Sunday, July 29, 2012

JONES Flintshire 1544 - 1547

Edward Jones appears in the records of Flintshire 1544. [1135/30]  This is the small orange colored area to the top right of the map shown.  A small little area of Wales, but a strategic coastal road access important in all those attempts to take control of this land. [Both Wat's and Offa's Dyke have their northern most anchor here.]

It would seem that the English established their control just beyond the Welsh borders, then extended their legal conquest to the boarder areas.  Glamorgan first (1515), Monmouth and Carnarvon  second (1538), and Flint third (1544).

The appearance of the JONES surname multiplies rapidly after 1538.  A result of the Act of Union 1536.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Researching the JONES Surname

Climbing trees since childhood, has led me out a few branches.  All along, there has been the need to record my findings, and keep track of the many, many discoveries that have come across my way.  A "leaf" collection so to speak.  Once discovered, there was the need to be able to find the information again, in order to help direct with further tree climbing.  At any rate, there were lots and lots of records, documents, discoveries, family information, and all kinds of other stuff that made the discovery exciting and insightful.

Researching the JONES surname has been fun.  Not only because it is my surname, but because most genealogist throw up their hands after a few generations and give up the search.  Brick walls come in all sizes and shapes, and for me the challenge of the "hunt" was part of the discovery.  Now after some 52 years of genealogy, I have a few notebooks full of information on the JONES surname. [And a few other subjects.]  A listing of the content/subject of each notebook is given on a new blog.

It is the purpose of the new blog, called "The Jones Genealogist Research Notebooks", to document the content of each notebook. [http://tjgresearchnotebooks.blogspot.com]  It is intended to give the genealogist a chance to identify a topic which might be helpful in their own tree climbing.  All kinds of topics/subjects have been discovered which have been important to include in the genealogist notebook.  One can search the blog using the "search" mode located on the blog interface.  If a topic or content seems important, you can e-mail me at jonesgenealogist@aol.com and I will try to communicate the content.   The notebooks are physically located at my personal library The Joseph Wheeler Jones Memorial Library, Danville, KY.   You are also welcome to come for a visit. 

Monday, July 9, 2012

JONES Monmouth and Carnarvon 1538-1544

The JONES surname expands to Monmouth and Carnarvon beginning 1538.  Sampson Jones is the first to be recorded in the Carnarvon  legal records 1538-1544. [1016/49]  Now remember, these were English records being established in Welsh counties. 

A Hugh Jones appears in the same set of legal records [1016/59 ] for Monmouth 1538-1544.  This would be just after the Act of Union 1536, and probably represents the earliest application of this new English system to the Welsh.

The map above shows the location of Carnarvon in the north, and Monmouth in the south of Wales. [pink]  Monmouth being the adjacent county to Glamorgan [blue] which recorded the first JONES surname in Wales.  Interestingly, Carnarvon is the first county in the north to record a JONES surname.  This county was a strategic location to control the Welsh in north Wales.  Any other thoughts regarding this set of facts, please post.

From: Lists and Indexes, No. LI., List of Early Chancery Proceedings, Vol. III., Public Record Office.  The numbers [1016/59] records the file no., followed by folio (page) number of the case.  Research by The Jones Genealogist, and published in previous issues.