Farmer Jones

The parents of W.C. Jones were Thomas Jones (b.1796 in Virginia) and Sallie Chisolm (Chism)(Chisholm) (b. 1804 in Kentucky) Thomas and Sallie were married 20 Dec. 1823 in Clark Co.,KY by a Baptist minister named Edward Kindred. The Baptist movement had a great deal to do with the early settlement of Kentucky, and many of the pioneer families in central Kentucky were Baptist. Many families came from Virginia because at this time it was against Virginia Law to preach without a minister's licence. Of course the only ministers approved by Virginia were of the Church of England. Therefore, many other "ministers" were arrested and persecuted by the authorities of the correct denomination. A Richard Jones, most likely Thomas' older brother, had married a Nancy Chisolm (23 March 1817) who was the sister of Sallie. Richard had come into Kentucky with a Baptist group headed by William Bush. Their marriage was done by James Quisenberry another Baptist minister.

Thomas and Sallie are found in the 1830 census with two boys and two girls. W.C. was four years old and a male child less than five is given. The 1840 census shows seven children, 4 boys and 3 girls. His farm land was on 4 Mile Creek next to William Adams (father of W.C.'s wife Elizabeth Adams), and William Bledsoe who was the grandfather of Elizabeth and the great grandfather of W.C. The 1850 Census gives his age as 54 and Sally being 46. Five children are still at home, but W.C. had just married and moved into his wife's family home. Thomas is listed as "Farmer".
This census also had Thomas born in Kentucky which was an error. This error cost me about ten years of genealogy research by looking in the wrong state! The 1830, 1840, and 1860 census show Virginia, but I started with the 1850 census which directed me to Kentucky. I went through every other Jones family in Clark County during this time period with no match. This casused me to check the other census which gave the correct State of Virginia. If only I had started with the 1840 census.

The 1860 census is the last to list Thomas and Sally with three children still at home. W.C.'s little brother Benjamin Harrison Jones is given as 22 years and "farm laborer". He must have been helping his Dad (Thomas) on the farm. This Benjamin is soon to join the Confederate Calvary (11th Kentucky) under John Hunt Morgan and spent 22 months as a prisoner of war in Indianapolis, IN, but that's another story.