Our Jones family probably originated in Wales. Jones was at one time the most common surname in Wales. Jones is a patronymic surname which was derived from the first name of the ancestor's father. The name Jones means "son of John".
Wales is a small country on the western coast of the island of Great Britain. History relates that the Roman's first invaded Wales during the A. D. 60's. Sometime after 400 A.D., when Angles and Saxons from what is now northern Germany conquered portions of Great Britain, some of the people took refuge in the mountainous region of what is now Wales, refusing to recognize the rule of the conquerors.
When William the Conqueror declared himself Lord of Wales about 1070, he gave the lands along the border between England and Wales to Norman barons, in hopes of keeping the Welch people under control. These barons, called Lords of the Marshes, expanded their holdings and there was much conflict between the Welch and the landowners, or "overlords" as they were called.
In 1284, Edward I issued a decree which placed North Wales directly under English rule. The land was then divided into counties, and placed under English sheriffs. The Welch people revolted against the English many times, and for well over 200 years there was strife between the Welch and the English. Finally, about 1536, the two countries, Wales and England, united under the same system of laws and government.
Early immigration records show hundreds of listings for the Jones surname, beginning about 1613. Among the earliest immigrants to America were William Jones, who was exported to America in 1619; John Jones, a blacksmith, who died in transit to America in September 1619; Captain Thomas Jones, master of the ship Discovery, who was granted permission to fish on the American coast and to trade in furs in Virginia in 1621; and Edward Jones and Thomas Jones who immigrated in 1654.
Our great, great grandfather, Thomas F. Jones, was born February 1821, in Georgia. He married our great, great grandmother, Nancy (probably Gideon or Giddens) about 1846, in Georgia. Nancy was born about 1828, in either North Carolina or Georgia. We believe Thomas and Nancy gave their oldest son his mother's maiden name. (Note: We have heard the name pronounced both as Gideon and Giddens.)
Thomas and his family appear on the 1850 Murray County, Georgia census. The census shows Thomas Jones, 29, a miller; Nancy, 20, born in North Carolina; Susan, 4 and Berry, 1 year old. Living with the family was Thomas' widowed mother, Mary Jones, 70, born in Georgia and Silas Jenkins, 20, a laborer, born in North Carolina.
The family next appears on the 1860 Floyd County, Georgia census, in Watters Township. The census shows Thomas F. Jones, 39, a shoemaker; Mary, 86; Nancy, 30, born in Georgia; Susan, 13; Berry, 11; Edward, 9 Mary, 6; Martha, 3 and John, 1 year old.
The family moved to Arkansas prior to 1870. The 1870 Prairie County, Arkansas census, Lonoke Township, shows T. F. Jones, 49, a minister; Nancy, 42, born in North Carolina; B. G., 21, a farm laborer, born in North Carolina; Edward, 10 and John F., 8. (Note: The ages for Edward and John are incorrect. Edward would have been about 19 and John about 11 years old.) Listed on the census with them are three other Jones children: William Jones, 12, born in Georgia; Martha Jones, 6, born in Tennessee and S. S. Jones (a female), 5 months old, born in February, in Arkansas. We don't know the identity of these children.
Thomas's son Berry married in 1871. Oral family history says he married near Mountain View, in Izard County, Arkansas. We have not been able to place the Jones family in that area, however.
Nancy died between 1870 and 1880. Thomas married Martha A. (last name unknown) prior to 1880.
By 1880 Thomas and his son Berry had settled their families in Faulkner County, Arkansas. The 1880 Faulkner County census shows Thomas living in the town of Mt. Vernon. The census shows Thomas F. Jones, 59, shoe and bootmaker and Martha A., 50, wife, born in Alabama. Living with them was John W. Gregory, 32, a clerk in a store.
It appears that Martha died during the years prior to 1900. We found Thomas living in Nevada County, Arkansas, Emmet Township, with his daughter Elizabeth and her family in 1900. The census shows Thomas was 79 years old, born February 1821, in Alabama and that he was widowed.
We believe Thomas died prior to 1910.
Children of Thomas F. Jones and Nancy
1. Susan Jones, b. abt 1847, GA
2. Dockery Berry Gideon Jones, b. Mar 27, 1849, GA (our line)
3. Edward Jones, b. abt 1851, GA; d. bef 1900, AR; m. Margaret ___ abt 1875, AR. Margaret was b. abt 1860, AR; d. bef 1900, AR. (They were living in the Town of Searcy, White Co, AR in 1880. Edward was working as a house painter. Edward and Margaret d. prior to 1900 and their dau. and youngest son were living with their eldest son and his wife in 1900 White Co, AR, City of Searcy.) Children included: (1) Fannie E. Jones, b. July 1876, AR; (2) William R. Jones, b. Apr 1880, AR and (3) T. Jones, b. Aug 1885, AR
4. Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jones, b. May 1855, GA; m. William Hambrick abt 1877. Children included: (1) John Hambrick, b. Dec 1878; (2) Lillian Hambrick, b. Nov 1882; (3) Luther Hambrick, b. June 1886 and (4) Bulah Hambrick, b. Apr 1893
5. Martha Jones, b. abt 1857, GA
6. John F. Jones, b. abt 1859, GA (appeared in St. Francis Co, AR, in 1880, working as a farm laborer)
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