Always Find the Original Document. And Read it. All.
Recently I have researching the family of my sixth great grandfather, Edward Jones, who died in 1739 in Richmond County, Virginia. Because his father Edward, and his son Edward, all had the same name, these families can be confusing. Couple this with the records found in the North Farnham Parish Register which include birth, marriage and death records for many persons of these families, and it’s difficult to tell which Edward Jones is being married, which died, or which of the children belong to which of the three Edwards. The fact that the two of these men married twice further compounds the potential confusion.
Sure enough, when viewing online trees based on some of these records it is clear that more in-depth research is needed.
Ancestry.com has an excellent compiled volume titled “Wills of Richmond County, Virginia 1699-1800” that was professionally abstracted by Mr. Robert K. Headley in 2002.[1] I use this record constantly in my research and it has been incredibly helpful. But I always try to find the original record that the abstract was created from.
When Edward Jones died he left a nuncupative (spoken) will that was testified to be correct by Anna Spicer and Isaac Jones, Edward’s eldest son. The abstract of the will stated that Edward had written a will, but because he had sold property recently he felt the will would breed confusion. The abstract reads that he “…desired his wife and chil. should live peaceably together and each of them to have an equal share of his lands and living…” Note that his wife was unnamed in the abstract. The abstract also includes a helpful note:
“…[Edward JONES Jr. mar. Margaret WHITE (possibly nee OVERTON, the wid. of William WHITE) in Dec 1714. MRC, pp. 107, 230. The births of the foll. chil. are recorded in the NFPR: Isaac (1715), Edward (1717), Elizabeth
(1720); Margaret JONES d. 16 Dec 1722. NFPR, pp.106-07.]…”[2]
The information in the note includes sources which, when checked, are validated. All of the information that Mr. Headly abstracted is accurate and supported. But, there is information missing. Important information.
Directly after the text of the will, and the attestation of Anna Spicer, is the record of Isaac Jones’ presentation of the will in court. The record reads:
View the original online at FamilySearch.org
“…Presented in Court by Isaac Jones and proved by the said Isaac Jones ~ Edward Jones and Anna Spicer who upon oath declare that the words (or the same in Effect) in the aforesaid will or Writing Expressed, were declared and publickly Spoken by the Said Edward Jones Decd in their presence and hearing and that he was at the Same time of perfect mind and Memory to the Best of their Judgments, Whereupon the Motion of the Said Isaac Jones (Elizabeth Jones the widow of the said Edward Jones deced in open Court relinquishing her right of Administration.) the said Will is admitted to Record and Administration with the said will annext, is Granted him on the said Estate ~ Exa. Test M Beckwith Cl Cur…" [italics added] [3]
Who was Elizabeth Jones, the widow? In Mr. Headley’s accurate note at the end of his abstract, he recorded: “…[Edward JONES Jr. mar. Margaret WHITE (possibly nee OVERTON, the wid. of William WHITE) in Dec 1714…” and “…Margaret JONES d. 16 Dec 1722. NFPR, pp. 106-07…” On page 107 of the North Farnham Parish the marriage of Edward Jones and Elizabeth Gower, on 26 September 1728, was recorded. Additionally, an inventory of Edward Jones’ estate that was delivered to Elizabeth Jones, his widow, for her part and her three children’s parts by Isaac Jones was recorded 5 July 1742 at Richmond County court.[4] Birth records for three children of Edward and Elizabeth Jones; William, Margaret and John Jones are found in the North Farnham Parish Register. Also in the Register is the death record of John Jones four days after his birth record.[5] A fourth child of this couple was almost certainly Winifred, making William, Margaret and Winifred the three children referred to in the 1742 inventory delivered to their mother, Elizabeth.[6]
Many records have been abstracted, and these abstracts are incredibly helpful in our research but sometimes important details have been omitted. Abstracts should be treated as finding aids in thorough research. The original record, or the closest thing to it, is always preferable.
Sources:
1. Robert K. Headley, Compiler, Wills of Richmond County, Virginia, 1699-1800 (Baltimore, Maryland, United States: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002); database on-line, Ancestry.com.
2. Robert K. Headley, Compiler, Wills of Richmond County, Virginia, 1699-1800 (Baltimore, Maryland, United States: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2002), pp. 79-80; database on-line, Ancestry.com, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 17 May 2020); Edward Jones, memorandum, 2 Sep 1739, proved 7 Jan 1739/40.
3. Richmond Co., Va., Wills and inventories, Vol. 5 1725-1753, pp. 341-432, Edward Jones, nuncupative will, written 2 Sep 1739, rec. 7 Jan 1739/40; FHL microfilm 33,677 item 1.
4. Richmond Co., Va., Account book, No. 1 1724-1783, p. 180, Edward Jones, decd., inventory of est. delivered to Elizabeth Jones, widow of Edward Jones; FHL microfilm 33,679.
5. George Harrison Sanford King, The registers of North Farnham parish, 1663-1814 and Lunenburg parish, 1783-1800, Richmond County, Virginia (Fredericksburg, Virginia: compiled and published by George Harrison Sanford King, circa 1966), p. 107-108 birth records for William, Margaret and John, and death record for John, 3 of the children of Edward and Elizabeth Jones.
6. Winifred was named in the will of her brother, Isaac Jones, as his sister “Winiferd White.” See Richmond Co., Va., Wills and inventories, 1699-1879, Vol. 6, 1753-1767, p. 350, Isaac Jones, will, written 2 Sep 1754, recorded 2 Apr 1764; FHL microfilm 33,733. Winifred was also a witness to the nuncupative will of William Jones dated 1 Apr 1754. See Richmond Co., Va., Wills and inventories, 1699-1879, Vol. 6, 1753-1767, p. 18, William Jones, nuncupative will, spoken 11 Mar 1754, rec. 1 Apr 1754; FHL microfilm 33,733.