Life History

Notes

• Jerry Griffitt provides some information on the Joneses of Prairie Township, Arkansas County, Arkansas.  Much of this information appears to come from family sources, and Jerry also links to censuses that seem to match this family.  However, he reports the death of this William (William Foote) Jones as occurring in 1860, but has children born to him into later decades!  He further reports him in the census in 1880 in the very same location.
  
  Thus obviously Griffitt's death date is wrong.  I had questions about other information in this genealogy, and never received replies from the compiler asking about some of these uncertain areas.  The basic configuration of Griffitt's information does give us the three wives of William Foote Jones.
  
  He names Mary Jane Granbery as a wife, in second position, but I can find no info about her.  No other genealogy I have seen has this wife.  If she was a second wife between Nancy and Mary, it could only have been between abt 1865, when Nancy's last child Hannah was born, and abt 1868, when William married Mary (based on birth of their first child Foote in about November 1869).  Considering that Mary Jane Granberry may be that same Mary E Jones, their reoprted birth dates are almost 20 years apart, so this does not seem like a possibility.
  
  Griffit provides the maiden name of Mary E Smith, William Foote's documented second wife.
  
  William Jones
  Birth 1808 in Virginia
  Death Dec 1860 in Prairie Township, Arkansas, Arkansas
  Spouse Nancy [Last name unknown] b 1813
  Spouse Mary Jane Granbery 1826-1887
  Spouse Mary E Jones b 1843
  --  Jerry Griffitt, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/3144262/person/-858507754
  
  The following Arkansas record appears to be for this William Foote Jones, from the 1928 Tax Rolls in Arkansas County.
  
  Arkansas, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1819-1870
  William Jones
  1828 Tax List
  Mississippi Township, Arkansas County AR
  Database AR 1819-1829 Tax Lists Index
  
  In the 1850 census, William F is the last person listed on page 31.  The rest of his family is on page 32.  His wife is reported as Nancy.  I have not been able to determine her maiden name.
  
  1850 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 13 November, Prairie Township, page 31-32 (16-17), Hse/Fam #23
  William F Jones 42 M [no occupation reported] b Virginia (b abt 1808)
  -- page 32 --
  Nancy Jones 37 F b Tennessee cannot read or write
  Manerva Jones 15 F b Arkansas
  Sarah Ann Jones 11 b Arkansas
  William F Jones 8 M b Arkansas
  Nancy Ann Jones 5  F b Arkansas
  Helen Jones 2 F b Arkansas
  John Holdway 20 M Laborer b Tennessee
  
  In 1860, William and Nancy are living a little farther west in the neighboring township of LaGrue.
  
  1860 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 4 July, LaGrue Township, PO DeWitt, p 38, Hse #254, Fam #252
  William F Jones  52 M Farm $4000 Real Estate $1000 Personal Estate b Virginia (b abt 1808)
  Nancy Jones 48 F Housekeeper b Tennessee
  William Jones 17 M Farm Laborer b Arkansas
  Louiza H Jones 12 F b Arkansas
  Lurinda Jones 9 F b Arkansas
  Hannah Jones 5 F b Arkansas
  William Honwell 23 M School Teacher b Tennessee
  
  In 1870, William has moved back to Prairie Township and By 1880, William has married again.  He and his second wife the widow Mary E Smith are living in or near the town of St Charles.  Mary was the widow of Benz Smith (Schmidt) b, who was born in Prussia.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 2 July, Prairie Township, PO St Charles, page 12, Hse/Fam #89
  Jones, William F 61 M W Farmer $320 Real Estate $500 Personal  b Virginia
  Jones, Mary E 28 F W Keeping House born Arkansas cannot read or write
  Jones, Lorinda 18 F W Farm Labor born Arkansas cannot read or write
  Jones, Foote 7mos M W born Arkansas November 1869
  
  Mary's one son Henry from her previous marriage to Prussian Benz Smith (Schmidt) is reported here as a stepson of William.  It is puzzling why he did not appear in the 1870 census with Mary.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas, 11 June, (Location & District Unstated), p 17, #115, Fam #118
  William F Jones W M 71    Farmer VA VA VA (b abt 1809)
  Mary E Jones W F 38 Wife Keeping House b AR Mass KY (b abt 1822)
  Henry Smith 14 W M Step-Son On Farm AR Prussia AR (b abt 1876)
  Foote Jones 10 W M Son On Farm AR VA AR (b abt 1870)
  Alex Jones 8 W M Son On Farm AR VA AR (b abt 1872)
  Thomas Jones 5 W M Son On Farm AR VA AR (b abt 1875)
  Robert Jones 1 W M Son On Farm AR VA AR (b abt 1879)
  James Morgan 15 W M Bound Boy On Farm MS Unknown MS (b abt 1865)

Sources

• 1. Ancestry Trees
  • Jerry Griffitt, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/3144262/person/-858503990?ssrc=&ftm=1
• 2. 1870 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 2 July, Prairie Township, PO St Charles, page 12, Hse/Fam #89
• 3. 1860 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 4 July, LaGrue Township, PO DeWitt, p 38, Hse #254, Fam #252
• 4. 1850 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 13 November, Prairie Township, page 31-32 (16-17), Hse/Fam #23
• 5. Ancestry Trees
  • Jerry Griffitt, http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/3144262/person/-858507754
• 6. 1880 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 11 June, (Location & District Unstated), p 17, #115, Fam #118
• 7. 1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 21 July, Prairie Township, District 7, page 15B, Hse #256, Fam #263
• 8. Arkansas, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1819-1870
• 9. Gravestone of Foote Jones, Oaklawn Cemetery, DeValls Bluff, Prairie, Arkansas
• 10. 1920 Federal Census, El Paso County, Colorado
  • 3 January, Precinct 62, District 156, page 2A, (No town stated) 705 N Main St, Hse #30, Fam #33
• 11. 1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 18 April, Prairie Township, District 15, page 2A, Hse/Fam #24
• 12. 1900 Federal Census, Prairie County, Arkansas
  • 13 June, Roc Roe Township, District 93, page 9B, Ulm Village, Hse #121, Fam #122
• 13. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
• 14. Arkansas, County Marriages Index, 1837-1957
• 15. 1920 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 10 February, South Prairie Township, District 16, page 8B, Hse #153, Fam #161
• 16. 1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 18 April, Prairie Township, District 15, page 2A, Hse/Fam #17
• 17. 1940 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 4 April, Ethel, District 1-26, page 6A, Oak Flat School and Church Rd, Hse #94, Owns $2000
• 18. Email Sources
• 19. 1930 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 29 April, Prairie Township, District 25, page 9A, Ethel and Chute Rd, Hse #155 Fam #156
• 20. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
• 21. 1900 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 21 July, Prairie Township, District 7, page 15B, Hse #255, Fam #262
• 22. 1910 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 18 April, Prairie Township, District 13, Page 1B, Hse/Fam #16
• 23. 1850 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 13 November, Prairie Township, page 31 (17), Hse/Fam #23
• 24. 1850 Federal Census, Arkansas County, Arkansas
  • 13 November, Prairie Township, page 32 (17), Hse/Fam #23
• 25. Find a Grave Memorial Registry
  • Memorial #59679479