They embarked on board a ship bound for St. John, N. B. in the year 1811; remained a short time in the city, when they moved up the St. John river and settled down between Frederickton and Woodstock, where he learned the farming business, and in the course of a little time accumulated means, which enabled him to keep a country store; and as the neighborhood in which he lived was a new settlement, property began to rise, and he commenced speculating in public lands. As he had a good education and bright intellect, he was soon looked upon as a leading man in the neighborhood, and it was thought profitable as well as necessary to establish a tavern in the vicinity, which was strongly recommended by many lumber merchants; and Jones, being considered to be the best adapted for the business, accepted the offer. He at this time was of course prosperous, as he had the whole monopoly and an unbounded concourse of travellers stopping at his house; but an avaricious desire seized him and he at once became fearless, and his first step was to commence smuggling between Frederickton and Calais, Me., which business he carried on for a considerable time unmolested. While things were going on in this style, it so happened that an old acquaintance, whose name was Thomas Murdock, moved from St. John and settled in the same neighborhood in which Jones resided. The acquaintance was soon renewed, though not much to the satisfaction of Jones, as he knew Murdock to be a man of honesty, and it was on this ground and the fear of detection and exposure that Jones dreaded his old acquaintance, for Murdock was yet entirely ignorant of the business Jones was engaged in, for he, Jones, had previously managed to keep up the appearance of honesty and respectability. As Murdock frequently visited at the house of Jones, he soon began to suspect that all was not right. However, he said nothing on the subject, until one evening he happened to pass the house of Jones, on his way home, at an unusually late hour, and seeing a great stir, he determined to go in and satisfy his doubts as to what he before suspected; and there he found Jones secreting a quantity of broadcloth which had been stolen a few nights previous. Jones then finding that he was at length discovered, begged of Murdock not to expose him, and at the same time offered him fifty pounds, as he said exposure would be the means of bringing his family to disgrace, and final destruction; and at the same time endeavoring to induce Murdock to participate in the capture; but Murdock flatly refused, saying that his duty to his God and his country forbade such an undertaking.