Sunday, February 28, 2016

Kansas 1861






The Civil War had started and folks were certainly occupied.  Only two states were admitted during this war period [Kansas 1861 and Nevada 1864], but the westward rush of pioneers continued.  Of course those with the JONES surname were there.  In Franklin township one of the first districts to be established in Jackson County [originally Calhoun County] was called "Brick schoolhouse district".  At "Brick Cemetery" [Holton, KS] is buried Harlan C. Jones, b. 6 Mar. 1814; d. 12 Apr 1870.  The wife of Harlan C. is also buried, and a daughter Narcissa [b. 1846] rest here as well.  This would place Harlan in the Kansas area around 1845.  It must have been an interesting place to settle. 

                      [wife was Ruth Hannah (Zell) Jones, b. 3 Mar 1816; d. 19 Apr 1893]

Reference: Jones Journeys, Vol. 13,  p. 1086.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Oregon 1859


 The extreme western end of the Louisiana Purchase [Oregon country] had been settled by fur traders, missionaries, and farmers from the eastern side of the Mississippi.  By 1843, enough folks had gathered to form a compact for government which helped provide cooperation among the various settlements.  The earliest JONES to arrive in this territory was Michael Jones, b. 1804,  Kanawha Co., VA.  He is reported to have arrived Oregon 15 November 1845.  He settled a land claim 6 April 1852, and would have been one of the first to carrying the surname JONES.  Oregon officially became a State of the Union in 1859.

There were a fair number of JONES in the 1860 Census of Oregon.  Some making land claims before Michael, but he is the earliest to have arrived that I have been able to discover.  From all over it seems the JONES surname comes : 1) Ohio, 2) New York, 3) Indiana, 4) Kentucky, 5) Pennsylvania, 6) Maryland, 7) New Jersey, 8) Tennessee, 9) North Carolina, 10) Iowa, 11) Virginia, 12) Missouri, 13) South Carolina, 14) Nebraska, 15) Alabama, 16) Illinois, 17) Ireland, 18) Bavaria,  and 19) Germany.  What a deal...a mixing and matching indeed. 

Data from 1860 census taken from: Jones Journeys, Vol. 4, 1976, pp.59-63.
Michael Jones found Genealogical Material in Oregon Donation Land Claims, Vol. I; abstracted by Geneal. Forum of Portland, Oregon 1957.  As abstracted: Jones Journeys, Vol. 11, 1983-1984, p.710.