Wood Jones

Wood Jones

Wood Jones (John, Peter, Peter, Peter) married Elizabeth Trent Archer in Powhatan County on 22 Jun 1814. She was the daughter of Peter Field Archer, whose second wife was Wood’s sister Ann (Jones) Archer. Wood and Elizabeth (Archer) Jones had four children: 1. Cincinnatus Field Jones who married 1st Adelaide Wills of Amelia County, VA, and had a son, Cincinnatus Field Jones, Jr. and a daughter Elizabeth;' he married secondly Mary Smith of Powhatan County, VA, who was the stepdaughter of his uncle Peter Field Archer.

Another son 2. Telemachus Archer married in Tennessee and had one son who died without issue. 3. Tiberius Gracchus who was born in Powhatan County 12 July 1819. He was styled as the third son of Wood Jones of Nottoway County and his wife Elizabeth Trent Archer of Springfield, Powhatan County. When he was about three years of age, he lost both parents and was reared by his mother's maiden sister Mary Ann Archer. At about the age of eighteen years he entered the Virginia Baptist Seminary, which was later called Richmond College, and here determined to enter the ministry. He had been baptized by Rev. James B. Taylor, and the Second Baptist Church, of which Mr. Taylor was pastor, licensed him to preach.

After his course at the Seminary was completed, he took a two year's course at the University of Virginia after which he entered William and Mary College from which institution he graduated. On April 10th, 1846, he wrote to his aunt Mary from Florence AL, stating that about three months before that time he had written to his brother Ulysses stating that he had obtained a situation in a private family of wealth, as a teacher and is pleased with his situation as well as his salary; that he only teaches three or four hours a day, devoting the rest of his time to reading and studying mostly of a theological nature, as his object is to prepare as speedily as possible for the regular and active duties of the ministry.

That the Sunday before he had entered a pulpit for the first time and made a short address after the pastor's sermon which was, he thought well received. He refers to the kindness of uncle Peter (Peter Field Archer who had moved to Alabama) and his wife "Aunt Caroline" who have been like father and an own aunt to him. He also refers to his brother Telemaque who has located in Savannah, Tennessee, to practice law; sends love to Aunt Haskins and all the girls; to Ulysses and sister Marcella and requests that the baby be named Ulysses Trent, that he may be like his "illustrious predecessor" Cincinnatus Field Jones, Jr., and perhaps like some illustrious successors! In December, 1846, he writes to his brother Ulysses Trent Jones at Jenito, Powhatan County, telling him of the failure of letters to reach him from home.

After having an attack of chills and fever he took a vacation and attended some religious meetings near Nashville when he met Dr. Howell, the most distinguished Baptist minister in the Southwest, who requested him to accept a charge at Lebanon, Tennessee. Nashville was referred to as a beautiful place and he recalled the fact that his father had traversed the same streets. While at the Nashville Inn he became ill and called in a Dr. Winston of the Virginia family, a cousin of John Winston Jones, and states that they scraped up relationship. He also states that a son of Peter Demoville was quite nice to him during his illness and took him to call on his mother and sisters who reside in the city. A son lives in Huntsville, Alabama, but the one he saw was quite young and so like Samuel Archer who is a first cousin. Mrs. Demoville asked many questions of uncle Jack (Archer a brother of Peter Field Archer) and Aunt Mary (Demoville), and they are all doing well. His aunt Polly had died just before this time as he referred to the writing of an obituary which he thinks it too late to publish. He states that Telemaque has made some speeches at the bar which have been very highly praised and that he and his partner (named Shelton) have thought it best to dissolve partnership, although still quite friendly. Sends love to sister Marcella, to brother and to sister Adelaide.

The next letter which has been sent me was written by him March 6, 1848, from Clarksville, Virginia, to his brother U.T. Jones. He states that he left Petersburg in December and located in Clarksville, Mecklenburg County, on Roanoke River at the junction of Dan and Stanton Rivers. He asks about the health of "Aunt Louisa and her family in Appomattox;" he expresses regret at not having seen his sister after an absence of more than two years. He also wants to know if they have heard from Uncle Peter (Archer), Telemaque or brother as he has not heard in some time. Also, if anything has been heard from Montgomery Featherston since he went to Mississippi; sends love to cousin, Billy Osborne; has had a call to serve two churches in Caroline County but prefers Clarksville for the present.

The next letter is from Norfolk dated November 19, 1852, in which he advises the sale of land of his brother and going to Richmond as one can do nothing but sink money in farming. States that some time before a premium had been offered in Georgia for an essay on "The Duties of Pastors to Churches." A number competed for it, but he received the prize, $100. but the money had not yet come. Sends love to sister Marcella, and Jennie and to cousin Chamberlaine. He oversaw the Freemason Street Baptist Church in Norfolk from this time until he was compelled by war conditions to leave that city. He was then called to the pastorate of the Franklin Square Baptist Church of Baltimore where he continued to preach until the close of the war, when he was promptly recalled to his old church in Norfolk.

After serving this Church for some time he was made president of Richmond College, but his own Norfolk flock found it hard to give him up and so for the third time they prevailed upon him to become their pastor. His next pastorate was that of the First Baptist Church, Nashville, Tennessee; thence he again removed to Norfolk and became pastor of the Cumberland Street Church which was his last pastorate, he resigned to devote his leisure to Literary work. He received the degree of Doctor of Divinity from Richmond College.

He married first Jane Chandler Reins of Richmond and had issue: Richard Wood Jones who married Margaret Jane, daughter of Jordan Peyton Coleman and his wife Emily Taylor; Elizabeth who died at the age of 8 years; Tiberius Gracchus who died in Nashville; Jennie Waller who married John Bacon Jeffress and had issue John B., Saidee and Waller; Henry; Mary Claiborne Archer who married Robert R. Roberts; Fanny Wortham who married Telemaque Archer Jones and had one daughter Margaret Lynn Lewis Jones who married Harris E. Willingham of Georgia; twins that died without being named; Wortham who died in childhood in Baltimore. Tiberius Gracchus Jones married as his second wife Martha Ridley of Norfolk and had issue; Virginus Parke who married but left no issue; John Ridley who married Lalla White of Norfolk and has three children; Peter Field Archer Gracchus who married Annie Boyd of Mississippi and has issue: Montgomery Osborne, Alice Reed, Peter Field Archer Jr., Anne Boyd. Sallie Ridley who married John Baird of Portsmouth.