(Continued -- page 2 of Solomon Jones)
Solomon Jones' will was probated on 24 March 1804. The will did not name all of his children, only Rebecca, Ruth, Nancy, and Margaret along wth his wife Elizabeth. Elizabeth, his daughter, was already married and raising her family. His other daughter Rachel was mentioned in another will in 1826 and was probably living with James and Joanna Smith at this time. Ransom Powell and John Powell witnessed the will. Solomon also added a note for his step-son John Tribbit to receive all his wearing clothes [Rowan County Will Book C:306]. On 24 May 1804 the Court Minutes note:
Charles Anderson, W. Patrick, John Powell, and William Hattox had proceeded today of an allowance for Elizabeth Jones and four children which lives with her, being the wife & children of Solomon Jones Decd.This means that four of her children were still at home living with her.
William (W) Haddox made a deed to let the heirs of the deceased Solomon Jones have 100 acres on the north fork of Bear Creek for sixty pounds, the land being part of a state grant to William Haddox. This deed was dated 13 April 1805, witnessed by Edward Reavis and John Little, Jr., and proved by Little [Rowan County Deed Book 19:272]. Three days later on April 16th, William (W) Hattax sold Moses Estep 46-1/2 acres at the head of a branch on the north fork of Bear Creek for fifty pounds, which land was another part of the same state grant [Ibid., p. 273]. William Hattax, Sr., and John Little, Jr., witnessed this deed, which Little proved at August Court 1805.
In 1806 daughter Ruth Jones became a member of Bear Creek Baptist Church.
On 23 September 1808, Elizabeth (X) Jones and Nathan (X) Wallis, as executors of the deceased Solomon Jones, sold Peter Glasscock, Jr. a tract (acreage not given) on Dutchmans Creek next to Pachel [Vachel] Stoxstill, on the east side of Howards Branch adjoining John Beeman and Peter Glasscock, for seventy pounds. The deed was witnessed by Scarlet Glasscock and William Moore and acknowledged at May Court 1809 [Rowan County Deed Book 21:530].
It is possible that daughter Nancy is the same one as Nancy Jones who married Gust Taylor on 15 December 1808 in Rowan County [Rowan County marriage bond] with William Howard as bondsman and Jn. March, Sr., as witness.
On 10 March 1809 in Rowan County, Ruth Jones married Samuel Beeman with Peter Glascock as bondsman and John Marsh [March], Sr. as witness [Rowan County marriage bond]. A year later on 18 October 1810, daughter Margaret married Daniel Royley in Rowan County with brother-in-law Moses Estep as bondsman and John March, Sr. as witness [Rowan County marriage bond]. William Trivitt, son of John Trivitt, married Lydia Latham on 29 March 1817 [Rowan County marriage bond] with Moses Estep as bondsman and R. Powell as witness.
Moses Estep of Rowan County sold John Trivitt of the same place the 46-1/2 acres he had received from William Haddox in 1805 for thirty pounds. The deed was witnessed by Samuel B. and Andrew Inglis and acknowledged at May Court 1818 [Rowan County Deed Book 24:651].
Daughter Rachel Jones was proved to be the daughter of Solomon Jones through the wills of both James and Joanna Smith. James Smith's will of 11 March 1826 [Rowan County Will Book H:352] says of Rachel Jones, identified as the daughter of Solomon Jones dec'd, that
she came to me as a child, raised to my hand, she hath lived as a child and hath obeyed us as one of our own She hath laboured with us for what we have and hath been careful to take care of the Same, she hath nurst and waited on us in sickness and health as a child. Therefore I believe it is my duty to dofor her as a child, God and man bearing witness to the same.With that he left her his whole plantation and dwelling house after his wife's death and the interest on $1,000.00 in notes. James Smith's land adjoined that of Ransom Powell, and the Smiths both mentioned the meeting house at Joppa in their wills. James Smith also mentioned his natural brothers, one of whom was Luis Smith, possibly the Lewis Smith who married Thomas Estep, Jr.'s daughter Sarah in Rowan County in 1791. James Smith's will was probated at May Court 1826. His wife Joannah Smith wrote her will on 18 October 1826. She also named Rachel Jones, daughter of Solomon Jones dec'd., confirming her husband's bequests and leaving Rachel additionally some books, china and her Delphware [Rowan County Will Book H:407]. Her will was probated at August Court 1827, having been proved by John Clifford. Thomas McNeely qualified as executor. The Smiths are buried at Joppa Cemetery, just north of Mocksville in the part of Rowan County from which Davie County was carved. James Smith's stone says he died 9 Apr. 1826 at the age of 63; Joanna Smith's says she died in July 1827 at the age of 62.
Rowan County Divisions of Estates Book A:381 shows that on 30 November 1826, the 145 acres of land of the deceased James Smith was laid off to Rachel Jones, adjoining the land of the deceased, that of Ransom Powell and Joseph Clifford; John Little was the deputy surveyor and made his return to August Court 1827.
The loose estates papers at the North Carolina Archives show an inventory of the personal property of Joanna Smith made by Thomas McNeely on 20 September 1827/1828 [both dates are given] and revealed a well-equipped household with one negro woman and child and five other negroes. After the deaths of the Smiths she had so lovingly cared for, Rachel Jones married John Hunter on 8 December 1828 [Rowan County marriage bond] with Tenison Chesier as bondsman and Thomas McNeely, J. P., as witness. Rachel Hunter died on 4 April 1840 in Davie County; her obituary notice appeared in the 10 April issue of the Western Carolinian. John Hunter died prior to 1848. [Glenn E. Smith of Muskogee, OK has additional information on the Superior Court case concerning the disposition of the estates of James and Joanna Smith. He also provided some of the information on the Smiths and Rachel (Jones) Hunter.]
By 1827 Moses (X) Estep had made plans to move his family south to Alabama and sold to Daniel Casey of Rowan County
243-1/4 acres on Bear Creek next to Jacob Holman and John Trivit at the mouth of a branch: also two small tracts, one of 54 acres where mother-in-law Jones lives and the other 46 acres where I now live which I want reserved for Mother-in-law Jones while she lives -- along with a horse, cow, eight sheep, eight hogs, the household and kitchen furniture, all for $250.00The deed was written 16 October 1827, witnessed by J. Inglis and Cynthia Inglis, and proved by the former at February Court 1828 [Rowan County Deed Book 24:675]. The Esteps moved to Lauderdale County, Alabama. This was also the last record of Solomon Jones' wife Elizabeth that has been located. There was an older lady living with John Trivett on the 1830 Wilkes County, North Carolina census who could be Elizabeth Jones, according to Pansy T. Harrison.
A Rebecca Jones married David Baker on 14 February 1831 with Charles Hunter as bondsman and William Hawkins as witness. This could be the same Rebecca, daughter of Solomon Jones. A David Baker married Mary McCannon on 6 December 1812 in Rowan Co. with John Powell as bondsman and R. Powell as witness. Mary McCannon was probably a niece of William Haddox.
Any comments, additional information and records are welcome.
SOURCES: 1790 census [p. 170] and 1800 census [p. 453] of Rowan Co., NC; 1850 census [p. 333A] and 1860 census [p. 158] of Lauderdale Co., AL; McCubbins Collection, Rowan Public Library; microfilm of South Yadkin Association: Eaton's Baptist Church, Record Book 1772-1804; Bear Creek Baptist Church Records, Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University, Wake Forest, NC; Davie County, NC, Land Grant Map by Andrew Lagle; Carl C. Hoots, Cemeteries of Yadkin County, NC; Loose Estates Papers, North Carolina Archives; Rowan County wills; Rowan County deeds; Rowan County Divisions of Estates.
Special thanks to Frances Beck of Mocksville, NC for the photo of Solomon's gravemarker.
The above article was originally submitted by me to Rowan County Register [pp. 438-441] and has been updated since then. I dedicate this article in memory of Geraldine (Mrs. Charles W.) Hampton, who generously helped me get started on the Jones - Eastep / Estep line and who faithfully worked along with me through the several years on this research until her untimely death.
(January 2001)