Maj. Thomas Jones

A Patriot of the American Revolution for DELAWARE. DAR Ancestor #: A106152

  Thomas appears to have been born and lived all his life on the family farm "Peppers Choice" located on Sheeppen Branch. We first find him on the 1740 tax list of Somerset County, Maryland. The next record of him is when his son, Ebenezer, was baptised at St. Georges Protestant Episopal Chapel, and the church records list Ebenezer as

   born 3 January 1746/7. We do not know when the Joneses first started attending St. Georges, but they may have been attending for several years, as Thomas's father's first cousin, Parker Aliff, did attend. The Prettyman family had a long association with St. George's. St. George's is located in the Angola Neck area and Love Branch area in Sussex County, and is presently about seven miles northwest of Millsboro between Millsboro and Lewes. Land for St. George's was donated in 1706, and a log church was built that year. The church is still in existence, with a

   modern brick building surrounded by the gravestones of Burtons, Prettymans, etc. The oldest tombstone at St. George's is the tombstone of Thomas Prettyman, Esquire, brother of Elizabeth Prettyman Jones.

   Thomas Jones was a farmer, and was sometimes described as a "Planter" in the records. "Planter" at this time meant the owner of a plantation, but we should not confuse this plantation with the large southern type plantation. The term "Planter" seemed to imply that his landholdings put him in a social class above that of the small farmer or "Yeoman" farmer. By his landholdings Thomas would seem to qualify for the title "Planter". As his father's heir at law) he inherited all of his father's land which included 150 acres of "Good Hope", 96 acres of "Jones Neck",

   and 150 acres of "Peppers Choice". Then on 17 August 1768 he p(oldest son urchased for 30 pounds from Peter and Thomas Robinson of Sussex County 100 acres of "Poverty"88. This land was on Sheeppen Branch in Worcester County, Maryland, and had been granted to Thomas West on 29 September 1757. The deed described it as beginning on Sheeppen Branch ten poles from said West's house. On 11 October 1768 Thomas and wife, Betty Jones, sold 139 acres of land to his brother, Zachariah.89 The 139 acres included 74 acres of "Good Hope" and 65 acres of "Peppers Choice". He again added to his landholdings on 23 August 1769 when he purchased for 26 pounds 13 shilling 6 pence 71 acres 23 poles of "Italy" from William Newbold.90 This land was on the northeast side of Sheeppen Branch and to the west of the county road leading to Broad Creek, and adjoined the land, "Peppers Choice" on which Thomas was living. He sold on 16 Sept. 1769 to Henry Blair Johnson for 35

   pounds "Jones Neck". He further added to his landholdings on 4 April 1776 when he had surveyed 144 acres called "Last of All".91 This land adjoined "West Poverty" (Poverty), and land of Ebenezer Jones (his son) and William Rodney. He also owned "Double Purchase" which was located to the north and west of "Dispute" owned by his brother, Zachariah. We have not been able to find a deed or survey for "Double Purchase" . On 20 January 1780 he sold to Ebenezer Jones 76 1/4 acres of "Good Hope". The deed describes the land as being sold "for fatherly

   love toward him the said Albenezer, and more especially the sum of 50 pounds".92 The deed also states that "Lazarus Kenny conveyed the land to Abenezer Jones and by his death partly to his son, Thomas Jones." Witnesses to the deed were Samuel Shankland and Robert Ingram.

   Other activities of Thomas included serving in the militia as a private in Capt. Joseph Dirickson's militia command in 1749 with his father. He also witnessed the will of Cornelies Kollock on 5 January 1771 with John Waples and William Evans in Worcester County, Maryland.75 In 1779 he was appointed Overseer of Poor for Dagsberry Hd, Sussex County.93 Then on 4 May 1789, he and Wingate Jones witnessed the will of Margaret Newbold in Sussex County.94 His activities did not include serving in the Revolution, as we have found no record that he or other

   Joneses served in this conflict with England. They may well have supported England, as it has been estimated that four-fifths of the population of Sussex County were loyalist.95

   Thomas made his will on 25 March 1795, and it was probated on 12 January 1798.96 He left to his son, Thomas Jones, "West Poverty", 100 acres, "Last of All", 150 acres, negroes: man Peter, Nance, and Hess, with a walnut dressing table, a walnut dining table, a large pine chest, one case and bottles, a large lookingglass, a pair of tongs and shovel, two beds and furniture, a flat iron, a dutch oven, one pot tramble, a woolen wheal with the best linnen wheal, three best chairs, one walnut table, a side sadle that was my wifes, a pair of andirons, and my riding horse

   bridle and sadle. To his son, Miles Jones, he gave the plantation and lands he now resides on known as "Jones Lot", "Double Purchase", "Good Hope", and Italy. Also to Miles went a negro woman Renah, negro lad Dave, my best bed and furniture, two pine tables, one pinestand, a small looking glass, all the delf crockery, maple desk and a pair of stilyards. To his son, Ebenezer Jones, and daughters, Nany Short and Elizabeth Truitt, he gave ten shillings each. Further the rest of his property was to be divided between his sons, Miles and Thomas Jones, and Miles was to be the executor of the estate.

   We believe that Thomas only had one wife, and that was Elizabeth (Betty) Prettyman. We have only found three references to her. The first is in the will of her father, John Prettyman, on 21 April 1745. In that will she is listed as Elizabeth Prettyman, and she must have married shortly after the will was made. In the will she received two slaves, Diana and Phillis. The other two references to her are in deeds. We have mentioned previously the deed where they sold land to Zachariah Jones. The other deed was executed on 7 August 1767, Thomas Jones of Worcester County, Maryland, Planter, and Elizabeth, his wife, Margaret Hills, and Solomon Stockley sold land to John Futcher.98 The land had been willed by John Prettyman to his son, Thomas Prettyman (Esquire) and Thomas had died. Elizabeth Jones and Margaret Hills, daughters, Solomon Stockey, only child of another daughter of John Prettyman, sold the land to John Futcher, grandson of another daughter of John's. On this deed Thomas signed the deed, and Elizabeth signed with her mark. From Thomas's will it is obvious that Elizabeth died before 25 March 1795.

   The lifestyle of Thomas and Elizabeth was probably very much like that of Thomas's parents in that they lived on a farm, and all of their food would have been raised on the farm. They would have had cattle and hogs for their meat, and probably grew corn and wheat for their bread. They would have had a garden in which they grew a variety of vegetables. They would have had sheep for wool clothing, and would have grown flax for linen. Since Thomas owned slaves, and Elizabeth had inherited two female slaves from her father; they would have had the slaves to help with the farm and household chores. Elizabeth or the slaves would have spun the wool and flax to make thread for cloth. Then she or the female slaves would have made all the clothing for the family. It is obvious from Thomas's will that he owned a horse to ride, and his wife had a horse to ride as she owned a side saddle.

• Thomas Jones

in the Maryland Revolutionary War Records Name:	Thomas Jones Spouse Name:	Elizabeth Jones Marriage Date:	Ante 1776 Marriage Place:	Mont. Co., MD. Source Information Ancestry.com. Maryland Revolutionary War Records [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000. Original data: Newman, Harry Wright. Maryland Revolutionary Records. Baltimore, MD, USA: Maryland Archives, 1938.

• Thomas Jones

in the U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 Name:	Thomas Jones Gender:	Male Military Place:	South Carolina, USA State or Army Served:	South Carolina Rank:	Private

Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Original data: Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls); War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington. D.C.

• Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Jones

in the U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970  

Name: Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Jones Birth Date: 1723 Death Date: 21 Mar 1808 Death Place: Dorchester SAR Membership: 43792 Role: Ancestor Application Date: 11 Feb 1927 Spouse: Elizabeth Jones Children: John Courts Jones Source Citation Volume: 219 Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.

• North Carolina, Marriage Index, 1741-2004 VIEW RECORD Name Thomas, Sr. Jones Spouse Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson Marriage Date 25 May 1749 Marriage County Chowan Marriage State North Carolina Source Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT Household Members Name Age Mrs. Elizabeth Thompson Thomas, Sr. Jones
• Global, Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and other Select Burial Locations, 1300s-Current VIEW RECORD Name Thomas Jones Birth Date 1724 Birth Place Somerset County, Maryland, USA Death Date 1798 Death Place Maryland, USA Cemetery Has Bio? N
• Col Thomas Jones

in the U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current Name:	Col Thomas Jones Birth Date:	4 Sep 1723 Birth Place:	Dorchester County, Maryland, USA Death Date:	24 Mar 1808 Death Place:	Dorchester County, Maryland, USA Cemetery:	Old Trinity Church Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place:	Church Creek, Dorchester County, Maryland, USA Has Bio?:	Y Spouse:	Elizabeth Jones Children:	Charles Jones URL:	http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-... Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012. Original data: Find A Grave. Find A Grave. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi.

( Thomas Jones

in the U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Name:	Thomas Jones Birth Place:	Dorchester SAR Membership:	1173 Role:	Ancestor Application Date:	8 Jun 1894 Spouse:	Elizabeth Jones Children:	John Courts Jones Source Citation Volume: 6 Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.

• Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Jones

in the U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 Name:	Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Jones Birth Date:	1723 Death Date:	21 Mar 1808 Death Place:	Dorchester SAR Membership:	43792 Role:	Ancestor Application Date:	11 Feb 1927 Spouse:	Elizabeth Jones Children:	John Courts Jones Source Citation Volume: 219 Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls.

• Col Thomas Jones

in the Web: Maryland, Find A Grave Index, 1637-2012 Name:	Col Thomas Jones Birth Date:	4 Sep 1723 Age at Death:	84 Death Date:	24 Mar 1808 Burial Place:	Church Creek, Dorchester County, Maryland, USA URL:	http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-...