Re: Enos Jones of Augusta Co., VA and his two wives
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In reply to:
Enos Jones of Augusta Co., VA and his two wives
Jim Schneider 12/23/09
I was in Philadelphia late last fall and so was able to get a look at some of the documents (wills, deeds, etc.) which gave information regarding Robert Jones, Enos Jones, and Sophia Maurer.In particular, I looked at both Charles Kress’ will of 1766 and Robert Jones’ will of 1773.In his will Charles Kress gives “To Sophia Mowrer, widow, for a help to maintain her ailing daughter, 50 £.” Thus, we can ascertain that her husband has already died, and that she apparently has little money.There is an administration for a Peter Mowerer in 1764, but I didn’t get to see it, but it is possible that it is her husband.
The will of Robert Jones was somewhat involved, but as it turns out Enos was not only the executor, but also the main beneficiary. Importantly, it establishes directly that the grandson Robert Jones mentioned in the will is the son of Enos.In this will Robert Jones named his children Enos and Grace Jones as executors.He bequeathed his lands to Enos who is then charged with paying430 £ in various amounts to four of the other children: (Elizabeth Jones (100 £), Grace Jones (250 £), Ann Bell (20 £) , and Hannah Prichard (20 £)) with the remainder going equally to the Executors in lieu of commissions; however, if Enos should die before the will is probated, then Grace would inherit the lands, but she would pay the above sums as before plus 200 £ to the widow and children of Enos Jones.Additional bequeaths were made as follows: son William Jones (80 £); son Robert Jones (30 £); son Josiah Jones (20 £); son-in-Law Isaiah Bell of Philadelphia (10 £); granddaughter Jemima Bell [apparently the daughter of Isaiah] (20 £) payable to those who have care over her; daughter Ann Bell, wife of Jacob Bell (60 £); daughter Elizabeth Jones (120 £); daughter Grace Jones (215 £); daughter Hannah Prichard (60 £); son Enos Jones (75 £); granddaughter Priscilla Rogers (10 £); and grandson Robert Jones, son of Enos Jones (10 £).Witnesses included Michael Sympson, Thomas Bean, Jr., and John Bean Jr.
In the spring of 1774 Enos sells all of his newly acquired lands (which is certainly consistent with his moving somewhere else).There are two deeds, one of which is recorded in Montgomery County twenty years later. (A write-up about deeds in the Philadelphia County Archives mentioned that this was not uncommon.)The not-so-great news is that in both deeds Enos’ wife is given as Lydia.Both deeds were probably made at the same time, though they are dated one day apart, and if there is an error by the recorder, it makes sense that he would have made the same error in both cases.Lydia is not that far from Louisa, and an error might have occurred – I have seen this before.However, we can’t be sure that this is the case unless we find some more information somewhere.
The two deeds are as follows: On May 4, 1774, Enos Jones, yeoman, of Worcester Township, Philadelphia County, and Lydia his wife convey to John Bean of the same place for 40 sh a small tract of land (80 sq perches).This land was part of the 53-acre Patent to Robert Jones made Mar 20, 1743 (Patent Bk A, 12, p. 103).This indenture refers to the lands sold May 5th to John Detweiler, and the two deeds were evidently written at the same time although this was filed in Philadelphia Co.Aug 30, 1775, and the second was filed in Montgomery Co., Pennsylvania in 1796 (see below).Like the deed of May 5, it is in two parts, the second involving a tract of land conveyed to John Bean by Thomas Bean.Both deeds were recorded by James Diemer. [Philadelphia County Deed Bk I, pg ?]
On May 5, 1774, Enos Jones, yeoman, of Worcester Township, Philadelphia County, and Lydia his wife along with John Bean and Elizabeth of the same place in consideration of 747 £ convey to John Detweiler of the Township of Skippack and Perkioming of Philadelphia by indenture 137 acres 97 perches of land, a small part of which (82 square perches) was sold by agreement of Enos Jones to John Bean (see above). The land was that inherited by Enos Jones from his father, Robert Jones. The tract of land bordered the lands of Thomas Bean, John Bean, Henry Newberry, Henry Cassel, Yost Smith, William Gottshalk (?), Christian Maltis, dec., Christopher Hevener, Jacob Snider, and along "the great road leading to Philadelphia." This identure was not recorded until May 30, 1796 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. [Montgomery Co., Deed Bk 9, pg 502]