Person:Jacob Jones (9)

Ensign Jacob Jones served as an ensign in the rangers of West Moreland County, PA and Monongalia County, VA. For a time was a member of Captain Nicholas Shinn's company. PA archives show that he received payment for at least 4 expeditions and also "depreciation pay" as a Continental Army soldier in PA. Considered a part of the military quota from VA and received depreciation pay also in Richmond for the War.

Jacob Jones , a Revolutionary War veteran is the predecessor of many families living in Albany and Delaware county. I will attempt to relate a few interesting events of his live to the best of my knowledge and show how he is related to many families of this community.
As a boy Jacob loved to hunt wild turkeys and deer which abounded in the forest surrounding the mill. (Saw mill in the forests near Philadelphia) One incident of his early boyhood skill at hunting is preserved for us in an old manuscript, that states, at one time a friend of the man with whom Jacob lived came out from Philadelphia to hunt deer. Jacob, a mere lad, had wanted to accompany them on the hunting party, but the mill owner said, "Jake, you stay here and watch the mill." After they had gone, his wife, who had a mother's love for Jacob said, "Now Jake, I'll watch the mill while you take your gun and go see what you can do." Jacob was gone only a short while and came home with three deer which he dressed and hung up in the Mill. When the hunters came in with no game they were amazed, but had to acknowledge Jacob was the wisest hunter. He had hunted against the wind and they had hunted with the wind.

The earliest known ancestor of the Jones family was the mother of Jacob Jones, who married for a second time Samuel Lewellen and moved with him from near Wilmington, Delaware, to Loudon County, Virginia, where they lived until about 1770. The Lewellens then moved across the mountains and settled on the Cheat River, establishing the old Lewellen Ferry, in Monongalia County, VA. (where the Pennsylvania Railroad now crosses the river.) Samuel had obtained a grant of land there in 1771 and his name is prominently mentioned in old records among the early settlers of the county.

Jacob was born in 1732 near Wilmington, Delaware. He was fatherless almost from birth, was adopted by a wealthy planter in the area of Wilmington, and lived with his foster parents until he came of age. Jacob, always fond of hunting and a “dead shot” early developed those pioneer traits which distinguished his career. He met and married Dinah Stanton of Little Egg Harbor, NJ, and soon after his marriage they moved to Loudon County near the home of his mother and stepfather, and afterward went with them across the Allegheny Mountains. Jacob and Dinah settled on the west side of the Monongahela River, on Dunkard Creek, near the present town of Pentree. This was known then as the Indian side of the river and the place he selected was then on the extreme frontier. They started out life in the wilderness across the mountain from the scenes of their youth. At the close of their lives they had improved a good homestead and were well to do. Their adventures, struggles and hardships if fully described would require volumes. Fights with Indians and hunting expeditions are still being told over and over again.

The assets of those times consisted in adventure and the bare necessities of life. Constant vigilance was the law of life and the rifle was as essential as any article of apparel. Always in danger, they suffered from three well-organized raids of the Indians, 1774, 1777, and 1778.
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[I think the paragraphs in this citation may be out of order. Need to locate original and verify.]

17 Jan 1934 -
JACOB JONES was born in 1732, near Wilmington Delaware, he married DINAH STANTON in Burlington County New Jersey on 28 September 1763. {She was a descendant of the GALE family}. After their marriage, they removed to Loudin County Virginia and settled near the home of Jacob's mother and stepfather, Samuel Lewellen, where they lived until 1769. They then moved, with the Leweellen's, to the Monongahela Valley settling on Dunkard's Creek, north of the Mason-Dixon line, in territory claimed by Virginia as part of West Virginia until 1770, when it became Monongahela County, also claimed by Pennsylvania as part of Cumberland County, which later by formation of new counties became Bedford County in 1771, Westmoreland County in 1781 and Green County in 1796. The Lewellens settled on Cheat River and established the Lewellen Ferry in Monongahela County, near the Pennsylvania line, obtained a land grant in 1771 and became prominent early settlers.

Jacob and Dinah Stanton Jones had three children born in Loudin County, Virginia, Mary in 1764; John in 1766; and Benjamin in 1768. Five more born in Monongahela County, Samuel, January 16, 1772 on Dunkard's Creek; William, May May 4, 1774; Jacob 1775; Rebecca, July 4, 1781; and Martha in 1784.

Jacob and Dinah Stanton Jones settled on the west side of Dunkard's Creek near the present town of Pentree, and suffered from Indian raids in 1774, 1777 and 1778. Warned by scouts in 1774 that savages were approaching, the settlers fled to the fort at Margan town 17 miles away, but Jacobs wife was in no condition to make the trip, so he sent their children and remained with her. A scout named Morgan gave them a second warning and they started for the fort. After going five miles, their son, William, was born. The scout carried the baby and guns while Jacob helped his wife, and they reached the fort safely. About a year later a fort was built near the Jones farm and during the 1777 raids, the settlers took refuge there.

On June 18, 1877 Jacob Farmer and daughter Susie, and Jacob Jones and children, Mary and John, with others went to the home of Jacob Farmer to spend the night and hoe corn the next day. A band of Indians surrounded the house that night and began an attack at daybreak. Jacob Farmer and Nathan Worley were killed and Susie Farmer, Mary and John Jones were taken captive. Rushing past the Indians , Jacob Jones reached a shelter on the bank of a Stream and ran along the bank near the water's edge until forced by three Indians in hot pursuit to climb the bank and run up along a fence of a clearing. Abandoning their efforts to take him alive, the Indians began shooting at him. One shot passed through an ear, one hit his belt and another went between his legs. At least 15 shots were fired at him . John and Jonas Marsh, members of a party who were hunting, saw the captive children being dragged along by the Indians. The children were taken westward and across the Ohio River. Susie Farmer, unable to keep up, was tomahawked and scalped in the presence of the Jones children. [Another version of this episode said that Susie was killed because she wouldn't stop crying. " E.L.A"]

Mary and John Jones were adopted by different families of Wyandotte Indians, near Sandusky, Ohio, but not until after they had been made to run the gauntlet, in the Indian village. John who was never reconciled, was always planning to escape. Mary was very obedient and was held in high esteem, and could not be persuaded to attempt the long trip home. After five years John escaped and reached Detroit, where he became a member of the family of Dr. Harvey, a physician, and was treated as one of the family and given as much education as possible. Dr. Harvey planed to send him to England to complete his medical education, but when john reached Montreal, his desire see his family caused him to turn southward. His father met him in Pittsburgh and he arrived home after an absence of eleven years. He afterward became a valued scout in the service against the Indians. [This same story in the 1924 West Virginia Review states that Dr. Jones eventually married and settled west of Grafton. "E.L.A.".] Mary remained ten years with the Wyandotte's, and was rescued after the death of the family with whom she had lived, and taken to Detroit and into the family of General McCombs. Three years later she became the wife of Peter Mallott and settled Grosse Island, after-ward removing to Kingsville, Ontario, Canada. After the death of her husband in 1816 she returned to the scenes of her childhood, crossing The lake at Cleveland, Ohio, and making the rest of her journey on foot. After an absence of 40 years, she again met her sisters and brothers. On her return trip to Ontario, two of her brothers accompanied her on horseback to Cleveland. She died at Kingsville, October 16, 1849, leaving 4 children -- Joseph, Mary, Anne and Peter.

A record of the Revolutionary service of Jacob Jones shows he was an Ensign in the services of the Rangers of the Frontier of Westmorland County, Pennsylvania and Monongahela County Virginia. For a time he was a member of Captain Nicholas Shinn's company. Pennsylvania archives show he received payment for at least 4 different expeditions, and also depreciation pay as a Continental Soldier in Pennsylvania. Other records show he was also considered a part of the Quota from Virginia and received depreciation pay in Richmond Virginia. After the capture of his two children he removed his family to a more secure spot on Cheat River and served in the militia on the frontier until the close of the Revolution. He resided for awhile on Cheat Bottom, now in Tucker County where he had a land grant. About 1794, he obtained a land grant near Knottsville, now in Taylor County, moved on it, and died there in 1828, aged 96 years. His wife died the same year at 93 years. A monument to their memory was dedicated in 1904 at a Jones Family Reunion held near the spot where they are buried near Knottsville West Virginia.

[Last accessed 20130726. States that burial location is unknown, however includes photo of memorial erected in 1904 at the burial site.]

http://findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=103516741