Tennessee 1779

Late in October 1779,  James Robertson led a party of men to establish a settlement along the Cumberland River in what is now the Nashville area.  He reached a bluff where Nashville now stands on Christmas Day, 1779.  He brought with him approximately 200 males over a land route which covered about 500 miles.  One gentleman among this group was Jacob Jones, from North Carolina.  He had received land from NC for his service in the Revolutionary War.  The wives, children, and goods of those who had taken the land route were to follow using a water route, under the command of John Donelson and John Blackemore.  An amazing story unfolds as recounted by a diary kept by John Donelson.  This story can be found in Early History of Middle Tennessee , by Edward Albright.

Jacob Jones and his family, a story to remember.  The first JONES to Tennessee and what was to become Nashville is his story.

Kentucky 1774

"My Old Kentucky Home" it is for me and my family.  It became a state in 1792, but it was a county of Virginia starting 1772 as Fincastle County.  The first JONES to have a land grant in what was to become Kentucky was Gabriel Jones.  His original survey number was 8104 and the documentation can be found on page 107 of the "Master Index Virginia Surveys and Grants 1774-1791" published by the Kentucky Historical Society in 1976.  This was a "Military Warrant" issued for service in the French and Indian War.  He served in Virginia Colonial Militia from August County, September 1758.  This documentation can be found on page 65 of "Virginia Colonial Militia 1651 - 1776", edited by Crozier and published in 1954.  The 2000 acres was surveyed by Hancock Taylor on an "Unknown fk. Elkhorn Cr.".  It was at the corner of land which Hancock Taylor had surveyed for himself.  The documentation can be found on page 148 in "Kentucky Land Warrants, for the French, Indian, & Revolutionary Wars" complied by Samuel M. Wilson 1913.  The name "Gabriel Jones" becomes very confusing during this early period since there were several by this name.  Anyone out there connected?