Diana (Carr) Jones (abt. 1724)

Born about 1724 in Virginia

Wife of Thomas Jones — married 1742 in Virginia

Descendants

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Diana (Carr) Jones resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

Biography

Diana was reportedly born in about 1724.^{[citation needed]}. Her last name at birth is said to be "Carr."^{[citation needed]}

She became the wife of Thomas Jones, and is named in his will which was made in Washington County, Virginia, in February 1777.^[1]

Widowed by Edward Bond

By 1777, Thomas, Diana, and their eight children, were living in Washington County, Virginia, on what was then the far southwestern frontier. Reconstructing from the Washington County Court records, it appears that Thomas was mortally wounded by a man named Edward Bond in about January of that year:

• On 28 January 1777, "Dianah Jones" complained in open court that "Edward Bond did assault and dangerously wound her Husband Thomas Jones...." Edward was bound over on a debt of 600 pounds to appear at the next session of court to answer this charge.^[2]

• On 12 February 1777, Thomas Jones made his will, giving his entire estate to his Diana and their eight children.^[1]

• On 25 February 1777, Edward Bond was tried in the Washington County courthouse on a charge that he "feloniously murdered Thomas Jones." He pled not guilty. There was testimony for "divers witnesses," and Bond himself was "heard in his defence." After hearing the evidence, the Court ruled that "he be acquitted." However, Bond was held over the next day on a separate charge of stealing a horse from the Commonwealth of Virginia.^[3]

Thus, Thomas appears to have died after making his will on February 12 and before the trial of his alleged killer on February 25, 1777, leaving Diana a widow and the mother of their eight children. His will was proven in Washington County 30 September 1777.^[1]

Later Life

On 18 May 1779, the Washington County court records state that "Dianana Jones" was charged with the crime of "having a Bastard child."^[4]

"Diannah Jones" appears on the list of tithables for Captain Fulkison's Precinct in Washington County in 1782. Edward Bond appears on the same list.^[5]

She appears to still have been living in Washington County in 21 August 1783, when the Washington County court records indicate that a summons was issued to "Dianna Jones" ordering her to give "Counter Security" in connection with some pending dispute.^[6]

It is unclear what became of her after that. Some researchers claim she and her family migrated west to Hawkins County, Tennessee, but the source for this claim is unclear.

Children

Children of Thomas Jones and his wife Diana, all named in his will, include:

• Laughly
• Robert
• William
• James
• Thomas
• Agasy
• Millia
• Elizabeth

The spellings of the children's names above are as reflected in his will.

The children are named in this order in the will, but their birth order is uncertain. An additional gift of 10£ is made to Laughly, possibly implying that he was the oldest son. The will provides that if any of the children "shall Die in their minority" then that child's share will go to the others, implying that all of the children were still minors when the will was made in February 1777.^[1]

Research Notes

Disputed Parents

A prior version of this profile, without source, identified William Carr and Elizabeth Winston as her parents. That William Carr's will was proved in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, in August 1760. It identifies his eleven children, which do not include any Diana. He also does not appear to have been the wife of Elizabeth Winston.^[7] Please do not attach either of these parents without citing a reliable source for the claim.

Disputed Birth Details

A prior version of this profile stated without source that she was born in Washington County, Virginia. That is clearly incorrect, as Washington County was not created until 1777 and the area which later became Washington County was far beyond the settled frontier in 1724, when she is estimated to have been born.

Disputed Death Details

There is erroneous data posted that Diana and her children all died in 1777 which is not true. They all move from Washington CO VA. after the death of Thomas Jones. None of them, husband, wife and children were born in Washington CO VA., maybe Augusta CO VA.^{[citation needed]} -19:38, 13 August 2016, Platts-193.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Washington County, Virginia, Will Book 1, p. 25; image, FamilySearch, “Will books, Vol. 1-3, 1777-1812,” (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9PX-29Q9-Q : accessed 26 May 2021), image 36; FHL microfilm 34,356, DGS 7,645,887; image and transcription here.
2. ↑ Summers, Annals of Southwest Virginia, 2:950.
3. ↑ Summers, Annals of Southwest Virginia, 2:956.
4. ↑ Summers, Annals of Southwest Virginia, 2:1023.
5. ↑ FamilySearch, "Personal Property Tax Lists of Washington County, 1782-1850), images, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS79-LTJ5 : accessed 4 Jun 2021); citing Virginia Commissioner of Revenue; FHL 1,905,744, DGS 7,856,314.
6. ↑ Summers, Annals of Southwest Virginia, 2:1160.
7. ↑ Wilson Miles Cary, “Carr Family,” The William and Mary Quarterly 8 (1899): 106–108; digital images, JSTOR (www.jstor.org/stable/1915910 : accessed 4 Aug 2021) (William Carr married (1) (__) Chiles, [2] Susannah Brooks; children named in his will include Sarah, Thomas, William, Ann, Elizabeth, Phebe, Walter, Charles, Agnes, Susannah, & Mary.