L.O.C. for MA (1)

Wow...what a title!  L.O.C. is for "Library of Congress", and MA is for Massachusetts.  "(1)" means the beginning of a number of post that list the JONES surname [families] in this library, identified as being from this state.  A little history here might explain why Massachusetts had the highest number of publications.

In America, Family Bible records were the only source of genealogical information prior to 1771.  The first American family genealogy was published this year in Hartford, Connecticut.  However, it was not until 1829 that "A Genealogical Register of the First Settlers of New England" became the first collected work on genealogy in America.  A decade or so latter, "The Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England" published by James Savage in 1844, became the foundation of genealogy in America. [James Savage was know as "Father of American Genealogy"!]  Of course the citizens of Boston got together and formed the "New England Historical Genealogical Society" getting ahead of the rest of America until 1869, when New York formed "The N.Y. Genealogical and Biographical Society".  By now, it becomes evident that the folks of New England lead the way.  So it would only seem right that the family accounts for the JONES surname from Massachusetts would begin this series of posts.  Let's begin.

"9391  JONES.    Jones records, Nathaniel and Rachel (Bradford) Jones, Ispwich, Mass., and some of their descendants.  A help to a family history.  (By Augustine Caldwell)   (Ipswich?  18- )  CS71.J76"

"9394  JONES.    Some of the descendants of Lewis and Ann Jones of Roxbury, Mass., through their son Josiah and grandson James, comp, for the family, by William Blake Trask.  Boston, Printed for private distribution, 1878.  CS71.J76"

"9396  JONES.    The ancient proprietors of Jones's Hill, Dorchester, including brief sketches of the Jones, Stoughton, Tailer, Wiswall, Moseley, Capen and Holden families, the location and boundaries of their estates, &c.  Comp. by David Clapp.   Boston, Printed for private distribution, 1883   F74.D5C6 "

You get the idea...just beginning.

The history given above is from Sims's Manual For The Genealogist Topographer and Antiquary, by Richard Sims, of the British Museum, published 1856.

Jones Surname Genealogies In The Library of Congress

In 1972 there was published "Genealogies In The Library of Congress A Bibliography", edited by Marion J. Kaminkow.  It was published by Magna Carta Book Company, Baltimore, MD.  Volume I contained the alphabet  "A-J" and it is this text that the following analysis was taken. [p.866 - 871 and in the supplement p.135]

Massachusetts had the highest number of genealogies for the surname JONES at 15.  There were also 15 genealogies that could not be placed clearly as coming from a specific location.  There were 4 family genealogies from Wales, 1 from Ireland, and 1 from Bermuda. The following is my attempt to summarize the number and site of origin :

MA = 15
NY =  5
NH =  2
NJ  =  2
RI  =  2
CT =  2
    sum: 28 from the Northeast [ 44% - 28/64]

VA =  3
KY = 2
SC  = 2
GA = 1
FL  = 1
     sum: 9 from the South [ 14% ]

PA = 3
OH= 1
WI= 1
MD=1
     sum: 6 from the middle [ 9% ]

Wales   = 4
Ireland = 1
Bermuda = 1
     sum : 6 from out of US [9%]

Uncertain origin = 15 [ 23%]

Hope to list these genealogies by their title and grouped by location in future posts.