D. D Boone William Jones, first missionary bishop of the Protestant Episcopal church at Shanghai, China, born in South Carolina, July 1, 1813, died at Shanghai, July 17, 1864.# He graduated at the college of South Carolina,studied law under Chancellor De Saussure, and was admitted to the bar, but soon after studied for the ministry at the theological seminary of Virginia, and was ordained in 1835. During the following two years he studied medicine at the South Carolina medical college, and received his degree in 1837. Appointed early the same year a missionary to China, he sailed with his wife, and reached Batavia in October. He thenceforward devoted all his energies to the acquisition of the Chinese language, and in time became one of the first scholars of modern times in that difficult tongue. In 1840 he removed to Macao for the benefit of his health, and two years later to Amoy, where his wife died in August, 1842. By desire of the foreign committee on missions, he returned to the United States in the summer of 1843, and was consecrated missionary bishop for China, Oct. 22, 1844. Taking with him several assistants, Bishop Boone reached Shanghai in June, 1845. He was especially occupied in translating the prayer book into Chinese, and, in connection with the missionaries from other denominations, in securing an accurate version of the Bible. It was in this work that his knowledge of the language was especially conspicuous.

On two occasions, in 1852 and 1857, he returned home for the benefit of his health. Having succeeded in getting the mission to Japan under way, he returned to China in December, 1859. Severe domestic afflictions and other trials in connection with his mission, as well as incessant labors, soon broke down his feeble health and terminated his life.