Individual Details

Born, possibly Monroe County, KY

In Monroe Co KY in 1820, on the same page of the census as Archibald Poindexter, father of Dorothy can be found Claybourn, Fleming, and William Jones. Fleming is on the same page as Pointdexter in Tompkinsville in 1830 with a Lemuel two pages away. Dorothy & Richard use Clayborne, Fleming, and William in naming their children.

The Casstevens book has a particular date of July 7, 1821, for the marriage of Dorothy Poindexter and Richard Jones - I've not seen it elsewhere and no reference cited.

In History of Sangamon Co, Illinois, 1881, p.815. "Roland Shepherd settled on section three, township sixteen, range seven in 1819. He sold his claim to Clayborn Jones in 1821, and moved to Adams County, Illinois. Clayborn Jones came in 1821 and remained until 1833 when he sold his farm and removed to Henry County, Iowa; from thence to Lynn County, Missouri, where he died about 1845.".

1824 Morgan Co IL Voter List has Richard Jones in Indian Creek Precinct; his brother-in-law Isaac R. Bennett is also there. "Caleb" Jones in Center Precinct, was this possibly Claybourn Jones?

1830 Morgan Co IL Census, p.62. Richard Jones with 2m -5 [Claybourne & Thomas]; 1m 20-30 [Richard]; 1f -5 [Ally]; 2f 5-10 [Rebekah & Elizabeth]; 1f 20-30 [Dorothy]


Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
Richard Jones, Sangamon Co, E2NE of S10 T16N R07W Purchased 20 Oct 1830
Patent is dated 16 May 1831 and issued to Richard Jones of Sangamon Co IL and is for the East half of the NE 1/4, Section 10, Township 16 North, Range 7 West in the district of lands subject to sale at Springfield, Illinois.

Richard Jones served as a private and color bearer in Capt. Abraham Lincoln's Company, 4th Regiment of Whiteside's Brigade, Mounted Volunteers of the Illinois Militia. He entered service 21 Apr 1832 at Richland, Illinois, and was mustered out at the mouth of Fox River, 27 May 1832. He was promoted to color bearer on May 2nd. Black Hawk War.

Came to Missouri by late 1833.
St. Francois DB A, p.551
21 Dec 1833 Thomas E. Burnham to Richard Jones, all of St. Francois. $400. Land in Murphy's Settlement on waters of River of St. Francois purchased by Isaac Burnham dec'd of William Murphy Senr dec'd. Begin ...John Murphy's line, South to side of William Murphy's old line. Signed: Thomas E. Burnham. Rec. 20 May 1834.
DB B, p.159
13 Apr 1837 Richard Jones and Dorothy Amos Jones his wife to Jepthat D. Bradley of Scott Co KY for $700. Tract in St. Francois Co in Murphy's Settlement on waters of St. Francois River purchased by Isaac Burnham dec'd of Wm Murphy Senr dec'd. Begin at oak on John Murphy's line ...stake side of Wm Murphy's old line. Signed: Richard Jones, Dorothy Amos Jones. Rec. 13 Apr 1837.

Marriages performed by Richard Jones, ordained minister of United Baptist Order, in St. Francois County MO:
p.2 22 Jun 1836 Daniel Williams & Sally Jones
p.10 6 Mar 1837 Hudson Davis & Elizabeth Brewin
p.20 31 Oct 1838 William A. McFarland & Elizabeth H. Vance
p.30 12 Jul 1840 Edward ?Butler and Mary J. ?Slam [too faded to read]
p.35 19 Nov 1840 Isaac N. Bradford of Pulaski Co. & Frances Mary Vance
16 Dec 1840 Jess. J. McFarland & Sarah Jane Vance

The State Historical Society of Missouri has many reels of microfilm from the various Baptist Church associations. Not all years exist and some of the minutes are in poor shape - many have been transcribed. Elder Richard Jones was active in the wider church both while he lived in St. Genevieve County and later in Pulaski Co.
From 1834-1840, his name appears often in the yearly meetings of the Bethel Association of United Baptist Churches - he was the delegate from Wolf Creek Church, most often in the company of Samuel Vance, who was the father of the Vance young people he married. He work often with two other Elders - Elder James Halbert, who had come from Old Pendleton, SC to the Pendleton Church at Doe Run in St. Francois Co and had performed some of the Brown family marriages; and Elder William Polk who married Murphy Brown and Richard Jones's daughter Rebekah. Thomas Burnham, from whom Richard had purchased his property, appears in the minutes about the time that Richard disappears. During the minutes we find Richard serving as Clerk, Moderator, organizing the business agenda, serving on the finance committee to receive funds, writing letters of correspondence, and preaching the introductory sermon when the sessions began or at the Sunday morning service. In 1839, he corresponded with the Little Piney Association and along with James Halbert and William Polk, met with them. Perhaps that led to his move to serve the church at Dry Fork which was in that Association.

1840 St. Genevieve Co MO Census has a Richard Jones with 2m -5 [Francis & Robert]; 2 m 10-15 [Claybourne & Thomas F.]; 1m 30-40 [Richard]; 3f 5-10 [Ally, Sarah, & Polly]; 3f 30-40 [no doubt error - one is Dorothy], Elizabeth age 16, baby Lucy age 2 may have died young, Rebecca was married but could have been counted - likely Richard's family]

10 Apr 1843 Land Patent to Richard Jones of St. Genevieve Co, MO. SW quarter of Section 4, Twp 36 North, Range six East, lands subject to sale at Jackson, MO. 160 acres.
10 Apr 1843 Lant Patent issued to Dorothy A. Jones, St. Genevieve Co - SW quarter of Section 3, Twp 36 North, Range sic East. 40 acres.

Although these patents were issued in Ste Genevieve Co in April of 1843 - I suspect the Joneses had already moved. On 20 May 1842, Richard Jones, an ordained preacher, and his wife, Dorotha A. Jones, were received by letter into the fellowship of the Dry Fork Regular Baptist Church (The United brothers had by now adopted the name "Regular Baptists". They were a church based on the scriptures and did not approve of missions, Sunday School, the Masons, etc. believing they were too secular in nature.) The Dry Fork church was located at Lake Spring, MO, now in Dent County near the Phelps Co line - but then in Pulaski County. The Dry Fork church belonged to the Little Piney Association. Monthly minutes exist for Dry Fork, yearly minutes for the Little Piney Association. Richard Jones again can be found as an active participant. He ordained other ministers and was appointed to aid in starting a church at Cherry Valley. He was often the delegate to the yearly meetings where he serve as clerk, or Moderator. He had a very close association with Elder David Lenox. Nancy Jones - probably his daughter-in-law and wife of his son Clayborn - was admitted on 20 Oct 1843, but was granted a letter of dismissal on 19 Nov 1846. Richard Jones himself was granted a letter of dismissal from the Dry Fork church on 15 May 1847, but he continued to appear in the Little Piney Association minutes in 1847 and 1848. The surviving minutes for 1849 and 1850 did not survive and there are only fragments for 1851. In 1852, no meeting was held because of a smallpox outbreak and by the meeting of 1853, Richard Jones had died.


Married second time to Hannah, surname unknown. [Date based on death of first wife]

1850 Pulaski Co MO - Richard Jones age 46, merchant worth $1500, born KY; wife Hannah L. age 36 b. TN; Thomas F. age 22 b. IL; Polly J., age 16 b. MO as were remaining children; Robert age 13; Richard age 10; Zadock W. P. age 7; Dorothy age 5. All children were Dorothy's.

1 Sep 1851
For value received I Thomas W. Greene do hereby sell and assign unto Richard Jones all my right and title to the within Certificate of Warrant No 59972 for 160 acres of Land Witness myhand this 25th day of Jun 1849. Thomas W. Greene
Acknowledge on the same day before T. C. Harrison, Justice of the Peace
Land patent issued. Thomas W. Green, private in Capt. DeKorponay's Company, 3rd Regt, Missouri Mounted Volunteers, a warrant numbered 59972. There is granted to Richard Jones, Assignee of said Thomas W. Green, the East half of the SE 1/4, Section 22, NW 1/4 of the NW 1/4 of Section 16 and the NE 1/4 of the NE 1/4, Section 27, all in Twonship 37 North, Range nine West, District of Lands subject to sale at Jackson MO, containing 160 acres.
Note: although in three sections, the property was contiguous and formed an "L" shape in the corner where the three sections came together.

From Goodspeed. History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps & Den Counties, MO. "The next one [second marriage record in Dent Co] records the marriage of John B. Harrison of Miller Co, and Martha Hyer of Dent, by Richard Jones, an elder of the Old School Baptist Church." Dent County was formed in 1851.

A list of Civil and Criminal Cases appeared in the April 1992 edition of the Pulaski County Genalogical Society Quarterly. They were from Pulaski County, around the Little Piney River and Mill Creek.
21 Jul 1849 Richard Jones plaintiff - five cases against William Hudgens Jr., George Malone, David P. Bryant, William Wood, and John Cordal for "Note of hand" or IOU for amount owned to him.
18 Jan 1851 Richard Jones, plaintiff - John Roach, defendant for Note of hand.
Stray Notices:
5 May 1848 - Richard Jones of Little Piney, Skaggs Twp, Pulaski Co
12 Feb 1853 (a month before his death) - Richard Jones of Little Piney, Pulaski Co.

Will dated 16 Feb 1853.
Know all whom it may concern that I, Richard Jones, being in my right mind, and in fear of the Lord, witness since of my soon having to depart this life do on this sixteenth day of February in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifty three, make this as my last will and testiment as follows, to wit: I do first will and bequeath unto my beloved wife, Hannah, my mansion house and farm attached thereto as long as she lives and remains my widow, and I do further will that she have six or eight head of milk cows as she thinks best to choose. And that she have as many slaughter hogs as shall be necessary for own use and the family and her ___ and further that she have five head of horses for the use of the family and herself to work and farm with. And I do further will that all of my remaining portions of my personal property estate be sold at twelve months credit at public sale to the highest bidder except my beef cattle that I am now feeding. I wish them to be taken and sold in the St. Louis market as soon as circumstance will admit, all except seven or eight of them which request to be kept and fed untill they get in good market ____ and then to be taken and sold at St. Louis and proceeds of my cattle as well as the proceeds of my other personal property be applied first to the payment of my just debts, secondly, that the remainder of the proceeds be equally divided among all my legal heirs, except that the four oldest children, to wit: Rebecca P. Elizabeth, Claybourn, and T. F. Jones, shall be subject to a deduction of fifty dollars each of their part of legacy for property already received. And I do further will that at the execution of the will in ____time to wit the death or marriage of my said widow, that the land and other property be sold and an equal distribution of the proceeds be made among all my legal heirs. And I do appoint T. F. Jones as my executor to carry into effect this, my last will and testament, all of which I do declare to be my last will and testiment in the testimony whereof I here unto set my hand and seal, this day and year above written.
Signed: Richard Jones
Witnesses: W. C. York, Napoleon Wilson

[Died in Pulaski County MO - the part that became Phelps Co] Buried Jones Cemetery, Arlington, MO.

Richard Jones was apparently remembered many years after he died.
Rolla Weekly Herald, 29 Aug 1895
Mr. T. A. Roach of Benton Co Ark., is in our county on a visit to his two younger brothers, H. W. & Q. P. Roach on Pea Ridge & Beaver. These old gentleman, now, came to this section in 1840, when only one or two settlers could be found. Mr. Roach cradled wheat on the ground now occupied by Newburg, in 1851, for uncle Dick Jones, a Baptist minister.

Letter from granddaughter Lula Bertha (Jones) Pauley to Marlene Jones, [about 1971] stated the following.
"Your great-great grandfather was Richard Jones and his wifes name was Poindexter. ... They lived in Newburg, Missouri. He had a general store and a mill in Newburg and a farm. ... He was a Baptist minister and had three sons and two daughters that I heard my father speak of..... Grandfather and Grandmother both passed on when my father was a little boy and his oldest sister, took him and his youngest sister to raise. She married Uncle Murphy Brown.... Her husband had been dead a long time when I seen her ....She was a widow and lived at Rocky Comfort, McDonald Co MO. I never remember her speaking of but one girl of hers. She married Tom Comstock, part Indian, and a wealthy man."

Birth	16 Nov 1803	Madison County, Kentucky
Marriage	Abt 1821	Monroe County, Kentucky - DOROTHY AMOS POINDEXTER
Military	1832	Capt. Abraham Lincoln's Company, 4th Regiment of Whiteside's Brigade, Mounted Volunteers, Illinois Militia, Black Hawk War
Marriage	Abt 1847	Hannah L. [JONES]
Death	13 Mar 1853	Pulaski County, Missouri

Spouse	DOROTHY AMOS POINDEXTER (1805 - 1846)
Child	REBEKAH POINDEXTER JONES (1822 - 1912)
Child	Elizabeth Jones (1824 - 1865)
Child	Claybourne Jones (1826 - 1859)
Child	Thomas Fleming Jones (1828 - 1862)
Child	Ally M. Jones (1830 - 1850)
Child	Sarah Jones (1832 - 1850)
Child	Polly J. Jones (1833 - )
Child	Francis M. Jones (1835 - 1840)
Child	Robert Jones (1837 - 1923)
Child	Lucy Ann Jones (1838 - 1840)
Child	Richard Polk Jones (1840 - 1920)
Child	Zadoc Wright Jones (1843 - 1905)
Child	Dorothy A. Jones (1845 - 1908)

Spouse

Hannah L. [JONES] (1814 - 1880)

Father	CLAYBORN JONES (1775 - 1845)
Mother	ELIZABETH GILES (1780 - 1860)
Sibling	Nancy Jane Jones (1805 - 1833)
Sibling	Mary "Polly" Jones (1807 - 1864)
Sibling	Sarah "Sally" Jones (1810 - 1887)
Sibling	Alla Jones (1811 - 1897)
Sibling	Clayborn Jones (1814 - 1886)
Sibling	Pheba Jones (1817 - 1860)
Sibling	John Longden Jones (1820 - 1911)
Sibling	Thurza Jones (1823 - 1904)