The two masted wooden schooner J.M. Jones was built in 1855 by James Madison Jones at his shipyard in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The vessel was made for the lumber trade. The Jones was valued at $3,800 and rated B2 in 1860 and was valued at $2,000, rated B2 in 1861.

December 1856: J.M. Jones struck a pier and sunk at Racine.

December 1858: Lost her master overboard on Lake Michigan.

September 1859: Capsized with a load of wood on Lake Michigan at Port Washington. Recovered.

September 1860: Collided with the schooner Nightingale on the St. Clair River.
The schooner J.M. Jones loaded with wood bound for Chicago, was stove and waterlogged after being nearly cut in two as the result of a collision with the schooner Condor. The Jones sunk immediately. The crew of the Jones were all saved escaping by being picked up by the Condor, however, the Condor lost her bowsprit, mainmast, and all her sails and rigging in the accident. The Condor drifted helplessly for twenty four hours, before being discovered and towed to Milwaukee by the propeller Backus. From the Milwaukee Sentinel September 4, 1861.