DAVID NORTHAM JONES

With William W. Jones

BIOGRAPHY

AS RECORDED IN:

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES
PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 1098 - 1099

DAVID NORTHAM JONES. This branch of the Jones family, well and worthily represented at Turnerville, Tolland Co., Conn., by the gentleman whose name introduces this article, descends from Thomas Jones.

Thomas Jones came from Surrey or Kent near London, one of twenty-five who landed at New Haven. He settled at Guilford, his name appearing as one of the original Church at Guilford in 1639. He was the sixth signer of the plantation covenant and the first marshal of the plantation. A part inventory of his estate is recorded on probate records of Guilford, 12, June 1656 Book A. His wife Mary, died in September, 1650. Their children were: Nathaniel, died single; Thomas, died in infancy; Sarah; Samuel.

Captain Samuel Jones, the youngest member of the above family, married Mary, a daughter of Deacon Francis and Mary (Chapman) Bushnell, by whom he had the following children: (1) Deborah, died at the age of four years; (2) a son, died the day of his birth; (3) Samuel; (4) Mary, married a Mr. Parker; (5) Martha, married a Mr. Whittlesey; (6) Thomas, married Priscilla Kirtland; (7) Caleb, married Rachel Clark, and was the first of the family to settle in Hebron; his two nephews, Daniel and Samuel, sons of Ensign Samuel Jones, of Saybrook, came to Hebron and settled later; (8) Sarah married John Clark.

Captain Samuel Jones, noted above, was a legatee of Joshua Uncas, Sachem, who willed away more land than he owned. To Capt. Jones he gave 4,000 acres. The land he gave away was divided into eighty-six shares according to quality, among the proprietors of Hebron. In 1702 this division was made. The land belonging to Capt. Jones was divided among his three sons, Samuel, Thomas and Caleb, and the agreement by which the parting of the land was made is an interesting document, and was dated April 15, 1709. It is found on page 212, Vol. II, of the Saybrook Records. Stephen Post and Samuel Curtice were appointed to bound and determine the several lots, according to the will and the agreement of the brothers, and their report is entered on the first book of records of Hebron, folio 6, May 5, 1713.

Ensign Samuel Jones, of the three brothers mentioned above as the sons of Captain Samuel Jones was born in 1666 and died in 1746. All his life was spent in Saybrook. There he married Deborah Sanford, by whom he had the following children: Samuel; Daniel, married Hannah Stannard; Gideon; Cornelius, who lived in Springfield; Nathaniel, who married Sarah Whittlesey.

Ensign Samuel Jones, the oldest member of the above family, was born Nov. 29, 1694, in Saybrook, and came to Hebron, where he died Oct. 13, 1735. His home was made on lands belonging to his father, and he was married March 24, 1719, to Rachel Dibble, who was born Feb. 3, 1700, in Saybrook. They were the parents of the following children: (1) Rachel died in infancy; (2) Rachel (2), born in 1722, died in 1743; (3) Anna, born in 1724, died in early childhood; (4) Mary, born in 1726, died in 1741; (5) Samuel, born in 1728, died in 1733; (6) Ezekiel, born March 27, 1731, died Nov. 30, 1791; (7) Col. Joel, born April 5, 1733, died June 17, 1792, (he married Margaret Day, and became a wealthy and prominent man in the town, a large landowner, and a public-spirited citizen. The building now occupied as the post office in Hebron was erected by him); (8) Samuel, born Feb. 18, 1735, married Lydia Tarbox, and died in May, 1814.

After the death of her husband Mrs. Jones married, Aug. 8, 1738, Dr. Benjamin Kneeland, who died June 20, 1746; Dr. Mann was her third husband; and Deacon Samuel Emmons, of East Haddam, Conn., her fourth. She died Feb. 25, 1765.

Ezekiel Jones, the sixth child of Ensign Samuel Jones, was married Sept. 13, 1753, to Mindwell, a daughter of Azariah and Lydia (Burt) Beach, who was born Aug. 11, 1731, and died July 8, 1799. To them were born the following children: (1) Samuel, born Oct. 31, 1754; (2) Apollos, born May 24, 1756, died Feb. 9, 1761; (3) Eliphas, born May 24, 1758, married Lavinia Barker, and died Dec. 30, 1796; (4) Ezekiel, born March 14, 1760, died Nov. 20, 1776; (5) Mindwell, born Dec. 12, 1762, married John Waters, and died July 2, 1841; (6) Anna, born March 20, 1765, married Roger Phelps, Feb. 1, 1787, died Feb. 2, 1821; (7) Rachel, born May 11, 1767, died Jan. 4, 1795; (8) Catherine, born April 30, 1769, died Aug. 6, 1852; she was the wife of John Day; (9) Charity, born Jan. 1, 1772, married Abijah Root, and died Jan. 26, 1847; (10) Mary, born Dec. 19, 1774, died July 6, 1832; she was the wife of Solomon Jones, the son of Gideon Jones.

Samuel Jones, the first born of the above family, was born in Hebron, Conn., and had his home on Jones street until about 1782, when he moved to a location near Grayville in Hebron, where he died Aug. 18, 1813. He was a man of good information, owned considerable property, and was married Feb. 13, 1777, to Huldah Pepoon, who was born in Hebron in March, 1758, and died Dec. 7, 1819. To this union were born: (1) Timothy, the grandfather of David N. Jones, born Feb. 13, 1778, died March 6, 1863; (2) Huldah, born Jan. 26, 1780, died June 10, 1847. Her husband was Russell Ford, and both lived and died in Old Saybrook; (3) Henry, born May 4, 1782, died April 11, 1787; (4) Dan, born Aug. 14, 1784, married Cornelia Manley, was a farmer, and died Feb. 28, 1878; (5) Henry, born March 6, 1788, died Jan. 26, 1843; His business was that of a mason and contractor; he married Mary A. Jones, and died Jan. 26, 1843; (6) Polly, born Jan. 8, 1792, died June 9, 1823, unmarried; (7) Mindwell, born June 12, 1795, married Russell Ford, a carpenter, and died April 10, 1870; (8) Samuel, born Jan. 5, 1799, married Mary Ann Dean, was a farmer and mason, and died in Hebron, Jan. 11, 1873.

Timothy Jones, the grandfather of David N. Jones, was born in Hebron, where his entire life was spent in the mason trade, a business he also taught his son. The latter years of his peaceful and useful life were spent in the home of his daughter, Lydia, where his death occurred. Mr. Jones was married Jan. 25, 1806, to Nancy Taylor, who was born in Colchester, March 12, 1781, a daughter of John and Nancy (Fitch) Taylor. John Taylor was a veteran of the Revolution, drawing a pension for his services in that war, and had two sons, Benjamin and Nathan, who served in the war of 1812.

To the marriage of Timothy and Nancy (Taylor) Jones came the following children: (1) William Taylor, the father of David N. Jones, was born Sept. 17, 1806; (2) Lydia P., born March 16, 1809, married Nathan Bolton, a mason in Hebron, where she died April 16, 1869; (3) Timothy F., born Jan. 9, 1812, died May 13, 1863; he married Mariette Strong; they lived in Hebron, where he followed the mason trade and farming; (4) Samuel F., born Oct. 25, 1815, married Hannah Tefft, followed the mason trade, and is now residing in Westbrook, Conn.; (5) Salmon A., born April 12, 1819, married Sarah Moss, was a mason, and died in Middletown, Feb. 27, 1900; (6) John M., born Jan. 21, 1822, married Mrs. Anna A. Jones, the widow of Dr. Henry D. Jones, and a daughter of Pardon and Mary Almy, of Little Compton, R.I. Mr. Jones went to Minnesota in 1858, and secured a farm. While there he enlisted in Company G, 3^rd M.V.I., and died in the hospital at Pine Bluff, Ark., Oct. 7, 1864. After his death his widow moved to Redwood Falls and has become a large land owner.

William Taylor Jones was born in what is known as Jones street, in Hebron, and had a common school education. Though reared to farm work he learned the trade of mason, and soon after his marriage he took an extensive contract in company with his uncle on the factory buildings in South Glastonbury. His trade carried him into various parts of the State, and he had charge of the building of the light house at the mouth of the Mystic river, and the Locks between New Haven and Northampton, Mass. The brick house now owned by Edward Bill was erected by him for a home, and in it he lived many years. Later in life he moved to the site of the present home of David N. Jones, and erected most of the building now occupied by him. William T. Jones died Sept. 7, 1888, as the result of exposure which produced a chill fatal at his advanced age.

Mr. Jones was also interested in a small way in a paper factory and in cotton manufacturing in Hebron. A staunch Democrat, he represented Hebron one term in the General Assembly. In his religion he was a member of the Hebron Episcopal Church.

Mary Elizabeth Northam, wife of William Taylor Jones, was born in Hebron, Feb. 13, 1815, a daughter of David and Mary (Kellogg) Northam. A sketch of the Northams appears on another page. She died April 18, 1900, in the home of her son, David N. To this union were born: David N., born July 16, 1838. Emily, born March 20, 1842, died July 19, 1844. William W., born June 2, 1845, had a district school education, and attended the Bacon Academy at Colchester.

WILLIAM W. JONES, at the age of nineteen, engaged in a store in New York in company with his brother, David N. After retiring from the store he purchased a farm in Westchester, Conn. This land was in timber, and much of it was sold to the Colchester Rubber Company and the Bissell Tannery. After carrying through this enterprise very successfully he sold the farm, and learned the mason trade with his father, which he followed a number of years. After his marriage William W. Jones moved to Willimantic where he was agent of the Howe Sewing Machine Company, as well as being engaged in various other employments. Returning to Hebron he purchased a farm of his father, on which he resided for about three years, working at his trade in Colchester and elsewhere. The Joseph White farm on “Barrows Hill” was bought by him, which he made his home for a time, when he sold it and bought his present place of John S. Wells. In 1885 he purchased a stock of goods of Andrew J. Hanks, and carried on a store in Hebron Green until 1898, when he disposed of it and is now engaged in real estate and farming. Mr. Jones was married June 3, 1871, in Salem, Conn., to Esther J. Blish, who was born May 15, 1852, in Marlborough, Conn., a daughter of Chauncey and Esther (Slate) Blish. To this union have come the following children: (1) Carlton B., born Oct. 17, 1872, was for many years a clerk in his father’s store, and also served as assistant postmaster, is now a blacksmith in Hebron. He was married March 23, 1893, to Ellen Maria Hills, of Gilead, by whom he has had children: Claude Wallace, born June 17, 1894; George Merle, born Sept. 20, 1896; Elsie Myrtis, born Nov. 8, 1899; (2) William Clinton, born Jan. 21, 1879, was married April 23, 1898, to Ellen Porter, by whom he has one child, Mildred Elizabeth, born Nov. 17, 1899. (3) Fitch N., born May 1, 1882.

Mr. Jones is a Democrat, and was postmaster under the first administration of Grover Cleveland. For eight years he was on the Central Democratic committee of the 23d district. For six years he has served on the board of selectmen, and for a number of years has been justice of the peace, and registrar of voters.

David Northam Jones was born in the brick house now owned by Edward Bill. Until he was sixteen years of age he attended the district school, and then entered the employ of Lucius J. Hendee, a store keeper at Hebron, Conn., where he became very skilled at bookkeeping. Mr. Hendee being an expert in that work, his instruction in bookkeeping was considered compensation for his clerking. After two years with Mr. Hendee Mr. Jones went to Colchester to enter the employ of A.B. Isham, the proprietor of a general store, which Mr. Jones managed for some two years. At the end of that time he returned to Hebron and in company with E.B. Page bought the store of Mr. Hendee, and the two continued in business for a short time under the name of Page & Jones. When Mr. Page retired Mr. Edward Rockwell purchased his interest, and Jones & Rockwell kept in business until shortly after the breaking out of the Civil war, when they divided the goods, Mr. Jones taking the dry goods and Mr. Rockwell the groceries. Mr. Jones presently found his stock greatly advanced, and was able to dispose of it at factory prices. For some time he was engaged in the grocery trade in New York City in company with his brother William Wallace, who personally looked after the business at the corner of 62d street and Third avenue. On the day of President Lincoln’s assassination, April 19, 1865, they sold out. Mr. Jones was also engaged during the war in the manufacture of twine, wicking and cotton bats in company with George Jones, they having bought out the Hebron Manufacturing Company. Fire destroyed their factory which was located at Grayville, in 1866, and it was rebuilt at Hope Valley, where they continued for a year and then sold out.

Since that time Mr. Jones has been engaged in farming and in real estate in which he has become prominent and successful. For about twenty-five years he was traveling salesman for hardware and other goods, covering New England, New York, Pennsylvania and Canada. In July, 1902, he sold his property in Hebron and purchased a house in West Haven, Conn., where he now resides, and is engaged in the real estate business.

Mr. Jones was married April 30, 1872, to Caroline M. Lathrop, who was born in Salem, July 30, 1846, a daughter of Seth E. and Caroline (Worthington) Lathrop, farming people. To this union were born: (1) Mabel Caroline, March 3, 1876, attended district school and the Bacon Academy at Colchester, taught school two years in her native district, and was married Jan. 11, 1897, to Fred G. Button, a merchant and lumber dealer of Turnerville, now at Merrick, Mass. (2) Myron William, born July 16, 1879, attended Bacon Academy, taught school one year in his native town and is now engaged in the printing business at New Haven, formerly at Turnerville; (3) Herman David, born March 4, 1883, attended Bacon Academy, and is clerk in general store at Middlefield, Connecticut.

Mr. Jones is a Democrat, has held a few town offices, and with his family formerly attended St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, at Hebron, of which Mrs. Jones was organist for many years. All the family evince great musical talent.

Reproduced by:

Linda D. Pingel

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