Wesley Livsey Jones (October 9, 1863November 19, 1932) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate representing the state of Washington. Born near Bethany, Illinois days after the death of his father, who was serving in the Union Army during the American Civil War, Jones grew up working on farms. He taught school before graduating from Southern Illinois College in Enfield, Illinois. He studied law in Chicago, passed the bar, and became active in politics as a Republican. In 1889, he moved to North Yakima, in eastern Washington, where he worked in real estate and practiced law. In 1898, he was elected as a Republican to the United States House of Representatives, where he served five terms. He won a seat in the United States Senate in 1908; he served from 1909 until his death, and served in both leadership positions and as chairman of several Senate committees. Jones lost his 1932 bid for reelection. He died soon after the November election, but before his term expired in March 1933. He died in Seattle, and was interred at Seattle's Bonney-Watson Mortuary. Early life Jones was born near Bethany, Illinois, the son of Wesley and Phoebe Jones; he was born three days after the death of his father, who was serving as a private in Company B, 41st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War. He graduated from Southern Illinois College in Enfield, Illinois, and studied law in Chicago while teaching school at night. He passed the bar in 1886, and started a law practice in Decatur, Illinois. He also began to get active in politics, having joined the Republican Party. While living in Illinois, Jones campaigned for James G. Blaine for president in 1884, and for Benjamin Harrison in 1888. Marriage and family In 1886 Jones also married Minda Nelson, starting a family. They had two children together, daughter Hazel E. and son Harry B. Jones. Hazel Jones later married Arthur Coffin. Move to Washington state In 1889, Jones moved to North Yakima, in eastern Washington. It was a developing area near the Yakima River. He worked in the real estate business and continued to practice law. The town developed near the Yakama Indian Reservation, where several related peoples had been settled since the mid-nineteenth century, when they signed a treaty ceding millions of acres of land to