Person:James Jones (90)

From Virginians.com James was born about 1640 and lived in the part of Charles City County that became Prince George in 1703. Not only was he a “cooper,” a maker of wooden barrels, he also owned many slaves to work the 1,100-acre plantation upon which he was taxed in 1704. Since he could not write, Gilbert Hay reduced his desires to a proper will. For example, he identified several slaves by name and told Hay to give the rest to his son James. He was “weak and sick” when Hay, Edward Prince, and Thomas Semple watched him put his proper mark on the paper 6 April 1719. His wife was then Sarah Wallis Mumford, the widow of John Wallis and briefly the wife of James Mumford. He left, “my wife’s two sons, two Negro children.” Because a Colonial widow had a right to a life-estate in a third of her husband’s property, she could choose to accept the terms of the will or take her “thirds,” as they called it. James died before 12 May 1719 when Sarah stated she had been justly dealt with and requested his will be probated. Not 2 months later, the court argued that the phrase Hay used, “All the rest and Residue of My personal Estate, goods and chattels whatsoever, I do give and bequeath to my Loving son James Jones, full and sole Executor…,” excluded his slaves because they were then real estate. Hay, who knew James intentions, convinced the court to give the rest of the slaves to James anyway.

James and his son of the same name owned Indian slaves. In August 1693 the court Judged Sue, an Indian Girl of James Jones, to be 7, and Sarah, an Indian girl of James Jones Jr. to be 4. The county rewarded him 400 pounds of tobacco for killing two wolves in 1664.

Jones land patents James Jones secured patents to three tracts of land in Charles City County: 250 acres on Powell Creek in 1663, 734 acres in Weyanoke Parish in 1683, and 364 acres in Westover Parish in 1685. His 1683 acquisition was “att a place known as the Devil’s Woodyard.” He entered and surveyed 634 acres on Blackwater Swamp by June 1699 that he secured with a patent 28 October 1702. It was for thirteen headrights including Edward Jones and William Jones. The land appeared to have been partly in Prince George and partly in Surry County.

Who was James’ first wife? We do not know the name of James’ first wife, the mother of his children. She may have been related to the Christopher Lewis of Surry County who named James Jones, “cooper,” the executor of his will and left a legacy to James’ daughter Mary Jones (will dated 1 Sept. 1673, recorded 20 Oct. 1673). Yet neither the name Christopher nor Lewis appeared in the Jones family.

The last will and testament of James Jones

Will of James Jones 6 April 1719 In the name of God. Amen. I James Jones being weake and sick but of sound and perfect mind and memory, praise be therefor given to Almighty God, doe make and ordain this my present Last Will and Testament in manner and form following, that is to say. First and principally I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God, hoping through the merritts, Death and passion of my savior Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and to inherit everlasting Life; and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executor, hereafter named, and as touching the Disposition of all such Temporal estate as it hath pleased Almighty God to bestow upon me I give and dispose thereof as follows: First. I will that my debts and funeral expenses shall be paid and discharged. Item. I will that my loving wife have the Labour of four negroes during her natural life, they are named Will, Robin, Maria and Betty. Provided they are not removed off from the plantation I now live upon, if they are then Immediately to return to my executor, which plantation I will my wife shall live Upon during her life. Item. I give to my wives two sons two negro children, one named James, the other unborn, the first child that either Betty or Maria shall bring to be the other, which two negro children to be Disposed of to my wives two sons as she shall think fitt, the unborn and the born child James to be and remain with their mothers till they come of age of two years and a half year. My will is Likewise that my wife have during her life what household stuff my executor shall see fitt and that she shall have reasonable maintenance yearly out of my stock. Item. I give to my daughter Mary Dardin my negro man Jo - during her life. Item. I give to my daughter Elizabeth a negro named Hanna to be at her disposal to do as she sees fitt. Item. I give to my daughter Hanna one negro named Jack to be at her disposal at her death or before as she sees fitt. Item. I give to my daughter Rebecca two hundred acres of land, lying in Surry county, beginning from the Swamp up by the Spring, South, to the outline, that to be the head line, to her and her heirs forever. Item. I give to my Granddaughter Eliza Glover one hundred acres of land on the south side of Pond Runn, to her and her heirs forever. Item. I give to my grandson James Jones, this my plantation I live upon after my wifes Decease and all my land in Prince George county, after his father and mothers Decease, to him and his heirs forever. Item. I give to my Grandson Thomas Chappell one hundred acres of land lying in Surry County from the Swamp South, joining upon William Cocke [Cooke] above the outline, to him and his heirs forever. Item. I give to my Granddaughter Jane Cocke [Cooke], daughter of John Cocke [Cooke], on negro named Amy to her and her heirs forever as also one feather bed and bolster, one rug and on blanket, and if the ticke be bad Lett a new ticke be bought, as also two young cows, and young mair, One Iron Pot, two Pewter Dishes and one Doz. Of Spoons. All the rest and Residue of My personal Estate, goods and chattels whatsoever, I do give and bequeath to my Loving son James Jones, full and sole Executor of this my last Will and testament and I do hereby revoke, disanull and make void all former wills and Testaments by me heretofore made. In Witness whereof I the said James Jones to this my last will and testament do set my hand and seal this 6th day of April A.D. 1719. James (X) Jones

James Jones, executor, presented the will a Merchant’s Hope 12 May 1719 and Edward Goodrich proved Sarah’s letter to the court. Sarah sued her stepson, James Jones, 8 March 1719/20.

1. ↑ Virginians.com - The Family History of John W. Pritchett.
2. ↑ Virginians.com - The Family History of John W. Pritchett.
3. ↑ Virginians.com - The Family History of John W. Pritchett.