WILLIAM ARBY JONES

William Arby Jones was born on February 18, 1826 in Essex County, New York.  When he was younger, his family lived just south of the Ausable Forks River, which is the border between Clinton and Essex Counties, New York.  It is near Lake Champlain, the border between New York and Vermont.  William Arby Jones died on June 27, 1904 in Harwood, Missouri.

His widow, Wealthy Ann Butts Jenkins Jones died on February 14, 1914 in Kansas City, Wyandotte County, Kansas.  There is a listing for a Wealthy Ann Jones in the cemetery records for Harwood, Missouri.  She is not buried there. I can't imagine there were two people with that first name living in Harwood, Missouri.  I'm assuming they bought two plots and never used the second plot.  Wealthy Ann was pretty destitute after her husband's death.  She lived near her daughter Abbie Littlejohn in Kansas City, Kansas. Several of her children are buried in the same cemetery as she in Kansas City, Kansas.

I'm attaching the obituary that was obtained at the library in Nevada, Missouri over the summer.  There was an older man researching when my husband and I stopped by to see what type of records the library had.  He helped me find the obituary and a copy of the will of William Arby Jones.  We didn't have much time to spend at the library as we were on our way to Iowa.  We also drove through Harwood and visited the cemetery.  I left some small flags at the grave of William Arby Jones.

William Arby Jones was married twice.  His first wife Mary died in Mower County, Minnesota before the Civil War.  The family is listed in the 1857 Minnesota Territorial Census.

I have been researching the Jones/Butts families for about 20 years.  William Arby Jones is the grandson of a William Jones, Junior who served in the Massachusetts Militia.  William Jones, Junior was born in Westfield, Massachusetts.  He served in the Militia out of Great Barrington, Massachusetts.  He received a 2nd Lieutenant commission from John Hancock.  After the Revolutionary War, the Jones family moved to Shoreham, Vermont.  Shoreham, Vermont is on the shores of Lake Champlain which is the dividing line between Vermont and New York.  William Jones, Junior applied for a Revolutionary War pension.  He was first rejected for length of service.  He received his pension after submitting his 2nd Lieutenant commission. William Jones, Junior applied for his Revolutionary War pension in Essex County, New York.  He died in Bridport, Vermont and is buried in Shoreham, Vermont.

--Mary Schirmer, 2019

Biography of William A. Jones by Historian H. W. Kellogg

This biography, handwritten in 1901, was passed to me from Bonnie Ageton of Sioux Falls, South Dakota in March of 2012. Bonnie Ageton was a descendant of William Arby Jones through his daughter Clara Jones. Bonnie Ageton died in 2014. This transcript was done keeping the misspelled words and inconsistent punctuation. Most of this biography is about William A. Jones’ military service. It does include some other biographical information. I have no information about the author of the biography. – Mary Schirmer, 2019

To All Whom it may concern

This cerifies, that William A Jones Enlisted on the 25th day of September 1861, from Scott County, Iowa to serve three years or during the war, and was mustered into the United States Service at Davenport, Iowa as a private of Captain Henry Egberts’ company “C” Second Regiment Iowa Volunteer Cavalry, Colonel W.L. Elittott Commanding.

The regiment was one of the most active regiments enlisting from the State, and performed most gallent service. It was assigned to Hatch’s Division Cavalry Corps, and was chiefly engaged on duty in the southwest, being mostly attached to the Army of the Tennessee.

During its term of service it participated in the following engagements viz New Madred, Mo; Island No 15, Tenn, being the first regiment to enter the works - Monterey, Tenn; Sieze of Corinth; Farmington, Boonville Iuha; Corinth (battle), Coffeeville, Chickasaw, Bayou, Miss, Grierson’s Raid, Colliersville, Moscow, Tenn, Coldwater Creek and Tupelo, Miss; Shoal Creek, Ala. Lawrenceburg, Campbellville, and Fort Roberts, near Nashville, Tenn, besides a number of raids and expeditions involving skirmishes with bands of the enemy, guerillas and bushwackers.

The said William A. Jones was in the hospital at Memphis, Tenn for about two months and returned to his command at Collinsville, Tenn. He was captured at Collinsville, Tenn by bushwackers while on a scouting expedition, by being rundown but was turned loose no less than seventeen shots being fired at him by his captors.

He was at all times a faithful soldier, and was constantly with his command participating in all its movements and battles except a few skirmishes while in hospital as stated above, until the battle of Tupelo.

He was Honorably Discharged at Davenport, Iowa on the 3rd day of October 1864 by reason of expiration of his term of service.

He was born in Essex County, New York Feb. 18th 1826 and was united in marriage to Mary M Downey in the same county August 26th 1844 from which union were born eight children, three of who are now living, viz: - Edward, William and Lowell. This wife having died he was again married in Moore (Mower) [correction of county written above “Moore”] County, Minn. April 19th 1866 to Mrs Wealthy A Jenkins (maiden name Butts) From this union were also born eight children, of whom six are now living Viz: - Frederick, Walter A, Herman, Abbie wife of George Littlejohn, Clara (wife of Evan Jones) and Nellie (Mrs. John Scott)

He was a member of Harwood Post No. 375 Department of Missouri Grand Army of the Republic, in which he has filled a number of offices and is at present chaplain. He has held civil office as Justice of the Peace in Moore [Mower] County, Minn, one term; and collector of Taxes in the town of Black Brook, Clinton County, New York one term. His wife was a member of the W.R.C at St. Joseph, Mo when a resident there.

These facts are thus reported and preserved for the benefit of those who may be interested.

Compiled from Official and Authentic Sources by the U.S. Army and Navy Historical Association [Society was crossed out and Association was written above it].

In testimony wherof thereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the seal of the Association.

Done at Washington, D.C. the 31st day of December, 1901

H. W. Kellogg

Historian

No. 20534

[A copy of the original handwritten biography can be seen here.]

          GREEN MOUND CEMETERY

         Harwood, Missouri

[A copy of the original obituary can be seen here]

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