Pirate History: Jones Beach Founder Linked to Famous Heist

James Bailey, a retired corrections officer from Rhode Island, says he has uncovered records tying Thomas Jones, the namesake of Jones Beach, to the 1695 raid on the royal Indian ship Ganj-i-Sawai. Bailey argues that colonial-era documents show Jones acted as a driver, or wheelman, for English pirate Captain Henry Every and his crew. His findings suggest Jones helped the pirates evade authorities after they stole tens of millions of dollars in gold and silver.

Every’s crew tortured and killed members of the royal ship's crew, sparking a global manhunt. While some pirates were executed, Every and others vanished. Bailey notes that millions of visitors to Jones Beach, the most visited state park in New York after Niagara Falls, have likely never known the park’s namesake was a major player in what is considered the biggest heist in piracy history.

Before settling in New York, Jones served as a major in the English military. He later became a wealthy businessman and landowner in the American colonies. Rumors about his origins persisted after his death in 1713. His mansion in early Long Island was reportedly haunted, and his grave was robbed by treasure hunters. A 1906 family history dismissed these pirate tales as slander and improbable fictions.

Historians say Jones’ background as a privateer makes the connection plausible. Meagan Schulman, a doctoral candidate at Fordham University who specializes in 17th-century piracy, notes that privateers were government-sponsored pirates. When wars ended, those who continued raiding were branded pirates. Schulman explains that Jones likely did not see himself as a pirate, even if others did.

According to Bailey, Jones returned to Rhode Island briefly after helping Every. In 1696, his father-in-law gifted him a large tract of land on Long Island’s south shore. This allowed Jones to start fresh while authorities searched New England for the pirates. He built a homestead on the property that now bears his name.

In 1698, New York colonial governor Richard Coote investigated piracy and questioned Jones about a barrel of money found at his house. Jones, described by the governor as formerly a pirate, testified he knew nothing about it. Richard Blakemore, a maritime history professor at the University of Reading, cautions that Thomas Jones is a common name, so Bailey's findings are compelling but not conclusive.

Kevin McDonald, a history professor at Loyola Marymount University, says the case illustrates how piracy built wealth for prominent Northeast families. He notes that early British colonies were socially and economically connected to piracy, contrary to popular images of pirates as outcasts.