William Atkinson Jones Mausoleum, (sculpture).

William Atkinson Jones Mausoleum, (sculpture).

Benlliure, Mariano, sculptor.

William Atkinson Jones Mausoleum, (sculpture).

Filipino Memorial Tribute to William Atkinson Jones, (sculpture).

William Atkinson Jones Memorial Monument, (sculpture).

Philippine Memorial to William Atkinson Jones, (sculpture).

Dedicated June 20, 1926.

Digital Reference:

Sculpture: bronze and marble; Base: granite and marble.

Sculpture: approx. 22 x 3 x 5 ft.; Base: approx. 3 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 16 1/2 ft.

(On front of granite base below bronze figure:) TO/WILLIAM ATKINSON JONES/A TRIBUTE OF UNDYING GRATITUDE/OF THE FILIPINO PEOPLE unsigned

In the churchyard of St. John's Episcopal Church stands a white marble portrait bust of William Atkinson Jones atop a tall granite pedestal that marks his grave. Standing in front of the granite pedestal is a bronze allegorical female figure of a Filipino woman. She is dressed in native costume and holds up a large bronze coat-of-arms, which hangs slightly below the marble portrait of Jones. The female figure is installed on a granite base. A tall white marble stele with a rounded top stands as a backdrop to the memorial. Mounted atop the stele is a large bronze bird with wings extended. The bird stands on top of a bronze American flag that draped over the top of the stele. All of the sculptural elements of the memorial stand on a large marble platform that is flanked on three sides by a low marble wall.

History -- United States -- Spanish American War

Portrait male -- Jones, William Atkinson -- Bust

Occupation -- Political -- Congressman

Figure female -- Full length

Allegory -- Place -- Philippines

Ethnic -- Filipino

Outdoor Sculpture -- Virginia -- Warsaw

St. John's Episcopal Church, Richmond Road, Route 360, Cemetery, Warsaw, Virginia 22572

Warsaw native William Atkinson Jones was a U.S. Congressman from Virginia who served fourteen continuous terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was first elected to Congress in 1890 as a reprentative of the First District of Virginia, a seat he held until his death in 1918. Following the Spanish American War Congressman Jones, as a member of the House Insular Affairs Committee, oversaw the administration of the Philippine Islands, and became a champion for Philippine independence. He is most remembered for passage of the Bill for Philippine independence, which was signed in 1916 by President Woodrow Wilson, and allowed for the gradual transition of powers to the Philippine people. Congressman Jones was much admired and respected by the Philippine people, and his death in 1918 plunged the island into deep mourning. Philippine officials attended the burial in St. John's churchyard, and the people of the Philippines pledged to erect an American memorial in his honor. He is remembered throughout the Philippines with bridges, streets, and other civic facilities named after him. The memorial cost $35,000, which was funded by the government of the Philippines, with donations of pennies from Philippine school children. The memorial was sculpted by a celebrated Spanish sculptor, Don Mariano Benlliure of Madrid. It was constructed in Spain, then dismantled and shipped to Virginia where it was reassembled. The memorial was erected for the Philippine Government by the U.S. War Dept., Bureau of Insular Affairs, under the supervision of Maj. Joe Sullivan. IAS files contain copies of related articles from The Philippine Republic (Washington, DC) 1926; and Northern Neck News (Warsaw, VA) June 4 and 25, 1926 and April 9, 1987.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Virginia survey, 1995.

SOS Assessment Award, 2000.

SOS Conservation Treatment Award, 2001.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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