BRITTON JONES (1789-1845)
PIONEER SETTLERS OF
FRANKLIN COUNTY, TENNESSEE
These notes were compiled from material gathered since 1980 by personal research &
correspondence. Other than my grandmother, aunts & other individuals mentioned in the
narrative, I am especially grateful to the following "cousins" whose records, photographs,
stories & oral traditions, along with my own, helped us all gain a better understanding of
our Jones family heritage.
The late Jessie Parks, Broken Arrow, OK//The late Faye Capehart, Lodi, CA
Hoyt & Fern Duncan, Wilburton, OK//Weta Womack, Wilburton, OK
Bonnie Ray, Muskogee OK//Ona Holler,Bakersfield CA (Descendants of Rev John Henry Jones)
Larry Dyer, Richardson, TX (Descendant of Susan Jones Dial) In 1812, Britton along with his parents and most of his brothers settled near
Winchester, Franklin County, Tennessee. His father Benjamin had purchased some land
along the Elk River in the northeast part of Franklin County, near the Coffee & Grundy
county lines. Britton served in War of 1812 as a Corporal in the 1st Regiment of
Tennessee Militia under Capt Barbe Collins and Col William Metcalf. His father
Benjamin died in 1815 about the time Britton was discharged.
In 1817, Britton married EDITHA "Edy" HARDCASTLE, the daughter of
ROBERT & SUSANNAH (WILKINSON) HARDCASTLE who left Rutherford County, NC & settled along the Elk
River about 1810. Edy, born about 1800, was supposedly part Cherokee, per family
tradition, however, no actual evidence can be found. Britton died in 1845, however, his
graavesite has not been located. It is quite possible he was buried in the old Watson
Cemetery where his parents were buried.
(Don’s Note: The person Lydia was referring to as being "borned" in England may
have been her great-grandfather, Benjamin Jones. Her grandfather Jones, who she
thought
was named Wesley, was actually Britton Jones, born 1789. The Briton, Billy, & Eliza
mentioned were Lydia's siblings, Charles Britton Morgan, William Marion Morgan &
Eliza Morgan. Their Uncle Britt, Uncle Enoch, & Aunt Mary Warren, also referred to,
were her mother Dorthula Morgan's brothers & sister, Britton Washington Jones, Enoch
Marion Jones & Mary (Jones) Warren (widow of Preston Warren), all deceased by 1930's
when this letter was written. They would have told her the actual name of her grandfather
was Britton. Actually, the Jones family did not own 36 thousand acres, that is an
exaggeration as in many "family traditons". They probably owned less than 300 acres.
Some of this land was sold by Britton and his mother Susannah over the years.)
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Child 1: BENJAMIN F. JONES
Child 2: MARY JONES
Child 3: SUSAN ELMIRA JONES
Child 4: JOHN HENRY JONES
Child 5: CAROLINE JONES
Child 7: BRITTON WASHINGTON JONES
Child 8: DORTHULA HARRIET JONES
Child 9: WILLIAM JONES
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EDITHA “EDY” HARDCASTLE (1800-1870’s)
Married 1817 Franklin County, Tennessee
Linda Durbin, Auburn, WA (Descendants of Dorthula Harriet Jones Morgan)
The late Ruby (Meeks) Bracken, Ft Smith, AR (Descendants of Enoch Marion Jones)
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BRITTON JONES was born 9 Oct 1789, probably in 96 District, South Carolina.
He was the son of BENJAMIN & SUSANNAH JONES who resided in that area of South Carolina
during the Revolution. This part of old 96 District later became part of Union & present
day Cherokee County, SC. Evidence suggests their friends, neighbors & other relatives
resided just across the line in Rutherford County, NC during this time. It is also believed
that as a young boy, Britton and his brothers all came with their parents to northeast
Georgia, probably during the late 1790's.
- - - - - - -
1814-1815 (Military rolls for Britton Jones)
"Metcalfe's W. Tenn. Militia, BRITTON JONES, Corp; Captain Barbe Collins' Co.
of Inf., 1 Reg't West Tennessee Militia. (War of 1812)
Appears on Company Muster Roll for Nov 13 1814 when mustered into service Roll
dated Camp Hynes Nov 18, 1814. Date of Appointment or enlistment, Nov 13, 1814 to
May 13, 1815; Term of service charged, 6 months; Pay per month, 10 dollars, Amount of
pay 60 dollars."
- - - - - - - -
1 Jan 1838 - Franklin Co TN (Land Records, Book Q, pg 58)
BRITTON JONES sold 110 acres on the waters of Elk River to James & John Knight for
$700.
- - - - - - -
1930's - Letter written by Lydia (Morgan) Cantrell, daughter of Dorthula Harriet
(Jones) Morgan to her sister-in-law Susan Morgan, wife of Lydia's brother Charles Britton
Morgan:
Excerpts "I will tell you all about our family tree. - - - -Mother's name was Dorthula
Harriet Jones, borned in Franklin Co. Tenn, 26 June 1836. Grandpa Jones was borned in
England and was 14 years old when he came to America, but his given name is what that
is keeping his heirs out of the land grand that was given to him by the U.S. Government
for services in the war of 1812, it is 36 thousand acres, I think his name was Wesley.
Briton, Billy, Eliza and Uncle Britt Jones' boys did not think so. - - - - -Uncle Enoch Jones
told me Grandma was offered ten thousand for it in 1856, but Aunt Mary Warren wouldn't
sign
the deed. Grandma had all the papers about it but she died at one of the granddaughters,
her name was Pet Sims. Tom Dial wrote for them she wrote back she didn't leave any
papers. They all thought she sold it herself. - - - - - - --- - - - - -Grandma Jones name was
Edie Hardcastle don't know where she was borned but think it was South Carolina she
was Dutch and Cherokee Indian. Your loving Sis, Lydia"
(See notes on widow Edy (Hardcastle) Jones for a continuation.)
************
EDITHA (HARDCASTLE) JONES was born about 1800 in Rutherford County,
NC. Her parents were Robert & Susannah (Wilkinson) Hardcastle who settled in Franklin
County, Tennessee about 1810.
In 1817, about a year after her father died, Edy married Britton Jones and they
raised their family along the Elk River of this northeast part of Franklin County, TN.
Several years after her husband Britton died in 1845, Edy and her grown children all
moved to middle Tennessee, along the Tennessee River in the southeast corner of Decatur
County, near Hardin County. It appears, her brother-in-law, Allen Jones, a younger
brother of Britton, had moved to that area during the 1820's, so they had a family
connection there. Census evidence suggests that another brother of Britton and Allen,
named Wyly/Wilie had also moved there during the 1820's.
During the Civil War, Edy's sons Enoch Marion Jones & John Henry Jones & their
families moved on to Northwest Arkansas as did her daughters Mary Warren & Caroline
Dial. Edy's son Britt, Jr & daughter Dorthula Morgan went on to Mississippi during this
time, but they also eventually settled in Arkansas not far from where their siblings had
already settled.
Edy moved in with her daughter Susan Dial and family. They remained in
Tennessee & resided near Carrollville, just across the Tennessee River from Decatur
County, in Wayne County during the 1860's. Family tradition suggests that Edy later
resided with her granddaughter, Louisa "Pet" Sims in Decatur County, TN after Susan's
husband died. It was about this time in 1875, Susan accompanied her son Wiley
Hastings to the extreme southeastern tip of Missouri in Dunklin County, and supposedly
died there sometime after the 1880 census. Edy evidently died before 1880 in Decatur Co
TN at the home of her granddaughter. The death date & the location of her grave are
unknown.
- - - - - - -
6 Nov 1856 (Bounty Land Application) EDY JONES for husband BRITTON's WAR
of 1812 Service
"State of Tennessee County of Franklin. On this 6th day of November 1856
personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace within and for the county and state
aforesaid Edy Jones aged about fifty two years a resident of DECATUR COUNTY,
Tennessee State, who being duly sworn according to law declares that she is the widow of
Britton Jones deceased who was a private in the company commanded by Captain Barby
Collins in the regiment of Tennessee Volunteers commanded by Col Metcalf in the war
with Great Britain declares by the United States on the 18h day of June 1812, that her
said husband volunteered in Franklin County, Tennessee - - - - - - for the term of six
months and was honorably discharged. She further states that she was married to the said
Britton Jones in Franklin County, Tennesse in the year of 1817 by one James Sturdavant a
Justice of the Peace for said county and that her name before said marriage was Edy
Hardcastle, and that her said husband died in Franklin County, Tennessee in August 1845
and that she is now a widow, She further declares that she has heretofore made
application for Bounty land under the act approved September the 28th 1850 and obtained
a land warrant for eighty acres NO ____ which she has transferred and is now beyond her
control. She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which
she may be entitled under the act approved March 3rd 1856, and she further declares that
she has not received or applied for Bounty land under this or any other act of Congress
except as above mentioned. Edy Jones (Her Mark)"
Children of Britton & Edy (Hardcastle) Jones:
Born: 1819 near Winchester(Franklin) TN
Died: Unknown
Married: Sarah Smith 1 Aug 1839 Franklin Co TN
Born: 9 Dec 1821 near Winchester(Franklin) TN
Died: 5 Jan 1896 Webb City (Franklin) AR
Married: W. Preston Warren 6 Sep 1838 Winchester(Franklin) TN
Born: Abt 1823 near Winchester (Franklin) TN
Died: 1880’s Dunklin Co MO
Married: David Dial 28 Apr 1839 Winchester(Franklin) TN
Born: 27 Jan 1827 near Winchester (Franklin) TN
Died: 14 Apr 1918 Huntsille(Madison) AR
Married: Martha Ann Elvira Yeates(1); Nancy Ann Breshears(2)
Born: Abt 1829 near Winchester(Franklin) TN
Died: 4 Jul 1890 Auburn(Sebastian) AR
Married: Isaac Dial(1); Mr Treadaway(2)
Born: 31 May 1830 near Winchester(Franklin) TN
Died: 24 Mar 1927 Auburn(Sebastian) AR
Married: Mariah Elizabeth Yeates 16 May 1855 Decatur Co TN
Born: 12 Apr 1833 near Winchester(Franklin) TN
Died: 18 Feb 1917 Auburn(Sebastian) AR
Married: Emily “Tennessee” Manus abt 1855 Decatur Co TN
Born: 26 Jun 1838 near Winchester(Franklin) TN
Died: 24 May 1917 Washburn(Sebastian) AR
Married: Charles Grandison Morgan abt 1856 Decatur Co TN
Born: 1841 near Winchester(Franklin) TN
Died: Unknown
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