The John Calvin Jones Cousins

Another short and sweet post. Today's prompt is COUSIN. I wanted to find a way to share a compiled booklet about my JONES family, affectionately referred to by my grandmother as her 'Cousins Book'. (click link). 

There are a few photographs, stories and a wealth of information contained in the work put together by the Jones cousins. As sometimes happens in works this large there are a few errors here and there (my birth date is wrong) but by and large it is just such a precious thing to have if just for the stories shared within it.

One of my favorite stories is found on page 207. It describes the beloved Buffalo Horn Hat Rack. It was restored and was seen by many at a 1993 Jones Reunion. It says that David Jones (grandson of Frank Jones) was the last named owner of this rack.

The story goes...

While on Sweetwater Creek John Calvin and Leona picked up buffalo horns, still on the skulls. They scraped the horns, polished them with powdered charcoal, rubbed them with a woolen cloth until you could almost see your picture on the horns. Then they mounted them on a horse shoe frame with a mirror inside and used it for a hat rack. Bob Jones said Frank told him the man at the store built the horseshoe frame for Leona to put the buffalo horns on. (possibly Frank Exum. ) The frame is made from an Arbuckle Cofffe box.

A granddaughter of Frank Jones sent me the following photographs of the buffalo had rack. This first photo was taken March 1980, in the home of Frank and Pearle Jones in Plainview, TX. The little boy with Frank is Kay Jones Merkling's oldest child, Joseph Legarde, aged 3.





This second photo shows the "restored" hat rack, hanging in the home of Chuck and Ella Mae Jones, in Plainview. This photo isn't dated.



Here is an updated Table of Contents to the Jones Legacy.


Until next time,
Becky

John Calvin Jones Family Photo Album

Today I had the most wonderful surprise waiting for me in my Facebook messages. A cousin, Diane, sent me snapshots of pictures belonging to her grandfather, "Bill" Jones, the youngest son of my 2nd great grandfather, John Calvin Jones. I love that she has these treasures and that she has shared them with me! Not all the photographs are labeled. If anyone knows who the unmarked photos are of, please speak up! 

Mamie Jones (1883-1943)

Lula Mae "Lou" Jones (1882-1914)

I Remain Your Loving Son

 Below is another letter I received on CD from my cousin Diane (she descends from the youngest Jones boy, Bill.) It was written by Jasper Helton Jones (1897-1983) while he was staying in Memphis Texas. One of my favorite things about his letter is the stationary he used. It was from the Cobb Hotel. Four years later that same hotel would be severely damaged by fire, if not destroyed completely.

Jan 14, 1917
Dear Father :
This leaves me fine and dandy. It is pretty cold up here. This morning I just came from the post office and got a letter from Mr. Wilson and he won't get here before Tuesday morning. I saw a lady that knows Mrs Brice. She said she sure was a fine lady. She has two boys age 12 and 16. I think one of them is going to school here and the other one in Chicago going to school. Barn Bates has been awful nice to me. He has been trying to get me a job until Mr. Wilson came but couldn't find any. Work is awful scarce up here. Know there is more Jones's up here than anything. One named J C Jones. I haven't gotten but one letter from you. I'm going back to the post office after a while and see if I have any mail from you. How is Grandma? Better I hope. Is Ora out in Camp or at home? Mrs. Wilson said to tell you not to be afraid of me, she said I was the best boy in town. Well this is a busy little place. But everything is filled with hands. I hope Papa is getting along alright. I am going to have to get about $30 worth of clothes before long if it don't get warmer. Be sure and send my mail to Box 316 in care of Mr. Chas Germany. He is the man that is working where Mr. Wilson is going to work. Everything is sure handy around here. We have electric lights water route and paved sidewalks all over town and it is so handy. I wrote Claude a letter but never have heard from him yet. We have a Rooming House downtown where all of the drunk men stay. They arrested 4 of them the other night. It is right over Waples-Platter house. Well I have got me a pretty girl spotted know and I believe I am get her what do you think about it? I think it will be mighty nice to have a bed partner these cold nights. I almost freeze sleeping by myself. Well if you are ever in Memphis come around to see me. My phone number is 185? (page is torn) I am home almost at any hour at night. Well I had better close. Hoping to hear from you occasionally. 

I remain your loving son,
Jasper H Jones
Memphis, Texas
Box 316 c/o Chas Germany
P.S. (Written on back of envelope) The ground is covered in snow and is still snowing

To read the original letter click the links below:

1. Page 1
2. Page 2
3. Page 3
4. Page 4

I really struggled making out the 'Waples-Platter House' in Jasper's letter.... It was a grocery chain.

Waymarking.com 

Considering that Waples-Platter House was a grocery chain, I believe the Mr. and Mrs. Wilson that Jasper refers to in his letter was James Roger Wilson and his wife Willie. In the 1920 Memphis census he lists his occupation as a commercial traveler for Grocery House Wholesale.

Wichita Daily Times
Wichita Falls, Texas
Tuesday, April 1, 1913

Barn Bates is most likely Barney Dyan Bates. He was living in Comanche, TX in 1910 with his father, Moses and in 1920 he was married and living in Wichita. 

I don't know who Ora is. I wondered briefly if that was my 2nd great grandmother Ora McClung Rutherford. Jasper's brother John Arthur married Ora's daughter Lurie Myrtle Rutherford, but I feel like he would've called her Mrs. Rutherford, not Ora. 

The Charles Germany was Charles Bailey Germany.

One must wonder if that 'pretty girl' he spotted turned out to be his wife, Miss Winnie Lou Charters. The two of them married April 1918 the same week as his brother Frank and Miss Pearle Brown.

The Claude referred to in his letter was one of his older brothers, Claude William Jones (1889-1938)

I would say the grocery industry and Memphis Texas didn't hold much for Jasper. He was working in the oil industry for a Mr. Frank Cullinan, in Electra, Texas by the time he registered for the draft in Aug 1918

I hope you're enjoying these letters as much as I am!

Until next time,
Becky

Remember Me to Mrs. Hughes.

Yesterday I received a wonderful gift in the mail; a CD with pictures of several letters belonging to my Jones line. Most all of them are dated 1915 - 1917. I hope to slowly transcribe them and add them here to the my blog. I will start with this one, written Sept 1916, by Miss Lydia Pearl Brown. She was at one time employed by my 2nd great grandparents Mr. and Mrs. John Calvin Jones, to teach their children. She eventually married their son Thomas Franklin Jones 04 April 1918.

Frank Jones

4 Sawyer Avenue,
Denton, Texas 

My dear Mrs Jones,
I really don't remember whether I have answered your letter or not. If not, I am now. I am so glad to be settled once more. I never was so tired just going from one place to another in all of my life. Sister has her a real nice little home here and has it well furnished. She has everything except what is being shipped from home. We think they will come in tomorrow. We are only two blocks from the college and can look out and see the two main buildings. The college is on a high hill and can be seen from most any part of the Town.  

Denton is one of the busiest towns I was ever in for its size. Of course these two schools here is what gives them the trade. The business part of town is not very large but they have about 7,000 inhabitants.

I certainly wish it was so you could send Fannie Leigh and Emma here to school. Of course they are not far enough advanced yet, but when they do I consider this college here the finest we have in the South. Well, it is the only one of its kind in the South. If I happen to know bad luck. I think I will put in four years of hard study here. I have my course mapped out for that any way whether I succeed or not.

I'm expecting to get me a few pupils to bear my expenses. I have the promise of one and think I will have no trouble getting three or four more. That is as many as I can handle well and go to school too, as I am going to have a pretty heavy course anyway. 

Hope you enjoyed your trip up to Mr Jim's. Frank wrote me that you had gone up there for a few days.
How are you liking your new home by now? I know you enjoy it though for you feel as if it were yours and not someone else's and the time and work put out on it is not wasted. 

Now let me hear from you sometime. Pardon this terrible paper, but this is every bit we have in the house. It is the worst I have ever saw.  

With love to you and the children. Remember me to Mrs. Hughes . - Pearl

If you would like to view the actual letter you can do so by clicking the following links.

1. Page one
2. Page two
3. Page three
4. Page four
5. Page five

Whomever had the letters after Mrs. Jones (Leona Bass) had a bit of confusion with the closing and thought maybe this letter was from Mrs. Hughes, who was John Calvin's mother. You can see their note scribbled on the back of the envelope.

I have written about Mrs Mattie Hughes here and here and here. 

Lona and Pearle at Bomarton, TX

Pearle mentions former pupils and future sister-in-law's Fannie Leigh and Emma. Here they are on the Coffman Ranch

I believe the college Miss Pearle is referring to in her letter is Texas Normal College, now referred to as UNT.

UNT's Digital Library

Corsicana Semi-Weekly Light Corsicana, Texas
Tuesday, April 4, 1916

Until next time,
Becky

Her Face

I don't always get around to posting a photo on Instagram for the #genealogyphotoaday challenges. I do post more than I blog, though. On the 22nd of this month the prompt was #face And I couldn't think of anything unique or new to share.

This month is National Letter Writing Month, my fellow blogging, genealogist, sister-in-law, recently started working for the post office, and has been encouraging us to write more letters. She is right. While packing and then unpacking I have loved coming across my stack of old letters from various people, mainly my paternal grandmother, Mammy. I have a few letters she wrote to me and at least one letter to each of my three children. One of the people I chose to write to this month was her eldest sister, Frances. Today, much to my surprise, and enjoyment, was her return letter. Tucked inside the folded pages she included this picture of her paternal grandmother, my 2nd great grandmother, Leona Bass Jones.




The only pictures I have ever seen of Leona before this one, were very tiny, grainy, black and white newsprint-like pictures that were printed in one of my favorite books, Between the Wichitas. You couldn't see the details of her face, only her small stature and her hair pulled back into a bun. On the back of this picture, Aunt Frances writes that Leona was only 4' 5" tall and that she was 1/4 Cherokee Indian. And that her Uncle Frank said that Leona had long black hair and black eyes.

In my research I have found her application into the Cherokee Indians, as well as those of her siblings and her father. They were all denied entry, stating, "It does not appear that ancestors were ever enrolled, or were parties to the treaties of 1835-6 and 1846. Applicant shows no connection with Eastern Cherokee "

Her paternal grandfather was Samuel Bass. His descendants with his first wife were granted citizenship.

Leona was the daughter of James Martin Bass and Margret Ann Miller. On 20 Oct 1881, she married John Calvin Jones in Cooke County, Texas.

Aunt Frances also tells me she herself was named after both her grandmothers, Ora Frances McClung and Leona Bass.

I plan on writing her to tell how far back I have found the name 'Frances' on her mother's side.

I hope this post encourages you to write to a few of your family members. Who doesn't love getting a letter?

Until next time,
Becky

97 Years

Here we are at week 16 of this blogging challenge. This week the prompt is 'live long'. In going through my tree the longest living ancestor that I could find is my 2nd great grandfather John Calvin Jones. I've written about his mother, Mattie Teel (twice), and his grandfather Bradberry Teel, both of which I know very little about. Now it's his turn.

John Calvin Jones was born July 28, 1860 in Columbus, Muscogee, Georgia. As I have written before, his mother was Mattie Teal but his father's name is unkown. I actually have no records even placing John Calvin with his mother, but after speaking with my great Aunt Frances, she said Mattie's will leaves everything to John Calvin and she refers to him as "my only son". Aunt Frances says this will is from a copy that is a part of her 'Cousins Book' that was put together many years ago by a few of her cousins, John Calvin's grandchildren.

The first record I have found for John Calvin Jones is his marriage certificate from Oct 1881, where he married my 2nd great grandmother Leona Bass. My great aunt Frances remembers her grandfather calling his wife "Loni" . Leona Bass was the daughter of James Martin and Maggie (Miller) Bass. John Calvin and Leona were married in Cooke County, TX, which is right on the TX/OK border.

Leona's family ends up in Moore, Pottawatomie, OK, in 1900 and that same year, John Calvin, Leona with ten children are found in Wheeler County TX.  On May 19, 1899 there is a John C. Jones appointed as post master in Mobeetie, Wheeler, Texas - I suspect this to be him, but I can't be certain. Using birth information for their children I can trace this family's movements during the 20  years between marriage certificate and the 1900 census.

Lou Jones (daugheter) was born about 1882 in TX
Mamie V. Jones (daughter) was born in Clay County, TX about 1883
Mattie Jones (daughter) was born about 1885 in TX
James Calvin Jones (son) was born in 1887 in Clay County TX
Claude Jones (son) was born in 1889 in Mobeetie, Wheeler County, TX
Ben Masterson Jones (son) was born in 1891 in TX
Thomas Frank Jones (son) born in 1893 in Mobeetie, Wheeler County, TX
John Arthur Jones (son) (my great-grandfather) born in 1895 in Mobeetie, Wheeler, TX
Jasper Helton Jones (son) born in 1897 in Mobeetie, Wheeler County, TX
Fannie Leigh (daughter) born in 1900 in TX
Emma Belle (daughter) born in 1902 in TX
William M (son) born in 1904 in TX


So sometime between their Cooke County marriage and the 1900 Wheeler County census they were living in Clay County, TX

In 1908 there is still a John C. Jones on the Mobeetie, Wheeler County, Tax list but in July of 1907 John Calvin's wife, Leona, applied for membership (and was denied) into the Cherokee Nation and in her papers she lists her residence as Guthrie, Texas, in King County. By 1910 John Calvin, Leona and all of their children besides Lou are found in Knox County right next door. The next 10 years would be full of loss for John Calvin. In 1913 his son Ben died at the age of 22, then the next year his oldest daughter Lou died at the age of 31, then three years later he lost his wife of 36 years at the age of 50 - cause of death, general break down. Then in 1919 his mother Mattie died. In 1920, widower John Calvin, is found living in Potter, Texas, as the manager of a road gang with three of his children, Mamie, Fanny Leigh and William.

The thing about living a long time is you tend to bury a lot of your loved ones. In 1925 John Calvin would bury another daughter, Emma Belle. She was only 22. Cause of death is listed as pneumonia.

In 1930 John Calvin is living back in Knox County with his daughter Mamie and son William, where he would live for the next 10 years. During that 10 years he would sadly bury 3 more children, Fannie Leigh in 1937, Claude in 1938 (from cancer) and in 1940 my great grandfather, John Arthur in a train/automobile accident.

Not long after the death of my great grandfather, John Arthur, after the family moved back to Truscott from San Antonio, John Calvin came to live with his daughter-in-law, my great grandmother, Lurie Myrtle, and her children. My great aunt Frances and her brother Edwin had already married their spouses and were out of the house, but my grandmother Winnie Sue and her siblings Charles and Myrtle Lou were still living at home. I can remember my grandmother Sue telling me stories of her Grandpa Jones sneaking her candy through the bedroom window. In a recent conversation with Frances, she confirmed this story. She said my grandmother was always his favorite, probably because she would always play dominoes with him. She said that during that time, because they lived so close to the school house, my grandmother and her siblings would come home from school for lunch and when they'd leave to go back to school, Grandpa Jones would open his window and say "Sister, come here" and he'd give her candy, until his daughter-in-law found out and put a stop to it! Frances also remembered that John Calvin hated cats! She said that her mother, Lurie Myrtle, had a cat and he would always kick at it until she told him, "Pa, that's our cat." Then he never kicked at it again.

In 1957 John Calvin Jones finally was laid to rest with only 4 (possibly 5, I can't find many records for his daughter Mattie) of his 12 children outliving him. He lived only a few days past his 97th birthday, departing this life on July 31st. Cause of death is said to have been a heart attack (Atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease ). He is buried in Truscott Cemetery in Texas with his wife and mother and several of their children.



I know so little about this family and it is my hope that some of my grandmother's cousins and/or their descendants will somehow find this and contact me. I would love to know more about my Jones line.

Until next week,
Becky

And don't forget to check out these other great genealogy blogs Days of Our Lives and Untangled Family Roots.

More than two years later and I have made contact with a JONES cousin via AncestryDNA. She descends from John Calvin's son Thomas Franklin. She has shared a lot with me and I am beyond grateful. Thomas Franklin Jones was the family historian and if it weren't for him many records and images would be lost to us forever. I did want to post this wonderful picture shared with me here on this blog post.

Back Row Standing: Mattie, Mamie, *Nettie Williams (friend and school teacher), and Lou
John Calvin and Leona are seated
Bottom Row: Claude, Johnny, Frank, baby Jasper, Jim & Ben.
Photo taken late 1897 or early 1898