editor, author, politician, diplomat, b. Malesow, Bohemia. He was educated at the Polytechnic Institute in Prague. He migrated to the U.S. and to Racine, Wis., in 1863 where he became editor of the Bohemian-language newspaper, Slavic (1863-1868). He was co-editor and publisher of this paper from 1868 to 1895. Jonas was the author of an early Bohemian-English dictionary, and wrote several other works on Bohemia. A Democrat, he was state assemblyman (1878), and state senator (1883-1886). He was U.S. consul at Prague (1886-1889), served two terms as lieutenant governor of Wisconsin (Jan. 1891-Apr. 1894), but re-signed during his last term to accept the post of U.S. consul at St. Petersburg. Due to ill health, he soon left Russia, was appointed to a post at Prague, but was removed at the insistence of a hostile Austrian government. He died shortly after being transferred to the consular post at Crefield, Germany. Wis. Blue Book (1891); F. S. Stone, ed., Racine . . . and Racine Co. (2 vols., Chicago, 1916); Milwaukee Sentinel, Jan. 16, 1896, Feb. 21, 1897.Learn More
Dictionary of Wisconsin History
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[Source: Blue book]
