William E. “Ned” Jones: One of Houston’s first Black police officers

HPD: Reconstruction Origins

During Reconstruction, Houston began transitioning its volunteer-based police force to full-time hires. In 1873, the Houston police force contained a Houston City Marshal and twelve racially-divided officers: 6 white and 6 black. These officers earned $60 a month to police the city of Houston.

Policing solely along color lines, the 6 Black officers were responsible for keeping order in the Black neighborhoods. They could not arrest White people except for extremely demanding circumstances and even then, only with the approval of a White officer.

Reputation on the beat

William E. “Ned” Jones was born in 1843 and joined Houston’s police force sometime around 1890. Officer Jones mainly patrolled San Felipe street (W. Dallas) in Freedmen’s Town. He had a reputation for being tough on crime and had the numbers to prove it. A December 1904 Houston Chronicle article claims Officer Ned had the 3rd highest number of arrests in the department.

Below are several Houston Chronicle articles regarding a Jones’ reputation and a couple of his arrests.

Home and family

W. E. “Ned” Jones and his wife, Martha Yates Jones lived in Freedmen’s Town at 319 Robin Street. Ned’s wife, Martha, was the eldest daughter of legendary preacher, educator, and Black leader, Reverend John Henry “Jack” Yates.

Their two-story home stood at the corner of Shaw and Robin streets, next door to Antioch Missionary Baptist Church. Martha Yates Jones, and her younger sister Pinkie, posed for pictures at both locations for a 1908 Juneteenth celebration.

The 1950’s construction of I-45 split Freedmen’s Town in half and the eastern portion of the neighborhood is all but gone today. For this reason Robin Street, along with several others, no longer exist east of I-45.

The only evidence of Freedmen’s Town existence east of I-45 is the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church which remains on the same plot of land as its 1875 construction.

Shaw street now cuts through the former Ned Jones property.

Downfall

According to a December 1923 Houston Chronicle article, Ned Jones was declared insane and committed to an asylum in 1921. The article gave no details regarding the situation and primarily focused on Ned’s wife, Martha. In his absence, she needed financial assistance to pay their mortgage. HPD superintendent, Tom C. Goodson and the Houston city council agreed to assist her financially.

I found a potentially related, albeit brief, event in a February 1921 Houston Chronicle article which may provide more context.

The article, “Negro Shot; White Man Is Arrested,” claims that Ned Jones attacked a White man named L. W. Baier with an iron bar. Baier then shot Jones and was arrested facing a potential “assault to murder” charge. Ned Jones was sent to St. Joseph’s Infirmary and treated for a minor flesh wound. Interestingly enough, there is no mention of charges levied against him.

William E. “Ned” Jones passed away on December 22, 1928 at the age of 85. Martha Yates Jones died in their home almost two decades later on February 9, 1946.

For more information regarding the current state of Freedmen’s Town and the efforts to preserve what is left of it, check out https://houstonfreedmenstown.org/.