Saturday, August 30, 2014

New York 1684

The Dutch and English both had their eyes on this "Long Island" facing the great pond.  The Dutch claiming ownership on the west side, while the English claimed ownership on the east end.  Trading with the Indians, it would not take long before difficulties arose.  For almost the next 50 years, back and forth it would go...some times the Dutch on top...and sometimes the English.



  It was 1683 before the first Colonial Legislature assembled in New York.  A year later, their first treaty with the Mohawk, Ongida, Onondaga, and Cayuga took place.  It was near this time period that the first JONES appears.  His story is told in much detail in the book:


It was around 1695 with this Thomas Jones came upon the scene.  A Sarah Jones and Daniel Honan were married 6 Oct. 1694. [Unclear relationship.]  A large JONES family was the result in the colony of New York.

Any descendants our there?  Please post.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Pennsylvania 1682

"This day my Country was confirmed to me under the Great Seal of England, with large powers and privileges, by the name of Pennsylvania..." was written by William Penn 1681.  In a letter to Robert Turner he states that he would have chosen "New Wales" as a name, but his Secretary chose "Penn" which in the Welsh means "head" [as head of a mountain], and "Sylvania" meaning woodlands.  Interesting story as told by Glenn in his book titled Marion in The Welsh Tract p. 22.


As you might imagine there were a large number of Welsh Quakers with the surname JONES.  A list of these fellows who purchased land, and the amount of land that was to be surveyed, is given in Glenn's text p. 27.  They are as follows: 1) Edward Joanes and John Thomas, 5000 acres, 2) Thomas Joanes, 50 acres, 3) David Joanes, 100 acres, and 4) Henry Joanes, 400 acres.

In Jones Journeys, Vol. VI, pp. 74 - 74 are listed "Warrants & Surveys of the Province of Pennsylvania" under the title "JONES LAND RECORDS".  Here a volume and page number of the record books are given by county.  A Griffith Jones (1683), John Jones (1683), Robert Jones (1683),  Daniel Jones (1682), and Charles Jones (1683) should be added to this list.  Wow...a lot of Jones all at the beginning of the Welsh tract Pennsylvania.  Anyone connected out there?

The text is a must have if you connect in the JONES family tree.  The full reference is:

Merion In The Welsh Tract With Sketches of The Townships of Haverford and Radnor, by Thomas Allen Glenn, Clearfield Company, Baltimore, 1992.  The book was originally published 1896.  The title also goes on to state: "Historical and Genealogical Collections Concerning The Welsh Barony In The Province of Penn. Sylvania, Settled By the Cymric Quakers In 1682."