The Jones Family
The Families
The Jones Family
Edward Coffin Jones purchased the mansion in 1851 for $17,000. A successful whaling agent, Jones owned or managed more than a dozen vessels at mid-century. He moved into the house with his second wife, Emma Nye Chambers Jones, and their young family.
Though tragedy struck early—Emma and their eldest daughter died of scarlet fever soon after—the family remained in the house for over eight decades. Edward’s daughter Amelia lived at the house for 84 years, devoting herself to philanthropy and the arts. She notably donated $1 million to establish Sol-e-mar, a hospital for children with disabilities.
During Amelia’s lifetime, she witnessed New Bedford’s transition from a whaling port to a textile hub, even as the home’s gardens and traditions carried forward the city’s maritime legacy.
