Colonial Records Implicate Jones Beach Founder in 1695 Pirate Escape

A new analysis of colonial documents suggests that Thomas Jones, the man who lent his name to Jones Beach, acted as a getaway driver for the crew of the notorious pirate Captain Henry Every. James Bailey, an amateur historian who retired from Rhode Island’s corrections department, claims that Jones helped the pirate evade capture after the 1695 raid on the royal Indian ship Ganj-i-Sawai. Bailey says the findings reveal a major link between a popular New York landmark and one of the largest heists in piracy history.

Bailey first gained attention five years ago after discovering ancient coins believed to be connected to Every. Since that discovery, he has examined depositions and records from the late 17th century to trace the movements of Every’s crew. The research indicates that Jones was recruited to move the pirates and their loot away from authorities. The crew had looted tens of millions of dollars’ worth of gold and silver before scattering to Europe and the American colonies.

The timeline of Jones’ life shows a rapid shift from military service to colonial wealth. He served as a major in the English military before moving to the American colonies. He initially settled in Rhode Island but eventually became a prominent landowner in New York. By 1696, his father-in-law, Thomas Townsend, gifted him a large tract of land on Long Island’s south shore. This property became the site of a whaling operation and a homestead, allowing Jones to build a new life far from the eyes of New England investigators.

New York’s colonial governor, Richard Coote, investigated Jones in 1698. Coote wrote that a witness deposition linked a "barrel of money" to Jones’ house on Long Island. The governor described Jones as "formerly a pirate" and noted that authorities were still searching for Every and his accomplices in the region. Jones testified that he knew nothing about the barrel of money. The investigation highlighted the tension between the British crown’s desire to crack down on piracy and the local economic benefits of the trade.

Historians note that Jones’ background as a privateer makes his transition to piracy plausible. Meagan Schulman, a doctoral candidate at Fordham University specializing in 17th-century piracy, explained that privateers were often just pirates sponsored by a government. When wars ended, those who continued raiding lost their legal status. Schulman said Jones likely did not view himself as a pirate, but the line between the two roles was often blurry in the colonial era.

Rumors about Jones’ fortune persisted long after his death in 1713. Stories circulated that his mansion was haunted and that his grave was desecrated by robbers looking for buried treasure. A 1906 family history dismissed these tales as slander. Thomas Floyd-Jones, a descendant, wrote that the myths were cherished for over a century and magnified by ignorance and superstition. The new documents provide a factual basis for these long-standing local legends.

Richard Blakemore, a maritime history professor at the University of Reading, cautioned that the findings are not yet conclusive. He noted that Thomas Jones is a common name in historical records. However, Blakemore agreed that the evidence points to a broader economic connection between early British colonies and piracy. Kevin McDonald, a history professor at Loyola Marymount University, stated that piracy provided foundational wealth for many prominent families in the Northeast. This challenges the popular image of pirates as isolated outcasts.

Bailey hopes to publish his research in the near future. He believes the documents offer a clearer picture of Jones’ role in the aftermath of the Ganj-i-Sawai raid. The work adds a layer of complexity to the history of Jones Beach, a state park that has hosted millions of visitors for generations. For New Yorkers, the beach remains a destination for recreation, but the history behind its name now includes a direct link to the violent era of colonial piracy.