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Thomas E. Jones

1888 – 1973

American university president

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About Thomas E. Jones

Lived 1888 – 1973 (aged 84–85). Thomas E. Jones was a writer.

Thomas Elsa Jones, Fisk University, Nashville Thomas Elsa Jones (March 22, 1888 – August 5, 1973) was the fifth president of Fisk University, serving - and especially fundraising - from 1926 to 1946. He was later president of Earlham College, 1946 to 1958. A Quaker, Jones served as a missionary with his wife in Japan, and sponsored the first 'Friends' meetings in Nashville on Fisk campus.

Born Elsa Mazzentine Jones, he grew up in Fairmount, Indiana and attended Fairmount Academy. Upon enrolling in Earlham College in 1909, he was assigned to a women's dormitory, so he asked his mother permission to adopt her maiden name, Thomas, as his own first name, and was thus known as Thomas Elsa for the remainder of his life. He received his bachelor's degree from Earlham in 1912, and subsequently studied at Hartford Theological Seminary, graduating with a B.D. in 1915. Jones earned an M.A. in 1917 and a Ph.D. in sociology in 1926 from Columbia University.

Jones died on August 5, 1973, in Richmond, Indiana, home of Earlham College.

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Important facts

Born
1888
Birth century
Occupation
Education
Columbia University, Hartford International University for Religion and Peace, Earlham College
Also known as
Thomas Jones, Thomas Elsa Jones

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Thomas E. Jones's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Thomas E. Jones?

American university president

When was Thomas E. Jones born?

Thomas E. Jones was born in 1888.

When did Thomas E. Jones die?

Thomas E. Jones died on 5 August 1973.

What was Thomas E. Jones's occupation?

Thomas E. Jones was a writer.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Thomas E. Jones

· Wikidata: Q7789171

· DBpedia: Thomas E. Jones (university president)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Thomas E. Jones. https://biography.guide/thomas-e-jones/

MLA: "Thomas E. Jones." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/thomas-e-jones/.

Chicago: "Thomas E. Jones." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/thomas-e-jones/.

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