Texas 1845

The Mexican municipality it was called prior to 1836.  It is recorded that Eli Jones came to Texas in the fall of 1836, settling in Montgomery county.  Montgomery Co. is said to be created 1837 from Washington Co., that was formed from the Mexican municipality in 1836/37.  At any rate, Eli was a member of the "minute company" which was involved in early Texas military activity. [Remember the Alamo 1836!]

Marriage records show that a Sarah Jones m. Albert Gallatin 23 Oct. 1837 [Washington Co.], and that a Allen Jones m. Morias Stone 3 Jul. 1838 [Montgomery Co.]  Many other Jones marriages appear between 1838 - 1842.  All these are before Texas becomes a state in 1845.  Any JONES families related out there?  Bet there are lots of stories here.

References:

Jones Journeys, Vol. I, August 1973, p. 31-32.
Jones Journeys, Vol. 13, August 1985, p.1036.

Florida 1845

On March 3, 1845, Florida was the twenty-seventh State to be admitted to the Union.  The Spanish word "florida" means "blooming" and was named by those early Spanish explorers Ponce de Leon, De Narvaez, and De Soto. 

The first JONES to be recorded appear in the 1840 census of Florida.  Not sure why it is recorded as the 1840 census, but Washington Co., Jackson Co., and Columbia Co., Florida are listed with the JONES surname.

They are as follows:     Washington Co., FL  Jonah Jones , Jonathan Jones, Wiley Jones

                                      Jackson Co., FL  Samuel Jones, J.S. Jones, Kindred Jones, Jonathan Jones,
                                                                  William Jones

                                      Columbia Co., FL   Keziah Jones, Heary Jones, Thomas Jones

There is no indication which Jones was actually the first to settle the area.  The reference is found in Jones Journeys, Vol. 2, 1974, p. 10 and p. 78.

Anyone out there who knows the story of this 1840 census of Florida?  Please post...:-).

                                     

Michigan 1837

The village and township of Warren was settled at the earliest day of the Michigan Territory.  The first town meeting was April 3, 1837, and low and behold, one of the "Commissioners of Highways" was Northrup Jones.  [This would be part of Detroit now a days?]

The 1830 census of the Michigan Territory list a "Thomas Johns", "Barney Jones", "John Jones", "Avery Jones", as well as "Northrup Jones".  It may be that one of these folks were in the settlement area first? 

Northrup is a fairly unusual first name, but does appear as a surname.  Suspect that Northrup is a material surname family group.  Any relatives out there.

Arkansas 1836

Arkansas became official in 1836.  It is not completely clear who was the first JONES, but two brothers are identified as arriving before 1840.  Shadrach and Abraham Jones are their names.  This would lead one to suspect that they were of the religious type with such good Old Testament names. [That Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in that furnace of blazing fire!]

"Shadrach Jones, b. 16 May 1810 in Ind. - Abraham Jones, b. 1819 in Ind. - Shadrach was married when he came to Ark. to Mary George b. 30 July 1819 in Ind."

Does anyone have connections?  Were their settlements of Quakers/Baptist/etc. in the area? 

This reference is found:  Jones Journeys, Vol. I, May 1973, p. 97.

Missouri 1821

Moving westward across the Mississippi River followed the Louisiana Purchase of 1803.  It was an ongoing process into what was considered  first the Louisiana Territory.  What was to become Missouri was identified as "The Missouri Territory".  Here, certificates for land with "titles" and "claims" were being settled by 1809.

Commissioner's certificates were issued to a Thomas Jones dated January 1809.  It is given as Merrimac waters, St. Louis District. [Cert. #136]  The reference is found in "Missouri Pioneers", Vol. I, by Mrs. Howard Woodruff and Miss Nadine Hodges 1824.  This reference is found in Jones Journeys, Vol. VIII, 1980, p. 369.  It is interesting that the folks in Missouri were writing books about their "Pioneers" just a few years after their state was formed.  Wow....what a deal for the genealogist!

Any Missouri Jones out there?

Maine 1820

From the New England Company, to the Plymouth Company, to the state of Maine, folks were settling the area around 1663.  From "Old Kittery & Her Families" of Maine; published 1903 by Stackpole is recorded:

"Alexander Jones, probably son of the Alexander Jones who was a servant of  Capt. John Mason, was living in Kittery in 1663 and owned land on west side of Spruce Creek in 1676.  He died before 1720.  It may have been he who married Sarah, daughter of John Pearce.  He had a son Daniel and probably Cornelius who was living at Spruce Creek in 1687."

Wow...some 157 years before Maine became a State of the Union, there were JONES among the branches.  Not sure of all the history that surrounds this area of the country.  Are there any JONES from Maine who might be able to tell their story?

                              [Source: Jones Journeys, Vol. 13, 1985 - 1986, p. 1026.]

Alabama 1819

One of the first settlements in what was to become the State of Alabama (1819) was around the area now called Birmingham.  Before these settlers arrived, Cherokee, Choctaw, and Creek Indians used this area as a common hunting ground.  An important trade path coursed through the valley, and a Creek trading center named "Mad Town" was a few miles southeast on the Cahaba River.  It was around 1813 that a John Jones arrived and began a crude fort called "Jonesborough".  This area became known as "Jones Valley" up to the Civil War period.  The Jones surname arrived very early in the history of this state.  Wow, those Jones sure seem to get around.

This information is taken from: Jones Journeys, Vol. VI, 1978, p. 17-18.  It records that the account comes from: Alabama - A Guide to the Deep South - WPA Writer's Program; Richard R. Smith, publisher, NY (1941).  Any folks connected out there?