Donald Allen Jones's Blog: A Genealogist's Journey

This week has gone by so fast and a lot of that is due to discoveries I’ve made in the past few days. First and foremost, I seem to be narrowing down the timeframe that my Jones family moved into Tattnall County. Previously, I’ve stated that the Thomas Jones family came to the county around 1887 thanks to information in Thomas and Isadora’ obituary. But, it may actually have been a couple of years earlier.

You see, this past weekend I stumbled on a Confederate pension application for Bernard Allen Mulligan, Thomas’s brother-in-law (husband of Martha Matilda Mulligan). In this application, it’s stated that Bernard came to Tattnall County in 1885. Now, it’s not certain that Thomas’s family came with the Mulligans, but it is likely in my opinion. I just need to find some way to corroborate this hypothesis.

At about the same time I found out about the Mulligans I also received court records concerning Irean Adbrum Jones, thanks to a friend who works at the Tattnall Archives. It turns out that old I.A. got into trouble in 1909 for selling liquor on the Sabbath around March of that year. Then, he was in the courts for the same thing in June. Later, we find him selling beer in 1910. You know, I try not to be too judgmental about these things, but after getting caught the second time I think I would’ve stopped.

Anyway, that’s about it for this week. I found some great information that’s got me really excited for the future. #family history #genealogy

This week Oliver Daemen, an 18-year-old Dutch citizen, became the youngest person to go to the edge of space when he became a passenger on Jeff Bezos’ New Shepard rocket. When I heard about Mr. Daemen, I immediately thought of my distant cousins Andrew Oliver, Kelley, R.E., Jesse Henry, and Irean Adbrum Jones.

While moving to another State isn’t quite as great a feat as going into space, I think it must have been somewhat exciting, and a bit daunting, for these young people as their family pulled up roots in South Carolina to start anew in Georgia. The oldest of the children, Andrew, was approximately 15 when they arrived in Tattnall County and Irean, as the youngest, was merely seven-years-old. These siblings left some of their family behind, excepting an aunt, uncle, and some cousins who came with them. They also probably left childhood friends as well. Starting over in a place where they were now strangers couldn’t have been easy.

Thankfully, they and their parents were able to make lives for themselves. All that it took was that one small step, that one giant leap. #familyhistory #genealogy

Last week I received some very interesting court records from the Tattnall County Courthouse involving my 2nd great-aunt, Isadora Martha Jones, and the administration of her estate after her death. At first one person, a son, applied to take over the estate, but his brothers protested, calling him incompetent, uneducated, and unlearned. So, the clerk of court became the administrator, but he was soon "adjudged insane" and, thus, two of the brothers took over.

I really wish I could have been a fly on the wall during these proceedings. This is going to make a fascinating addition to the whole Thomas Jones family story.

#familyhistory #genealogy

Before I tell you all about my possible new discovery, a little bit of housecleaning. These posts will now only be once a week, on Wednesdays. I'd love to keep up with the two posts a week schedule I'd set for myself, but such is life.

Now, on to something more exciting. I believe I've discovered why Thomas Oliver Jones moved into Tattnall County in the mid 1880s. The 1880 census listed him as a "still hand", which means he worked in the naval stores industry in some fashion. Naval stores, as the name suggests, has historically been centered around shipbuilding and related jobs, but it's since expanded into other areas.

If I am right about this, then I've definitely got a good start on my writing. More news next week!

We did it! Today, the 100th copy of A Brave Man's Country: Two Lewis Uncles Who Served in the Confederate State Army was sold. It took 98 days to reach this milestone and I couldn't have done it without everyone who bought my book, either on Amazon or in person. I certainly couldn't have done it without the assistance of my parents who not only talked to people around here who wanted copies, but also helped me get to speaking engagements where I was able to sell my book.

98 days y'all. I'd love to sell another 100 in the same amount of time. If you bought my book and know of others who might be interested in reading it, please send them here: https://amzn.to/3ymsMiP. And thank you all again. 100 books y'all!

I took a small break from research and note-taking yesterday to work on pre-writing. Basically, the thought was to create a rough rough draft of one portion of my newest work to figure out exactly how I want it to sound.

Well, I while I didn't learn how I want it to sound I definitely learned how I don't want it to. The portion I put down is entirely too dry. So, now I'm going to file what I've done away and think about how to make it better while I get back to the grindstone. What was it Thomas Edison said? "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

9,999 more ways to go. #familyhistory #genealogy #writing

I realized yesterday that I think I’ve really screwed up with Thomas Jones’s youngest son’s family. Irean Jones married twice and seems to have had several children. But, I can only confirm five of them through obituary notices and other records. What’s the deal with these other names? I think I must have gotten them through other Ancestry family trees in my earlier research. I should’ve known better than to take those trees at face value. So, today I’m going to have to get to work on confirming or denying any relationship between Irean, his second wife, and these people. Hopefully, it won’t take too long. #family history #genealogy

I’ve been going back and forth the past few days regarding the family biography I’m working on. On the one hand, it’s a daunting task I can’t help but feel unworthy to write. But, on the other there’s so much interesting information that I really want to get out to the world.

For instance, one of the most fascinating incidents in the Thomas Jones family revolves around a court case involving Thomas, his wife Isadora, and their son Kelley Jones. According to court records, Isadora had bought a corn mill and corn press from a local company, Daisy Machine Works, in 1911. But Thomas (listed as T. O. in court records) and Kelly refused to pay the money owed for the machines and were sued. Eventually, the court sided with the company and great-uncle Thomas had to pay the piper.

Not only that, but as I mentioned in my last entry, the rise of this family from farm workers and laborers to entrepreneurs is also noteworthy. Also, this is just one family out of several relations that will be in my new book. I have yet to touch on my other aunts and uncles as they arrived in Georgia or even my 2nd great-grandfather’s family. Keeping up with these Joneses is a frustrating and exciting task. So yes, while I have been vacillating about my story, while it is daunting, I have to do it. It’s a story that must be told. #familyhistory #genealogy

I’ve been going back and forth the past few days regarding the family biography I’m working on. On the one hand, it’s a daunting task I can’t help but feel unworthy to write. But, on the other there’s so much interesting information that I really want to get out to the world.

For instance, one of the most fascinating incidents in the Thomas Jones family revolves around a court case involving Thomas, his wife Isadora, and their son Kelley Jones. According to court records, Isadora had bought a corn mill and corn press from a local company, Daisy Machine Works, in 1911. But Thomas (listed as T. O. in court records) and Kelly refused to pay the money owed for the machines and were sued. Eventually, the court sided with the company and great-uncle Thomas had to pay the piper.

Not only that, but as I mentioned in my last entry, the rise of this family from farm workers and laborers to entrepreneurs is also noteworthy. Also, this is just one family out of several relations that will be in my new book. I have yet to touch on my other aunts and uncles as they arrived in Georgia or even my 2nd great-grandfather’s family. Keeping up with these Joneses is a frustrating and exciting task. So yes, while I have been vacillating about my story, while it is daunting, I have to do it. It’s a story that must be told. #familyhistory #genealogy

One of the most interesting things I’ve learned about the Thomas O. Jones family is that they seemed to be go-getters. In regard to Thomas, the patriarch of the family is listed as a still hand in the 1880 United States Federal Census. But, by 1900 he is working as as a farmer on land he rented and by 1910 he owns his own farm and employs others to work it for him.

His sons Ollie, Jesse, and Irean have that same entrepeneurial spirit. Ollie is first mentioned as a farm laborer in the 1900 census, most likely on the land his father rents. Ten years later he is a laborer doing odd jobs around the area and in the U.S. World War I Draft Registration of 1918 he is a gin worker on a local farm. But, by 1920 he’s a salesman and by the time of his death in January of 1933 his obituary states he “was at one time one of the most prominent saw mill and turpentine men in this section of the state, and in the Carolinas, his business interests spreading over a wide area and including many enterprises.

The same is true for both Jesse and Irean. From humble beginnings, Jesse went on to be a grocer in Savannah, Georgia and Irean is also a grocer in the town of Hagan, Georgia.

It’s inspiring to know I’m connected to such hardworking people and I cannot wait to finish writing so I can tell their story in more detail. #writing #history #entrepreneur