Dr. Gilbert Haven Jones was very young when his family relocated to Providence, RI and later, Columbus, Ohio. At the age of 15, he graduated from Central High School in Columbus and entered Ohio State University. After three years, he transferred to Wilberforce University and was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in 1902, and a Bachelor of Science in 1903. For the next three years, he served as principal of Lincoln High School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. In 1905, he earned another degree in Philosophy and in 1907, a master's degree from Dickinson College (University). Afterwards, he spent two years engaged in study at Germany’s Goetingen and Leipsic Universities. He received a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Jena in 1909, making him the first African American to graduate from a German university. Upon his return to the United States, Dr. Jones chaired the Philosophy Department at St. Augustine Collegiate Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina. Some time after this period, he was awarded an LL.D from Howard University. He then went on to become chair of the Classical Languages Department and then college dean of Oklahoma’s Langston College in until 1914, whereupon he accepted the position of dean of the College of Liberal Arts at  Wilberforce  University. During  his 50-year tenure at  Wilberforce, he served in manycapacities including president from 1924 to 1932.

On June 10, 1910, Dr. Jones married Rachel Gladys Coverdale, a resident of the Germantown section of Philadelphia, and whose father was also an A.M.E. preacher. Together they reared four children: Gladys Havena, Gilbert Haven Jr., Ruth I. and Donald C. Dr. Jones served on the National Advisory Board of the Public Health Service, the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, the Association of Teachers of Psychology, the Association for the Advancement of Psychological Research, Phi Gamma Mu of University Administrators, the Northeast Life Insurance Company, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Interestingly, he was an itinerant elder, although he never pastored a church. Mrs. Jones passed away while he was in his 70s. Some years later, he re-married and moved to Chicago, IL, but still maintained his home in Wilberforce. Dr. Jones passed away June 24, 1966, and is interred near his father at Massies Creek Cemetery in Cedarville, Ohio. The following are brief biographies of the children of Dr. and Mrs. Jones:

Gladys Havena Robinson
(d. 2004)

Wife of Edwin Robinson, Sr.; retired fromGeneral Electric (d. 2006)
Retired educator of 40 years
Child: Edwin Robinson, Jr.; retired from theU.S. Social Security Administration
Grandchildren: Alicia Jamerson, and KelliSimples
Great-grandchildren: Joshua Jamerson, Audrey Simples, and James Simples

Donald Coverdale Jones
(b. 1925)

Retired from the U.S. Federal Government
Children: Donald Jr., and Lori Jones Murphy
Grandchildren: Rochelle Jones, Derrick Jones, Robert Jones, Ladonna Jones, and Jasmine Quintana

Gilbert Haven Jones Jr.
(d. 1934)

Ruth Inez Jones
(d. 1937)