Edmund j. jones 1783-1856

C. L. Schmenk & K. R. Jacobson

After years of searching we still do not know the parents of Edmund J. Jones. Edmund was born about 1783 and died February or March 1855. Mildred Murphey was the daughter of Arthur and Charity (maiden name unknown) Murphey. Mildred (Milley) was born about 1785 in North Carolina and died some time after probating Edmund’s will March 15, 1856 and probably before the 1860 census. Birth years were imputed from the 1850 Greene County census, the only census we have been able to confirm as our Edmund and Mildred.

We believe this to be their marriage record:
North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868; Bride: Mildred Murphey; Groom: Edmund Jones
Bond Date: 25 Jan 1812, County: Franklin, Record #: 02 095, Bondsman: Leonard Jones
Witness: G Hill, Jr., Bond #: 000047998, page #32
Edmund Jones (x) to Mildred Murphey. 25 Jan 1812 Leonard Jones (w) G. Hill, Jr.
FRANKLIN COUNTY, NC - Marriage Bonds, excerpts 1779-1868

From a transcription done by Mark A. Murphy on October 18, 2001:
Extracts of Franklin Co. North Carolina Court Minutes, years 1814-1815
Film/Rolls 744/C.039.30001-7 NC State Archives
Minutes of September Court 1814
Deed from Thomas F.[J?] Armstrong to Edmund Jones was proved by the oath of Benjamin H. Lucas and on M.O.R.

1855-1856 Greene County Directory by Snedecor.

JONES, Edmund J,  planter, Pleasant Ridge, (section) 9, (township north) 23, (range) 1 west

JONES, Henry G, planter, Pleasant Ridge, (section) 8, (township) 23 (range) 1 west

JONES, A. E, planter, Pleasant Ridge (son of Edmund)

JONES, John A, cropper, Pleasant Ridge (son of Edmund)

JONES, Wm E,  planter, Springfield (section) 34, (township north) 23 (range) 2east (unconfirmed son of Edmund)

EDMUND J. JONES - WILL

We obtained a copy of Edmund’s will from the Greene County Courthouse, Will book C 1840-1864 pages 431-433, Probate: March 15, 1856, Greene Co., AL

In the name of God Amen.

I Edmund Jones, of the County of Greene and State of Alabama do make and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following: First I resign my Soul into the hands of Almighty God, and my body I commit to the earth to be buried at the direction of my Executor, herein after named. And my mortaly estate I give and devise as follows: I give and bequeath to my Wife Milley Jones, the tract of land on which I reside consisting of eighty acres numbered and designated as follows: (viz) the South half of the South East quarter of Section Nine Township twenty three of Range one West, I also give unto my Wife Milley Jones all of my present growing crop both corn and cotton, all of my farming utensils, house hold and kitchen furniture of every description. Also I give unto My Wife Milley all of my hogs, horses and cattle, and all other property that I may die seized and possessed of. I give and bequeath all of the above mentioned property unto My Wife Milly Jones; So long as she remains My Widow, or during her natural life, but upon the happening of her marriage or death, then and in that event, I direct and will that all of the above mentioned property given unto My Wife Milly Jones, be sold to the highest bidder and the proceeds of said sale to be equally divided amongst all of my children, (viz) William Jones, John Jones, Alfred Jones, Lemuel Jones, Harriet Childres, Peggy Hitt, Elizabeth Murphey and Ellen Lewis.  I also Will and direct that my Executor, Francis M. Childres pay all of my just debts out of the proceeds of the present growing crop of cotton.

And I do hereby Constitute and appoint My friend Francis M. Childres Sole executor of this My last Will and testament.

In Witness Whereof I have hereunto Set My hand and seal this the ___ day of _____ A.D. 1855

his

Edmund X Jones (seal)

mark

Signed, Sealed, published and declared by the said testator, as for his last will and testament, in our presence, who at his request in his presence have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto.

Joseph Benton

John Corssen (?)

The State of Alabama

Greene County

I, James R. Evans, Judge of the Probate Court of said Country hereby certify that the forgoing last will and testament of Edmund Jones dec'd was duly admitted to probate on the 15th day of March 1856 and that the same together with the proof thereof, is duly recorded in Book "C" Record of Wills at pages 431, 432 and 433--

Give under my hand this the 25th day of March 1856.

J R Evans Judge

OTHER Jones Wills in Greene Co., Alabama at about the same time period:
Jones, Edmund Wills C 1840- 1864 page 431
Jones, Henry G., Wills D 1851- 1888 page 190 (see Henry G. Jones article, CL Schmenk)
Jones, James, Wills D 1851- 1888 page 474  (huge land-owner, never married, NOT Edmund’s line, have will)
Jones, James F., Wills D 1851- 1888 page 210
Jones, Thomas W., Wills B 1817- 1841 page 177  (Possibly Thomas Walton Jones kin to James above)
Jones, William, Wills C 1840- 1864 page 141 (see Nat Jones article on William Jones, Sr.)
Jones, William, Jr. Wills C 1840- 1864 page 674

The only census we have found for Edmund J. Jones:

1850 Census JAN. 04, 1851, Greene County, pages 353A & 353B house/fam 1707/1707

38 Edmund Jones age 67 farmer $320 NC can read and write

39 Mildred Jones age 65 NC cannot read or write

40 Ellen age 20 NC cannot read or write

41 Alfred age 21 NC cannot read or write

42 Rebecca age 16 born NC can read and write

01 Lenard age 13 born NC can read and write

Neighbors: Williams, John Randolph, Rice, Hill, Mobley, Kirkland, Archibald, John D. Horton, Jordan Baines age 34, Barnes, and Brown

Edmund names EIGHT children in his will:

Harriet Childres married Francis Marion Childres/Childers September 06, 1841. Francis Marion Childers was
a friend of Edmund's and executor of Edmund’s will. I include a little more about Francis because 
of his tight relationship with Edmund. Additional research may find the two boys together in North Carolina...

1850 Greene County, Nov. 21, 1850 page 277 image 10 of 32 house/family 501/501
07. Francis M. Childress/Childers age 53 farmer $1400 NC cannot read or write
08. Harriet age 30 NC cannot read or write
09. Milly A. age 7 female AL attended school this year
10. Mary E. age 6 female AL attended school this year
11. Nancy J. age 1 AL

1860 Greene County, Pleasant Ridge, July 03, 1860, page 52, page 938 image 1of 9

16. F. M. Childers age 65 planter $3400 $11,700 NC
17. H. age 41 female NC (Harriet)
18. M. age 18 female AL (Mildred A.)
19. M. E. age 16 female AL (Mary E.)
20. N. J. age 11 female AL (Nancy Jane)
21. H. age 9 female AL (Harriet)
Neighbors: Archibald, Greene, Cook, Hill, Williams, Ridgeway, McGowan, W. Baines, Saunders, Wier, Coleman.

1870 Greene Co., Mt. Hebron, July 1, 1870 family/house 5/5
Childers, F. M. age 75 male farmer $800 born SC
Childers, Harriet age 50 female born NC
Childers, Harriet age 18 female born AL
Near: Dely Hales and Amanda Jones Hales

Elizabeth Murphey married James Murphy December 7, 1846, December 17, 1850 census age 28

William Jones born January 10, 1820 SC, married Elvira W. Hicks December 13, 1849

Nov. 14, 1850 census age 32 born SC; Ebenezer born Jan. 01, 1820 in SC died 1870

William E. Jones was born January 10, 1820 and died 1870 aged 51 years. William is buried at Ebenezer Cemetery in Clinton next to Hicks family members and Martha Jones who died 1867 aged about 100 years.  William married Elvira W. Hicks, daughter of Tilman and Polly Driver Hicks. William and Elvira had no chidlren.  Elvira later married Alonzo Bradner and moved to Perry County. (See separate article on Tilman Hicks who also married Polly’s sister Martha Driver Medlin Jones.) 

We like this William as Edmund’s son though we have scant proof of such. After tracking the half dozen Williams of the correct age in Greene County at the time of Edmund’s will, this William seems to fit best. This William has a very close relationship to Henry G. Jones. (See separate article on Henry G. Jones.)  Martha (1767-1867) lives next door to Henry G. Jones on the 1850 census in Mississippi; when Henry returns to Greene County before the 1860 census Old Martha moves in with William and Elvira Jones. We like this Old Martha as William’s grandmother or mother and Edmund’s potential mother or step-mother. Though the Henry G. Jones relationship befuddles us…

Edmund’s clan does not name daughters Martha, but Henry’s does. That causes me to believe that Old Martha is probably (if at all) a step-mother for Edmund J. Jones and mother of William and potential mother of Henry G. Jones.

We hope this article will raise eyebrows and someone will come forward to shed light on Old Martha, William E. Jones and Henry G. Jones. (see also Tilman Hicks article)

 John Jones single man on the 1860 Arkansas census, age 38

 Alfred Jones age 27 born November 9, 1827 married first Mrs. Harriet (Baines) Strickland November 30, 1852

               January 4, 1851 census age 21, 1880 census June age 51 (See separate article on Alfred Jones)

 Ellen Lewis married Albert Lewis September 25, 1852, Jan. 04, 1851 census age 20

 Peggy (Rebecca) Hitt married unknown Hitt before 1855,  Jan. 04, 1851 census age 16

               If you want to find more information about Rebecca Jones Hitt, look in the Sumter County area.

 Lemuel Jones born June 15, 1837 married first Miss Mary Baines, sister of Harriet, April 5, 1856.

               Jan. 04, 1851 census age 13, June 15, 1880 census age 42 (see separate article on Leonard Jones and his son John Thomas Jones.)

 Below is the land Edmund gives to his wife Milley through his will. It is where Edmund lived, grew corn and cotton, raised hogs, cattle and horses. Snedecor Maps 1856 and 1858: Township 23 North, Range 1 West, Section 9. This does not mean Edmund J. Jones didn’t own more land. The names on the maps are those who LIVE and work on the land that V. Gayle Snedecor was surveying for TAX purposes.

 A little speculation:

If Edmund was age 67 on the 1850 census, and he married 1812 in NC to Mildred who was age 65 on the 1850 census, then they would have had their first child (who is named in Edmund’s will) about 1817.

What’s the chance of that?

That William E. Jones was born in South Carolina does not preclude his being their child. We have the same thing happening with Edmund’s son Alfred having children born in Alabama, then one born in Arkansas, and then returning to Alabama and having additional children. It is still bothersome that we are, most likely, missing children who did not survive to make it into Edmund's will.

C. L. Schmenk – March 2007