Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/411

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

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list clergyman, and the field of his labors is said to have covered a large part of south- ern Virginia. He was wont to visit distant communities, where he organized churches and kept supervision over the work, for in many cases he visited them only once a year. Near his home he constructed a bridge across Nottoway river, which after- wards became public property, and the site is now occupied by a steel suspension struc- ture, still officially known as Stephen Jones' bridge. He had children: i. Reps, married a Miss Hightower, of Amelia, and died in 1838. 2. Paschal, died in 1840, leaving a son, Thomas Paschal. 3. Annie Birch, died unmarfied, in 1835. 4. Thomas, married Polly Burge, of Brunswick county, Virginia, and died in 1851 ; had children: Thomas Fuller, Alexander, Sallie, Peterson, Eliza, Alary and Richard. 5. Armstead, residence unknown. 6. Benjamin Stephen, was three times married, and had eleven children, ten by the first marriage, and one b\- the second, namely: Jane Emily, Amanda Fitzallen, Prudence Elizabeth, Julia, Richard Wash- ington, Elvira Judson, Benjamin Willis, Mary Turner. Indiana, Maria Whitehead Jeffries, and William. 7. Robert, mentioned below. 8. Jane, married Robert Blackwell, of Lunenburg county, Virginia, and had children : Betsy, John, Robin, Peter and William.

Robert Jones, seventh child of Stephen and Anna (Claiborne) Jones, married Chris- tiana Blackwell, and died in 1842. He had children : Robert Blackwell, of further men- tion below : Nancy, married Samuel Edmon- son, of Clarksville, Tennessee ; Jane, mar- ried (first) James Edmonson, of Brunswick county, Virginia, (second) Dr. Samuel Wright, of the same county.

Robert Blackwell Jones, only son of Rob- ert and Christiana (Blackwell) Jones, mar- ried his first cousin, Betsy Blackwell, of Lunenburg. Children : John Robert, of further mention below ; Vespenia Emily, married William Hamlin ; Paul Thomas, married Bettie A. Jones ; Elizabeth, married Samuel Peace; Minerva, married James William Bailey; Christiana, married Henry Jones ; Edward Branch, died in boyhood ; Benjamin Stephen, married Rebekah Ann Hrowder; James William, married Loula I'rances Brydie ; Susan Harriet, died in girl- hood ; daughter, died in infancy.

John Robert Jones, eldest child of Robert

Blackwell and Betsy (Blackwell) Jones, was born October 19, 1822, in Brunswick county, Virginia, and died February 12, 1901. He was educated under private tutors, became a civil engineer, and devoted some of his time to agriculture. On the last call for troops for the Confederate army, taking men between fifteen and sixty years of age, he enlisted, October 25, 1864, as a private in Company E, Fourteenth V'irginia Volun- teers. At the battle of Five Forks he was taken prisoner, and was held in durance at Point Lookout prison until July, 1865. Re- turning to his home, he engaged in civil en- gineering projects, devoting his time to the draining of swamps, and reclaimed thous- ands of acres for agricultural purposes. He was also employed on the construction of the Southside Railroad, but most of his time was devoted to canal work for drain- age purposes. For a period of forty years he served as magistrate, was a deacon of the Baptist church, and steadfastly sustained the Democratic party in political matters. He married, June 23, 1846, Ann Elizabeth Blackwell Alanson, born July 5, 1830, died April 4, 191 3, surviving her husband more than twelve years. Children: i. Anna, married John R. Shell, and had children: Mary and John ; the daughter became the wife of Dr. A. J. Osborne, and the mother of five children. 2. Susan Manson, resides in Lunenburg county, Virginia, unmarried. 3. John Blackwell, married Gertrude Lee Har- ris, and had children : Lena, wife of Mason Maddux ; Ashton Crenshaw, married Mar- garet Rucker, and is the father of Ashton and John Jones; Ann Elizabeth, married Leigh E. Barrow, and is the mother of twin daughters. Gertrude and Elizabeth; W'illiam Robert, married Edith Alichael; Ella Man- son, married Robert Hawthorne ; Martha Harris; Anna Shell, married Sidney Neb- lett; Gertrude; Susie Leigh, now Mrs. George Allen ; Blanche. 4. Robert Samuel, a banker and agriculturist. 5. Reps, de- ceased, (unmarried). 6. Lucy Emily, mar- ried J. P. Haskins, and has five children. 7. Richard Baxter, deceased, unmarried. 8. Benjamin Stephens, married Estella Alle- gree, and has two children. 9. Thomas Ed- ward, died unmarried. 10. Clarence Porter, of further mention below.

Clarence Porter Jones, M. D., was born April 7, 1874, in Lunenburg county, Vir- ginia. He attended a high school and acad-