Authentic History Spring 1938

Interesting Stories and Events In Honey Grove’s Early History
Honey Grove Signal-Citizen, [specific date unknown; likely Spring, 1938] (A1)
Written by H. P. Allen, assisted by W. J. Erwin

John Watson Jones

John Watson Jones was born Dec. 16, 1785; died Sept. 28, 1850, near Honey Grove. His boyhood home was in New Jersey (1847), and taught school in his younger days. His brother and sister, William and Hannah, lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. Hannah married a Mr. Bacon. John Watson Jones served in the War of 1812 and was present at Hull's surrender. Returning home after the war, he married Tamizine Finley, whose early home was also in New Jersey, where she was born on June 18, 1789. She died in Feb. 1853. After marriage Mr. Jones moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, then a village of but a few houses; also lived on a farm at North Bend and Cleveland, Ohio, and his children were all born in Ohio near Cincinnati. The children were Charlotte Osborn, James Finley, Horatio Westcott, Theodore (lived to be 15 years of age), Enos Ewing, William F. infant boy (died at birth), John Watson, Tamisine Finley (died at age of 7). While living on a farm near Cincinnati, Mrs. Jones received a china pitcher as a premium for her dairy products, presented by the Agricultural Society at Cincinnati, in 1835. The family moved from near Cincinnati to Covington Ky.

John Watson Jones owned two farms near Cincinnati, and sold one to William Henry Harrison, his boyhood friend, later president of the United States. He had another farm nearly paid for, when the bank burned and the papers were destroyed and the original owner compelled him to give up the farm and lose all he had. What is now the cemetery at Covington, KY., was a farm he rented. Mr. Jones started the first Sunday school in Covington, Ky., (Baptist). Moved from Covington to East Bend, Ky., where he lived on a farm for four years. Mr. Jones, accompanied by his son William made a trip to Texas, and soon after returning home, the entire family moved to Texas, except James Finley, who was in Covington, and Horatio, who had previously left home as a missionary to the Choctaws under the Missionary Board of Louisville. The trip to Texas was by boat via New Orleans, and Shreveport, La. From the latter point overland by their own team to the farm ten miles northeast of Honey Grove. While en route they purchased a yoke of oxen and coupled with the team. This was in the fall of 1847, about November, when the start was made from Kentucky. The Texas home consisted of two small log houses, which served as a residence during the life of John Watson Jones. The farm was later owned by Horatio Jones, who was then in the Indian Nation. Horatio was married in 1848 to Elizabeth Cheatham in Fannin county,. Six children were born to this union. One son, John Jones, was killed by the blowing up of his Uncle John Jones' flour mill in the year 1873, at the age of 20 years. Two of the children are yet living, Annie Jones (now Mrs. John Parrish of Denison) and Lizzie Jones (now Mrs. Swafford of Sherman). Horatio's second wife, ao sister of his first wife, was Isabella Cheatham.

William W. Jones and wife, together with their five children, all of whom are now dead, lived at Paris, Texas.

John W. Jones was born March 18, 1827, and made his home in Honey Grove for many years. Early in life he was married to Hannah Craddock, who died May 19, 1906, at the home in Honey Grove. A brother of Mrs. Jones, E. C. Craddock, lives in Seymour. Mr. Jones died June 30, 1918 at the age of 91 years. Five children were born to this union: Charlie, who died in 1937; his home was in Mabank. Ella Jones, who died December 24, 1936. The surviving children are John W. Jones, Mrs. A. N. Norwood (Mollie), and Mrs. J. J. Rhodes (Ida).

Note - Next week's article will contain a short sketch about the life of Mr. and Mrs. Jones in and near Honey Grove