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Decatur Jones to Have One Eighth Part

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Decatur Jones to Have One Eighth Part BENJAMIN JONES AND HIS DESCENDANTS Compiled by Caroline Cunningham Dedicated to Orman (Caroline Cunningham Osborn) Daddy (J. Harry Cunningham) and to the memory of Mother (Elizabeth Adams Cunningham) " .... we should strive to shame our ancestors by our superior energy and virtues and not admire them over­ much to the dwarfing of ourselves, but their many excellencies were such that I am unwilling that they shall perish from the memory of their descendants.'' - William Henry Jones (1842-1920) CHAPTER ONE TRADITION Tradition is that Benjamin Jones of Henry County, Virginia, was a great-grandson of David Jones who was the first actual settler of Baltimore, Maryland, who came to America from Wales in 1659, bringing his son Joshua with him. He settled on the north shore of what.is now Balti­ more Harbor and gave his name to the stream which now divides the city into East and West Baltimore. J. Hall Pleasants of Baltimore, wrote in his article, The Gorsuch and Lovelace Families, printed in the Virginia Historica~ Magazine, Vol. 24, p. 425: "Anna Gorsuch baptised March 13, 1638-9, married about 1657 Captain Thomas Todd of Gloucester County, Virginia; second, Cap­ tain David Iones. Jones' plantation was Coles Harbor on which Baltimore was laid out. Todd died in 1677. Anna married Jones about 1677. He not only gave his name to Jones Falls, the stream which, arising in the Green Spring Valley, flows through the heart of Baltimore and emp­ ties into the northwest branch of the Patapsco, but also to Iones Town, laid out in 1731, and in­ corporated ten years later with Baltimore Town. He patented a tract, Jones Range, 380 acres surveyed for him January 15, 1671 on the north side of the Patapsco River on Denton Creek near the mouth of the Patapsco River. Also patented Jones Chance (Fortune), Rangers Lodge, Stony Banks, Long Point and Jones' Adventure. December 8, 1679 he purchased from Charles Gorsuch, his brother-in-law, three tracts of land, viz.: Coles' Harbor, 550 acres; Maide~'s Choice, 450 acres; and Marybonne, 200 acres, etc. After his marriage to Anna, he selected Coles' Harbor for his dwelling plantation. David died in 1686-7. His Will is dated 1687." DAVID JONES' WILL 1 Anno 1686/7. In the name of God Amen ye 3rd day of Febry 1686 and I David Jones being sick in body but of good and perfect memory thanks be unto Allmighty God and calling to remem­ brance the uncertain estate of this transitory life and that all flesh must rtd unto death when it shall please God to call doe make and ordaine constitude ordaine and declare this my last will · and testament in maner and forme following - revocking and anuling by this psents all and every testament and Testaments will and wills heretofore by me made and declared either by word or writing and this to be taken only for my last will and testament and none other and first being penetent and sory from the botom of my hart for my sins past most humbly desireing forgiveness for the same I give and commit my soule unto Allmighty God my savior and redemer in whome and by the merits of Jesus Christ I trust and belive assuredly to be saved and to have full re­ mison and forgiveness of all my sins and that my soule with my body at the genrall day of res­ orection shall rise againe with joy and thorough the merits of Christ death and passion possess and inherit the kingdom of heaven prepared for his elect and chosen and my body to be buried in such place where it shall please my Ex. hereafter named, to apoint and now for the seteling of my temprall estate and such good chattles and debts as it hath plesed God far above my desarts to bestow upon me I doe order give and dispose the same in manner and form following that is to say F'irst I will that all these debts and dutys as I owe in right or conscence to any manner of pson or psons whatsoever shall be well and truly contented and payd or ordained to be payd with them convenient time after my decease by my executors hereafter named. I will that my deare wife Ann Jones being Exec after my death I give and bequeath unto my deare wife all my psonall estate and to her ers all my psonall estate excepting the legacies as after shall be mencened. Item, I give and bequeath unto John Grosch and Tho. Gorash equally to be divided between them both and to their heires four hundred and fifty acres of land called ye Midian' s Choyce. Item - I give and bequeath unto Frances Toodd and her he ires two hundred and fifty acres of land called the long point at the head of bays River. Item - I give and bequeath unto Abuillye Tood one hundred and thirty acres of land called by the name of Jones Fortin - Item I give and bequeath unto James Toodd eirt acres of land belonging unto Black Walnot Neck and to his heires. Item I give and bequeath unto Robet Gepson two hundred acres of land called Marray­ land. Item - I give and bequeath unto Edward Norish on cow and calfe to be delivered this next year. Item - I give and bequeath unto Sarah Garnt on cow and calfe to be delivered next year. 1. Copied from Liber 4 folio 240, Hall of Records, Annapolis, Maryland, June 28, 1950. Item I give and bequeath unto Moyeiss Grome one cow and calfe to be dd this next year - I give and bequeath unto Danall Watch one cow and calfe to be delivered the next year insuing. Item. I give and bequeath unto my dear sister Elizabeth Jons my now dwelling plantation with all the land belonging unto it after my wife's decease - Item I will that if in case my sister dyes before my wife that then I give and bequeath unto Frances and Abrell Todd aforesaid after ye decease of my wife. Item I bequeath that servant before next ye are to my wife that is at her demand and his name George Williams all in Genrall only I give and bequeath unto Robet Jopson on neger after the dec'd of my wife Item I give and bequeath unto Miles Gipson on guld ring of twenty shillings price. Item I give and bequeath unto John Williams one gold ring of twenty two shillings price Ass witness my hand and seale his mark David X Jones (sele) John Rock Mathew Hidson Wolfan Hunt Merandom 14th day of March Mathew Hudson & Wolfan Hunt did prove this within menconed will upon oath before me to be the act & deed last will and testament of David Jones latly deceased given under my hand this 14th day of March 1686 John Boring Tradition: Tradition is that Joshua Jones came to America with his father, David Jones, and that Joshua was the father of Isaac Jones, our ancestor. Supposition: Isaac Jones, father of Dr. Benjamin, was born about 1729 and was about 22 years old when he and Isabel Norman were married in 1751. He died in 1770 at the age of about 41. Joshua Jones of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, was about 50 in 1752 and could have been the father of our ances­ tor, Isaac. Joshua's Will is dated 1773 - after our ancestor, Isaac, had died. Therefore, if this Joshua was the father of our ancestor, Isaac, Isaac's name would not appear in Joshua's Will. If David Jones came to America in 1659 and brought his son (x) he (David) must have been an older man. Say he was 40 and his son (x) 15. This would make David 58 years old in 1677 when he married Anna Gorsuch Todd. She was baptised in 1638 which would mean she was around 39 years old when she and David Jones were married. David's son (x) would have been 25 in 1669. If (x) had a son (xx) born in 1672, who married at the age of 28 (in 1700), he might have had a son (xxx) who was born in 1702. Joshua Jones of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, was about 50 in 1752, which means he was born about 1702. He could have been the father of Isaac who married Isabel Norman in 1751 and was the father of Dr. Benjamin Jones. Conclusion: If Benjamin was a descendant of David, he was probably a great- great- great-grandson, rather than a great-grandson. I do not believe Benjamin could have been a grandson of David's son, Joshua, if Joshua was born prior to 1659 and Benjamin was born in 1752. - 2 - CHAPTER TWO JONESES IN MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA Maryland I have taken the following notes on Joneses in Maryland with the name Joshua Jones and names similar to those who are descendants of Isaac, father of Dr. Benjamin Jones. Maryland Calendar of Wills, Volume 8, page 4: Joseph Jones, planter, Anne Arundel County. Will made May 11, 1733, probated December 30, 1738, names sons Joseph, Arthur, Richard, Benjamin and Jacob. Granddaughter, Rebecca. Son Isaac, executor and residuary legatee. Test. Nicholas St. Lawrence, William Harvey, Edward Hanchett. (The Isaac mentioned in this will could have been the father of Dr. Benjamin Jones.) Maryland Calendar of Wills, Volume 8, page 187: Launcelot Tod, Anne Arundel County, Will made May 20, 17 42, probated October 19, 17 42. Names son Charles and daughters Margaret and Ann.
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