The Wrong JONES Family: Nansemond Co Virginia to Chowan / Bertie Co North Carolina

It's always a bit humbling to find out that what you believe is true is actually not.

This happened to me recently. A friend had asked me to do some research on her ancestor, who lived in Nansemond County Virginia up until about 1740 when he moved to Bertie Co North Carolina.  Since I have numerous families in my tree who made that same migration, I thought it might be time to take a  look at them, to see if my friend & I share any ancestors.

While looking for her ancestors, I began to re-examine my MOORE, BENTON & JONES families who came from Nansemond Co Virginia & settled in Chowan Co North Carolina--which later became Bertie Co North Carolina.  Since I now have more resources for Chowan & Bertie Co NC,  I thought it might be time to thoroughly document those lines to the best of my ability. I originally researched these families more than ten years ago.

As I looked through the records, I began to realized that I had made a big mistake r.e. the parents of my ancestor CHARLES JONES Sr (born about 1685 VA, died 1748 Bertie Co NC):  I had assumed that he was the son of JOHN JONES Jr of Westmoreland Co Virginia, who listed a son CHARLES in his will probated 1713.

However, every record I looked at (in Chowan Co NC, Isle of Wight Co VA, etc) showed CHARLES JONES Sr & his wife SARAH as "of Nansemond Co Virginia".

Part of my error stems from the fact that when I did the original research, over ten years ago,  I was relatively ignorant about the history & geography of Virginia, and migration patterns during the early colonial period.  Westmoreland Co VA is in the "Northern Neck" of Virginia;  Nansemond Co (now extinct), was "Southside" Virginia.  While I am not an expert by any means,  I at least now know that these two regions are quite a long ways from each other, and the chances that CHARLES JONES Sr migrated before 1700 from Westmoreland Co to Nansemond Co (although not impossible) are very slim.

I feel particularly terrible as I am certain that other researchers have copied my mistake.

After examining the records I now have at hand, I believe I have found the parents of CHARLES JONES Sr.

CHARLES JONES Sr's father was WILLIAM JONES born about 1660 in probably Nansemond Co Virginia.  WILLIAM is listed in the 1704 Nansemond Co VA tax list (as is his brother THOMAS JONES);  on Oct 4, 1704 their father JOHN JONES Sr & wife ELIZABETH (early residents of Chowan precinct)  made a deed of gift of 250 acres of land in Chowan Co NC purchased from EDWARD SMITHWICK to their two sons, WILL & THOMAS JONES.

WILLIAM JONES was married at least 3 times; earliest deed records show wife MARY; then late in life, his wife was FRANCES, and lastly MARY, who apparently died before he made his will.

Apparently there were two will drafts made in 1722 by WILLIAM JONES of Chowan precinct, Albemarle Co NC.  Because of this, WILLIAM's will was challenged in court in 1723 by WILLIAM's son-in-law, THOMAS SPEIR, but the court upheld that the 2nd draft was legal & valid.

The 1st draft of will, made Jan 9, 1722, from Abstracts of North Carolina Wills by Grimes:  sons JOHN, HENRY & CHARLES; daughter JANE LISLES; grandsons WILLIAM LISLES, WM JONES son of HENRY; WM LEWES (Lewis) son of dau ELIZABETH SPEIR; WM WALSTON son of dau DOROTHY; WM JONES son of JOHN; JOHN JONES son of CHARLES; granddaughter DOROTHY LISLES; HENRY LISLES Sr & Jr.

And here is the full text of the 2nd draft of the will of WILLIAM JONES, made May 4, 1722;

WILL OF WILLIAM JONES
Precinct of Chowan, County of Albemarle, Province of North Carolina 4 May 1722

In the name of God Amen I WILLIAM JONES of ye Precinct of Chowan and County of Albemarle in ye Province of North Carolina This Forth day of may in ye yeare of our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and twenty two Being Sick and weak of body but of Sound and perfict memory thanks be to Almighty God I doe make and ordaine this my Last will & testament utterly revocking and dissanulling all other will or wills testament or testaments by me made Ether by word or writing and this to be taken for my Last Will & Testament and no other : And for ye Selling my temperit Estate and Such things as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me above my deserts I give and dispose ye Same in manner and form as followeth ~ ~ ~

Item: I give and bequeth unto my Son JOHN JONES all that my plantation and tract of Land Laying and being Nigh ye rich Thikitt in Virginia whereone he ye sd JOHN JONES now Lives for and durring his naturall Life and after his desese I give ye sd Land and plantation to two of his Sones Viz JOHN and JAMES JONES to Them and ther heirs for ever ^ Lawfully begottten of ther one bodys and all So I give and bequeth unto him ye sd JOHN JONES one hundred acres of Land out of ye tract whereone I now Live begining at ye mouth of ye Deep run Swamp and runing up ye Creek Swamp to ye mouth of Chandlers vale for breadth and up ye Deep run Swamp for Length for and during his ye sd John’s Naturall Life and after his Desese to his two Sons DAVID and WILLIAM JONES to them and theire heirs for ever ^ Lawfully begotten of ther one bodyes and farther I give unto him ye sd JOHN JONES one Negroe man named TONEY.

Item: I give and bequeth unto my Son HENRY JONES my plantation whareon I now live with one hundred Acres of Land to be for and Durring his Naturall Life and after his Desese to his Son WILLIAM JONES to him and his heirs for ever ^ Lawfully begotten of his body. I give unto ye Sd HENRY my hand mill my Cros Cutt Saw and my Iron wedges.

Item: I give and bequeth unto WILLIAM LYSLE one hundred Acres of Land it being part of ye Dividen of Land whereon I now Live begining at ye moth of Chandlers Vale and runing up ye Crek Swamp for breadth and out into ye woods for Length it being ye place Caled and Known by ye name of Philip Walstones ould field To him and his heire Lawfully begotten of his body.

Item: I give and bequeth unto my Son CHARLES JONES one hundred acre of Land It being part of ye dividen of Land whereone I now Live It being formely Caled Branches ould field beginning at ye mouth of a branch one ye west Side of ye ould field runing up ye branch for wedth and Esterly to head Line To him and his Heires Lawfully begotten of his body and farther I give unto him ye sd CHARLES one Iron pott one frying ^pan all my Shoemakers and tanners tooles and one feather bead.

Item: I give and bequeth unto my Daughter JOANE LYSLE my Son JOHN JONES my Daughter ELIZABETH SPIERS my Daughter DORATHY WALSTON and my Son HENRY JONES all ye rest and reasidue of my personall Estate of what kind and Speacy So Ever to be Equelly divided amongst them by my Executor hereafter named.

Item: I Make Thomas Lu___ (Luten?) Junr my whole and Sole Executor of This my Last will and testament.

The words Lawfully begotten of his and ther one bodys put in and ye words for Ever raced out
Before Signed

Signed seald and
Acknowledged in prests
of WILLIAM W I (or J) JONES
his his Mark
Robert RF Fullerton
mark


For more information on this JONES family, plus documentation & sources, please see my Rootsweb tree "Southern Ancestors of Minttie May Bruton" (same tree on Ancestry.com public trees).

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2014