Joseph White Jones

Chilton County, AL (near Maplesville)
Submitted by his gggg-grandson, Steve Jones

Between 1814 and 1818, and prior to Alabama's statehood, Joseph White Jones moved his young family to the area which later became Bibb County. He was born in Georgia in 1785 to parents Hugh Jones and Lydia White. He was named for his maternal grandfather, Joseph White of Anson County, North Carolina. Joseph was born in Wilkes County, Georgia, though his father Hugh's land was later incorporated into Greene County, Georgia, where Hugh's will is on record¹.

Joseph married Rebecca Hightower in Putnam County, Georgia, on 30 May 1808². They settled in nearby Randolph - later Jasper - County, Georgia, and had three children, Hugh (b. 19 April 1809), Lucinda (b. 1 March 1811) and Elmina (b. 1814). (The original Randolph County (1807) was in north central Georgia, and was renamed Jasper on 10 December 1812. It differs from the modern Randolph County, which was organized in southwestern Georgia in 1828.)

Their next child, George, was reportedly born in 1818, "probably in Bibb County". That wasn't possible, as Bibb didn't exist until 1820. Before 7 February 1818, the land was in Monroe County. On that date, Cahawba County was created. Cahawba was renamed Bibb County on 4 December 1820, in honor of the state's first governor, William Wyatt Bibb.

Unfortunately, George Jones died in 1849 in Shelby County, Alabama, before he could be enumerated in the 1850 US Census and report an age and state of birth.

These reports come from an account written by Eva Toole Perry of El Dorado, Union County, Arkansas, a descendant of Joseph White Jones. Her listing of the family follows, transcribed from her handwritten notes:

Joseph White Jones was born 1785 in Wilkes County, Georgia. Died October 14, 1855 in Bibb County, Alabama. Son of Hugh Jones who died in Green County, Georgia in 1798, and Lydia White, daughter of Joseph White married May 30, 1808 in Putnam County, Georgia, to Rebecca Hightower, born 1789 in Union District, South Carolina. Died October 5, 1852 in Bibb County, Alabama - Daughter of William Hightower and Nancy Davis, who was a daughter of Jacob Davis of Nottoway County, Virginia.

Children of Joseph White Jones, and Rebecca Hightower Jones.

(1)- Hugh Jones, born April 19, 1809 in Randolph County "(Later Jasper)" - Georgia; -Died September 30, 1864.- Married January 29, 1828 to Genetta Woolley.

(2)- Lucinda Jones, born 1811 in Randolph County, Ga. Married George W. Tucker.

(3)- Elmina Jones, born 1814, Randolph County, Ga. Married June 28, 1831 to Francis Marion Eiland, by W. K. DeShazo, J. P.

(4)- George Jones, born 1818 Probably Bibb County, Alabama [sic - see above]. Died 1849 (Record from Shelby County). Married Dec. 29 - 1840 - to Rebecca Reid -

(5)- Seaborn Jones, born 1821 Bibb County Alabama. Died 1852 - Married Jan., 20 - 1850, to Mary Caroline Woolley.

(6)- William Jones, born 1822, Bibb Co., Alabama. Married Elizabeth - ?

(7)- Vianna Jones, born 1824 - Bibb County, Ala- Married Marton Murrah.

(8)- Marion Jones, born 1826 - Bibb Co., Alabama. Married Dec, 30 - 1845 to Mary E. Pinkston.

(9)- Laura Ann Jones born Jan., 2 - 1831 - Bibb Co., Alabama. Died July 11 - 1868, Married Jan., 14 - 1850, to Matthew L. Toole.

(10)- Rebecca Ann Jones, born 1834 - Bibb, Co. Ala. Married July, 11 - 1850 to Marshall Parnell.

This information generally matches records such as marriage index listings, US Census records and Joseph's estate record (below). Ms. Perry's note also lists Hugh and Genetta (Woolley) Jones and their 16 children. Though Hugh did not survive the Civil War, Genetta lived until 1896, and had over 90 living descendants when she died.

From "A History of Early Bibb County, Alabama"³:

Joseph W. Jones came to Bibb County about 1820 and settled with his family near Mulberry Creek in the vicinity of Old Maplesville. He was a successful farmer who used some slave labor. He was a prominent and useful member of his community. Some of his neighbors were John Hicks, Sr., Alexander Cobb, James Page, Benjamin Beaird, and others. He was a native of Georgia; and his wife, Rebecca Hightower Jones, was a native of South Carolina.

The land is now in Chilton County.  This is a listing of the parcels he purchased from the federal government (I have no records or deeds of private transactions):

4 June 1833, 80.65 acres, W½SE  Section 17  21-N  13-E
12 March 1834, 79.4 acres, W½NE  Section 27  21-N  12-E
12 March 1834, 79.4 acres, E½NW  Section 27  21-N  12-E
20 August 1834, 39.7 acres, SWSE  Section 27  21-N  12-E
20 August 1834, 40.325 acres, NESE  Section 17  21-N  13-E

There are Bibb County court records which list Joseph as a grand juror in the spring term of 1834 and as the foreman of the grand jury in the spring term of 1836.

An interesting family mystery was solved when I discovered the 1848 tax list, District 3, on the Bibb County Rootsweb site. Several years ago, I found a slave narrative from Reeves Tucker (click here, and search his name) which had some inconsistencies. Mr. Tucker had been the property of George Washington Tucker, husband of Lucinda Jones (above), and was taken by them from Bibb County to Upshur County, Texas, in the mid-1850's.  The account leads off with this introduction:

REEVES TUCKER, 98 year old Negro farmer of Harrison Co., Texas, was born in Bibb Co., Alabama, a slave of George Washington Tucker, Sr. When Reeves was six his master died and Reeves was separated from his family and brought to Texas by George Tucker Jr.

Mr. Tucker's narrative begins:

My father was Armistead Tucker and my mother Winnie Tucker and they's both born slaves of Massa George Washington Tucker.  He lived over in old Alabama between Silmen and Mapleville.  My brothers was Andy and John and Peter and there was two girls, Anna and Dorcus, and we was all born on Massa Tucker's plantation.  My missy died 'fore I was born and my old massa died when I was jest a shirt-tall boy and his chillen had a dividement of his lands and mammy and all the chillen but me fell to the daughter and pappy was give to the son.  Pappy begs to hard for me to go with him that fin'ly they lets me. I never seed my mammy after that, bein' as how Missy Emogene stays in Alabama and us come to Texas.

There are a number of errors in this account, not surprising from a man remembering events 80 years after they happened.  First, Reeves was about 87 when he was interviewed and photographed, not 98. His age reported in earlier censuses show he was born about 1850.

More frustrating was the fact that there was no "George Washington Tucker, Sr." George Washington Tucker (Lucinda's husband) was the son of Simeon Tucker, and grandson of George Tucker. Simeon died on 7 November 1856, but he died in Neshoba County, Mississippi. George Tucker died in Marion County, Alabama, on 16 January 1852, at the remarkable age of 107. The identity of Reeves Tucker's "old massa" remained a mystery until I found this listing in the 1848 tax records:

JONES, Joseph W. Secs. 16, 17, 20 T. 21 R. 13. Value $1500. Seven slaves under 10 (Jane, Harris, Rachel, Judy, Mary, Ann, Dorcus), 4 between 10 and 20 (Feba, Richard, Peter, Jim), 2 between 20 and 30 (Winna, Lucy), 1 between 30 and 40 (Armstead), 1 between 40 and 50 (Hester). 1 clock. Cattle over 20 head, 27. (p. 234)

Armistead, Winnie, and the children were not on "Massa Tucker's plantation" after all. The "dividement" likely refers to the division of the estate of Joseph White Jones, not to one of the Tuckers. Armistead and Reeves were probably given to Lucinda Jones Tucker in settling the estate. The Tuckers moved to Upshur County, Texas, soon after the division. There is no known "Emogene" in either the Tucker or Jones families. Reeves likely was remembering Genetta Woolley Jones.

I have not seen Joseph's will, but have seen a copy of his probate record⁴:

STATE OF ALABAMA, BIBB COUNTY

Personally appeared before me Jackson Garner, Clerk of Probate within and for said county, Hugh Jones, who being by me duly sworn says upon oath that the foregoing account between himself and the estate of Joseph W. Jones deceased is correct and true, as to charges against him. As to the receipts and disbursements that the foregoing list of heirs of said deceased is correct and that he has not used any said funds belonging to said estate other than which he has charges himself with the interest thereof - Sworn to me and subscribed this 9th day of December AD 1857.

-signed- Hugh Jones

Said administrator further shows unto your honor that the following is a correct list of the heirs of said estate to wit:

1.  Hugh Jones, a son of the deceased, of full age and a resident of Bibb County, Alabama.

2.  Lucinda Tucker, a daughter of said deceased and wife of George W. Tucker, both of full age and both residents of Bibb County, Alabama

3.  Elmira Eiland, a daughter of said deceased and wife of Francis M. Eiland, both of full age and both residents of Bibb County, State of Alabama.

4.  Vienna Murrah, a daughter of said deceased and wife of Morton Murrah, both of full age and residents of Autauga County, Alabama as he believes.

5.  William Jones, a son of said deceased, of full age and a resident of Lauderdale County, state of Mississippi.

6.  Marion Jones, of full age and a resident of Rusk County, state of Texas of full age and a son of said deceased.

7.  Laurianne Tool, a daughter of said deceased and wife of Matthew L. Toole, both of full age and residents of Claiborn Parish, state of Louisiana.

8.  Rebecca Anne Parnell, a daughter of said deceased and wife of Marshall Parnell, both of full age and both residents of Union County, State of Arkansas.

9.  The minor children of George Jones, now deceased who was a son of said Joseph W. Jones to wit:  Henry Jones, a minor over the age of 14 and resides with Hugh Jones in Bibb County, Alabama.  Helen Jones, Catherine Jones and Hugh Jones, all minors under the age of 14 years and all reside in Ashley County, Arkansas, with their mother, Rebecca.

¹ Will Book 2, page 240, Greene County, Georgia
² Jordan R. Dodd, Georgia Marriages to 1850, (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 1997.)
³ Ulysses H. Abrams, "A History of Early Bibb County, Alabama: 1820-1870" (privately published, 1981), page 151-2
⁴ "Joseph W. Jones Heirs, Bibb Co., Al", Alabama Genealogical Society Magazine, Vol. 2, #4 (October 1968)