William Allen Jones

William Allen Jones (c. 1831 – 1897) was a Canadian dentist and miner. He was the first practicing dentist in British Columbia under the British Columbia Dental Act.

Early life and education Jones was born in 1831 in Raleigh, North Carolina to Allen Jones and Temperance Jones. He had five siblings: James Munroe, John Craven, Elias Toussaint, Sophia, and another sibling whose name is unknown. William's father, Allen Jones, bought his family's freedom in North Carolina for five thousand dollars. Allen attempted to establish a school for Black children, but it was burned down repeatedly by local white residents. The family moved to Oberlin, Ohio afterwards. Jones graduated from Oberlin College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1857. William and Elias soon headed for Barkerville and participated in the Cariboo Gold Rush as miners while John remained on Salt Spring Island as a teacher. William Jones returned to the United States with Elias after the American Civil War ended in 1865 to continue his dental studies at Oberlin College. Elias opted to stay in the United States, but William soon returned to Barkerville.

Jones died of pneumonia in 1897 and is buried in the Williams Creek cemetery. Barkerville has since been restored as a National Historic Site of Canada. Jones's dental office is featured on Barkerville's main street, with chair and instruments on display. Jones's dental office completed reconstruction in 1961, with the British Columbia Dental Association being involved through the donation of equipment and assistance in exhibition development.