Churchill Jones
SURNAMES: JONES, SANDFORD, TOMLINSON, DEES, ROBINSON, DEAN, JOHNSON, GREEN, BARTLETT, STALLWORTH, JONES, CLARKSON, NORMAN, RIPLEY, WATSON, POWERS, COATE, RAINES, ST. CLAIR, MCCULLOUGHChurchill Jones, b January 25, 1805 in Caroline County, Virginia, d October 25, 1869 in Falls County, Texas and buried in the Churchill Jones Family Cemetery - was the eldest son of John Jones - an American Revolutionary War veteran, and his wife, Mary (Sandford) Jones - natives of Virginia.
Churchill was reared on his father's plantation, later attending the Rappahannock Academy, where he was graduated. He left Virginia to make his fortune, and settled in Evergreen, Conecuh County, Alabama - purchasing a tract of land there that provided a prosperous living for a planter with many slaves. Churchill had taught school for a while, and was then elected to the Alabama Legislature, as a Whig.
Churchill Jones married in Alabama to Susan Tomlinson, b July 29, 1811 in Washington County, Georgia, d September 7, 1862 in Falls County, Texas and buried in the family cemetery - a daughter of James and Nancy (Dees) Tomlinson.
In 1849, Mr. Jones made a prospecting trip to Texas, negotiating for a large tract of land in Falls County. Returning to Alabama, he dispatched his nephew, George Robinson, with slaves, to Texas; but on learning that the title on the Falls County land was not clear, Churchill Jones purchased a plantation in Montgomery County, where his nephew and brother-in-law, Aylett Dean, were sent to begin operations. By 1850, the Falls County land title was cleared, and Mr. Jones dispatched another nephew, Austin Robinson, and his own twenty-one year old son, James Sandford Jones, along with one hundred and fifty slaves, to the Falls on the Brazos River. Their orders were to build a home, slave houses, a barn, dig a well, plant orchards and garden, clear the land, and plant enough cotton and corn to insure enough harvest to meet a land payment and to feed themselves and the slaves.
A yellow fever epidemic in Louisiana prevented Churchill Jones from leaving Alabama until late 1853, when he arrived with his wife and seven other children - settling at the the eldest son, James Sandford Jones, had prepared near the site of Old Viesca, on Rush Springs -later renamed Jones Springs.
When the Civil War broke out, Mr. Jones contributed his ample supplies to the Confederate Cause, and several sons enlisted in the Confederate States Army. It was during the Reconstruction period that Mr. Jones lost his franchise to vote, because of the large number of slaves he owned. He was ordered to deed each family forty acres of land, and a team. Falls County Deed Records reflect that after litigation, each of the former slaves had about 18 acres of land instead of the full forty acres. Before his death, Mr. Jones petitioned President Andrew Johnson to restore his citizenship, and his petition was approved. It is said that he owned about 50,000 acres of land when died.
The children of Churchill and Susan (Tomlinson) Jones were:
James Sandford Jones, b April 27, 1829 in Conecuh County, Alabama, d October 25, 1880 in Falls County, Texas and buried in the Jones Family Cemetery - was never married. He was reared in Evergreen, and there he received his early education - completing his studies at Tuscaloosa College. In 1850, he was sent to Texas by his father, in charge of 150 slaves, to open up a plantation. He continued to superintend his father's plantation for several years, until the rest of the family arrived in late 1853. In 1858, J ames opened up a plantation for himself, on a part of his father's land, four miles south of the Falls on the Brazos. When the Civil War began, James entered the Confederate States Army - returning to his plantation after the war, where he became one of the prominent men of the county. His niece, Susan (Green) Battle, inherited his lovely home, which is owned today by her descendants named Brazelton.
Sarah Kendrick Jones, b November 29, 1833 in Conecuh County, Alabama - married first to George E. Green and had two children; married second to Zenas Bartlett and had issue.
Lucinda Jones, b June 12, 1836 in Conecuh County, Alabama - married Francis Marion Stallworth and had issue.
Jane V. Jones, b June 15,1836 in Conecuh County, Alabama, d August 12, 1868 and buried - married in 1866 in Falls County, Texas to Austin Robinson (a cousin), b February 28, 1828 near Fredericksburg, Caroline County, Virginia - a son of Austin and Sally (Jones) Robinson. Austin purchased land in the Brazos River bottom, where he engaged in farming and raising fine cattle, horses, and mules. He joined the Confederate States Army during the Civil War - enlisting in 1861 in Harrison's Company A, Terry's Texas Rangers, and served with Johnston's Army of Tennessee - being wounded in October 1862, and left for dead. When he recovered from his wounds in a hospital at Bardstown, Kentucky, he rejoined his command for the Georgia and Carolina campaigns, and surrendered at Charlotte, North Carolina - returning to Falls County on mule-back, and reaching his on July 4, 1865. Austin and Jane (Jones) Robinson had one daughter, Jane Robinson, who died at age eight months. In 1871, Mr. Robinson married second to Sarah Clarkson (called Sally) - a daughter of B. B. and Mary (Norman) Clarkson, and they had one son, Austin Robinson, Jr., who died at the age of seven months.
William H. Jones, b August 13, 1842 in Conecuh County, Alabama - married Octavia Ripley, and they had issue.
Amanda Jones, b January 19, 1844 in Conecuh County, Alabama, d June 8, 1874 and buried in Calvary Cemetery - married May 25, 1869 to Armstead E. Watson, b January 28, 1834 in Prince Edward County, Virginia - a son of Joseph A. and Jane
(Bruce) Watson, natives of Virginia. He served in the Confederate States Army in Company G, Fourth Texas Infantry, commanded by Colonel (later General) Hood, being released because of ill health and returning to Texas before the end of the Civil War. A. E. and Amanda (Jones) Watson had three children: Irene, Clara, and Armstead, who died June 27, 1892. A. E. Watson married second on February 18, 1878 to Iminia C. Powers - a daughter of Joseph and Susan (Turner) Powers, and they had one daughter, Iminia Watson. In 1884, Mr. Watson had elected to the 19th Legislature of Texas; and in 1892, he assisted in the organization and became president of the First National Bank of Marlin. He was a productive, well-respected citizen of the community, and a supporter of the Methodist denomination.
Churchill A. Jones, b 1846, d 1921 - was never married.
Arthur Paul Jones, b July 17, 1848 in Conecuh County, Alabama, d March 4, 1880 - married Mary R. Coate (called "Mazie"), and had Pearl Jones, who married first to Percy Raines and had Mary Agnes Raines; married second to Hal St. Clair; and third to Ed McCullough. Mary Agnes Raines married Wiley Jones, and they had a son, Churchill Jones.
Some of the descendants of Churchill and Susan (Tomlinson) Jones still own their inherited share of the large Jones estate. Many of his nieces and nephews followed the Churchill Jones family to Falls County, as well as his wife's relatives, the Tomlinsons and Stallworths.
Some biographies from "Families of Falls County", compiled and edited by the Falls County Historical Commission.
Permission granted to Theresa Carhart by the Falls County Historical Commission, for use on this page.
