Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Jones, Griffith (1722-1786)
JONES, GRIFFITH (1722–1786), writer for the young and journalist, was born in 1722, and served his apprenticeship to William Bowyer the printer. He was for many years editor of the ‘London Chronicle,’ ‘Daily Advertiser,’ and ‘Public Ledger.’ He settled at No. 7 Bolt Court, Fleet Street, as a printer, and in that capacity was associated with his neighbour, Dr. Johnson, in the ‘Literary Magazine,’ and with Smollett and Goldsmith in the ‘British Magazine;’ he published a great number of translations from the French, to none of which, however, was his name affixed. One little work from his pen, entitled ‘Great Events from Little Causes,’ had an extensive sale; another was a collection of ‘Nash's Jests.’ He died on 12 Sept. 1786, leaving three sons, Lewis (b. 1748), Griffith (b. 1758), and Joseph, and a daughter, Christian, the wife of his cousin, Stephen Jones. The two elder sons were educated at St. Paul's School.
Giles Jones (fl. 1765), Griffith's brother, wrote in conjunction with him many books for children, known as ‘Lilliputian Histories,’ among them being ‘Goody Two-Shoes’ (1765), ‘Giles Gingerbread,’ ‘Tommy Trip,’ &c. (cf. Notes and Queries, 4th ser. viii. 511). Giles was secretary to the York Buildings Water Company, and was father of Stephen Jones [q. v.], and grandfather of John Winter Jones [q. v.]
[Welsh's A Bookseller of the Last Century, pp. 44, &c.; Nichols's Lit. Anecd. iii. 465–6; will reg. in P. C. C. 479, Wake; Gardiner's St. Paul's School Reg. pp. 121, 148.]