Jones was a candidate for lieutenant governor of New Mexico. He lost the Democratic Party nomination in the primary election to Ceferino Quintana. Jones ran again in 1942,[6] and won the nomination, defeating A. K. Montgomery and two other candidates in September.[7][8] He then won the general election.[1] Jones served two terms as lieutenant governor to GovernorJohn J. Dempsey.[9] He served as acting governor for 268 days over 21 separate occasions when Dempsey was out of the state.[10]
Jones married Maud St. Vrain, a grand-niece of Ceran St. Vrain, in 1913. They had four children.[1] One son, Preston Jones, was a playwright.[11] His other son, James Jr., was taken prisoner during World War II.[12]
Falling ill after losing the 1946 election, Jones moved to Hot Springs. He died on August 9, 1947, at the Methodist Sanitarium in Albuquerque.[2] He was buried in the Santa Fe National Cemetery.[9]
^"U.S. Veterans Bureau Form 7202 Index Card",『United States Government, Veterans Administration Master Index, 1917–1940』database, National Archives and Records Administration, St. Louis, Missouri, available through FamilySearch. "Enl" is listed as "4/6/17" and "Dis" is listed as "4/25/19".
^"Jawbone Jones To Make New Try". The Santa Fe New Mexican. June 30, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved December 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^"'Jawbone' Jones Is Winner". Clovis News-Journal. September 14, 1942. p. 1. Retrieved December 25, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
