James Jones

M, ID# 577, (c 1734-c 1794)
     Research Note: Some genealogies show James as the son of Evan Jones, with links to the Wynne family in the Philadelphia area. However, Evan's son James was killed in a duel with Brockholst Livingston on 9 May 1798 at Hoboken, NJ. "Our" James Jones' parents have yet to be identified.1

James Jones was born about 1734 in Jamaica, Queens County, New York.2,3 He married Christianah Folk, daughter of Johannes Folk and Anna Mary (Mareitje) Speikkerman, about 1764. He was living near Kingston, Ulster County, New York when the revolution broke out. He was imprisoned for three years. After his escape or release he served as a private in Butler's Rangers. He came to Niagara in 1780.4,5,6 James appears on the Loyalist Victualing List at Niagara of Murray's District, 14 Dec 1786 with a wife, 3 male children over 10, 2 female children over ten, and one female under 10 (note - he actually had 3 female children under 10, however, children over 10 were entitled to more provisions.) He died about 1794 in Thorold/Grantham, Niagara District, Upper Canada.7,8 He was probably buried in Hodgkinson Burial Ground, Grantham Twp, Lincoln County, Ontario.9

James filed a claim for his losses as a result of the war:
"CLAIM NO. 842 - CLAIM OF JAMES JONES, late of Kingstown, New York. Claimant says: He is a native of America. Lived in Ulster Co. when the Rebellion broke out. He had been taken Prisoner because he would not join the Rebels. He had been Clerk to a Company of Militia before, which made the Rebels more angry that Claimant refused to join them. He was kept Prisoner for 3 years, close confined & in irons 9 months. Could not get away until 1780. Came to Col. Butler's Rangers & served in those Rangers till the end of the War. Now lives near Niagara at the 10 Mile Creek.

"He had 52 acres in Kingston, Ulster Co. It was Corporation Land on Lease forever, paying 12 Skipple of Wheat Annually. Had the Lease about 3 years before the Rebellion. His wife staid behind him. The Corporation made her give up the Lease & gave her 20 Pounds.

"Claimant had cleared about 20 acres. There was a good Log House & an Apple Orchard. Vals. it at 100 Pounds.

"The Trustees of the Corporation have sold it under Pretence of Rent being due. They drove his Wife away. When he left the Place, he left 10 head of horned Cattle, 2 Horses, 14 Hogs, Furniture, a great Deal, said as much as 9 Waggons carried when he first went to the Place. Most of these things were destroyed or taken by the Rebel Scouts. Col. Sneider, a Rebel Col. warned his wife off the Premises. The furniture was destroyed or plundered at that time. Some of his Cattle were disposed of by his wife. He saved One Waggonload of furniture. Claimant's expenses while in Gaol were 60 Pounds. Grain in the Ground.

"Produces Certificate to his Loyalty and Services from Peter Ball, Lieutenant of the Rangers.

"Peter Winney, Witness.
Knew Claimant. Had some Land of the Corporation of Kingstown. He had some creatures. He was a very good Loyalist. Witness says he was in Gaol on that account. Mrs. Palmer certifies to his Loyalty."10


For additional information about James Jones see these documents both of which contain some speculation and wishful thinking along with some facts.
Last Edited=28 Aug 2018

Children of James Jones and Christianah Folk

Citations

  1. [S1765] Wm Kelby, "Note & Queries", The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography 7 (1 Jan 1883): viewed online at https://archive.org/details/jstor-20084629; page 486, The Duel Between Brockholst Livingston and James Jones.
  2. [S1837] Maggie Parnall, Hodgkinson Family Burial Ground (Thorold, Ontario: Niagara Peninsula Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1998), Says 1732-1742.
  3. [S1838] Norman K. Crowder, Early Ontario Settlers, A Source Book (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1993), pg. 30 titled Return of Persons under the Description of Loyalists, Specifying the Numbers, Ages and Sexes of each family in Capt. McKinnon's Company in the Corps of Rangers at Niagara, 1 December 1783: "Ja's Jones 49; Mrs. Jones 39; Andrew Jones 17; Marcy Jones 15; Samuel Jones 12; Elizabeth Jones 11; Jonathan Jones 9; Sarah Jones 4; Nansy Jones 6."
  4. [S340] William D Reid, The Loyalists in Ontario (Lambertville, New Jersey: Hunterdon House, 1973).
  5. [S427] UEL of Hamilton, compiler, Census of Niagara, 1783 (Hamilton, ON: Hamilton Branch, United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada, 1978).
  6. [S518] "A New Roster of Lieut-Colonel John Butler's Corp of Rangers", Vol 20, No 1, Families, online https://www.ogs.on.ca/membersonly/Families/F20-1p1-30.pdf. Previously published in hard copy (Toronto, ON: OGS, 1981).
  7. [S1837] Maggie Parnall, Hodgkinson Family Burial Ground (Thorold, Ontario: Niagara Peninsula Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society, 1998), Says 1732-42 to 1794-97.
  8. [S1766] Andrew Jones and others Land Petition; 1 Aug 1795; Volume 254, J1/23; RG1, L3; Library & Archives Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. Says his father is deceased.
  9. [S739] Maggie Parnall, "RE: My website updates," e-mail message from e-mail address (Ontario) to Faye West, 29 Jan 2010.
  10. [S1505] Alexander Fraser, The Second Report of The Bureau of Archives for the Province of Ontario, 1904, United Empire Loyalists: Enquiry Into the Losses and Services in Consequence of Their Loyalty: Evidence in the Canadian Claims, Volume 2 (1904; reprint Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1994), p. 982.
  11. [S742] Maggie Parnall, "RE: My website updates," e-mail message from e-mail address (Ontario) to Faye West, 30 Jan 2010.