Elizabeth (Jones) Stith (abt. 1730 - abt. 1771)

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Eldridge Jr. — married 1750 in Virginia

Wife of Drury Stith — married 1763 in Virginia

Descendants

Died about 25 Feb 1771 at about age 41 in Brunswick County, Colony of Virginia [uncertain]

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

Warning - More than one Elizabeth (Jones) Stith. See Caution (below).

Biography

Elizabeth Jones married (1) Thomas Eldridge, (2) Drury Stith. She died leaving a will dated January 1771 and proved February 25, 1771 that names the following children:^[1]

• Aristotle
• Sarah
• Howell
• Catherine
• Charlotte
• Thomas
• Edmunds

The will of Col. Drury Stith, dated June 25, 1770 and proved February 25, 1771,[sic] names his children:^[1]

• Drury
• Buckner
• Elizabeth
• Thomas
• Edmund

Deeds

Surry Co., VA, DB 6, p. 288, 17 Jun 1748: “James Jones, Howell Jones and Elizabeth Jones give a slave named Robin to their brother, Edmund Jones. Wit: Daniel Weldon, William Gray Jr., John Edmunds. Rec. 20 Aug 1751.” ^[2]

Surry Co., VA, DB 6, p. 286, 17 Jun 1751: “James Jones of Prince George Co., Howell Jones and Elizabeth Jones of Surry Co. state that James Jones, decd., late of Surry Co. and their father left in his will dated 22 Aug 1742 the residue of his estate for life to his wife, Sarah Jones. Other children of James Jones, decd., are John Jones and Edmund Jones. The three first named children now give a slave named Priscilla to their brother, John Jones. Wit: William Gray Jr., Daniel Weldon, John Edmunds. Rec. 20 Aug 1751.” ^[3]

[Note: The will of James Jones names wife Sarah and children James, Howell, John, Eliz:a, Thomas.^[4]
The will of Sarah Jones names children James, Howell, Edmunds, John, Elizabeth Eldridge.^[5]
The will of Howell Jones names brothers James, John, Edmonds and sister Elizabeth Eldridge.^[6]]

Surry Co., VA, DB 6, p. 371, 19 Nov 1751: “John Jones Gent. of Prince George Co. to Robert Jones Jr., attorney of Surry Co. (Elizabeth Jones, sister of the sd John Jones, has married Thomas Eldridge a Merchant of Prince George Co. and is now Elizabeth Eldridge, and they are in greatly reduced circumstances.) John Jones now sells a slave named Patt to Robert Jones Jr. and the proceeds of the sale are to go to the maintenance of his sister Elizabeth Eldridge or her lately born son, Aristotle Eldridge. Rec. 19 Nov 1751.” ^[7]

Brunswick Co., VA, DB 10, p. 83: “James Jones the elder of Sussex Co. did by deed 12 Jul 1754 sell in trust to Robert Jones Jr attorney of Sussex Co. & John Jones of Northampton Co., NC, 150 acres on the south side of Three Creeks in St. Andrew Parish in Brunswick Co, to benefit Elizabeth Eldridge wife of Thomas Eldridge of Sussex Co. & to maintain her & her present & future children; sd Thomas Eldridge & his wife Elizabeth entered into & possessed the sd land; sd Thomas Eldridge died leaving sd Elizabeth his widow; sd Elizabeth Eldridge during her widowhood did purchase from Nathaniel Wyche of Sussex Co 50 acres in St Andrew Parish in Brunswick Co on the south side of sd Three Creeks, contiguous to the above sd 150 acres, the deed dated 22 Nov 1762. Sd Elizabeth has since married Drury Stith. Thus: Drury Stith & his wife Elizabeth of Brunswick Co. & James Jones of Sussex Co & Allen Jones of Northampton Co, NC, as executor & son of the above sd Robert Jones Jr dec’d to John Stewart of Sussex Co. £125 VA paid to sd Elizabeth. The first mentioned tract of 150 acres & also the second tract of 50 acres.” ^[8]

Will

In the name of God Amen. I Elizabeth Stith of Brunswick County, being sick and weak in Body but of disposing mind, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, in words and manner following, Viz. IMPRIMIS I give and bequeath unto my son Aristotle to him and his Heirs and assigns forever my plantation known by the name of Fisher's, being part of the Tract of land which Col Drury Stith purchased of John Nash, containing six hundred acres be the same more or less, But I give unto him only on condition that he his Heirs or assigns give to my Daughter Sarah when ever she shall marry, one Negro woman named Judy and her children belonging to him, and in case he his Heirs or assigns shall refuse to give the said Negro woman and child to my Daughter Sarah as aforesaid, in that case I leave the said land above mentioned to be sold and out of the money arising by the sale thereof I give my Daughter Sarah the value of the said Negro woman Judy and her child to her and her Heirs and assigns for ever and the residue to my Son Aristotle to him his Heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said Son Aristotle to him his Heirs and assigns forever all that tract of land lying on Sturgion Creek which I bought of Thomas Burkland Griffin containing two hundred and forty two acres be the same more or less. But I give him only on condition that he, his Heirs or assigns pay unto my Daughter Sarah one hundred pounds current money of Virginia when she shall arrive at the age of twenty one years, and if he, his Heirs or assigns shall refuse to pay the said Legacy in that case I leave the said tract of land to be sold and out of the money arising by the sale thereof, I give to my Daughter Sarah to her and her Heirs and assigns for ever one hundred pounds current money as aforesaid and the residue to my Son Aristotle to him his Heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my said Son Aristotle to him his Heirs and assigns forever six head of Cattle, half my stock of Hoggs, one Feather Bed and furniture and half a Dozen Walnut Chairs; ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Son Howell to him his Heirs and assigns forever one tract of land joyning the land first given to my Son Aristotle (being part of the Tract which Col. Drury Stith purchased of John Nash and the remaining part of that I Bought of him, the other part being given to my Son Aristotle) containing five hundred acres be the same more or less. ITEM I give and Bequeath unto my Son Howell two Negro's, to wit, Tom and Jack, also my Roan mare, four cows and calves, Half my stock of Hoggs and one Copper Kettle, one large pot and hooks, one Bellmettle skillet, one Bellmettle Mortor and Pestle, one Walnut Desk, and half Dozen Walnut Chairs to him his Heirs and assigns for ever. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah my Negro man named Mathew to her and her Heirs and assigns forever. ITEM I give to my Daughter Katherine one Stone Ring. ITEM I give to my Daughter Charlotte one plain gold ring. ITEM I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Sarah to her and her Heirs and assigns forever all the residue of my Estate not hereforto given. ITEM in case either of my Children Aristotle, Howell, and Sarah shall die without marrying, then I leave all the Estate hereby given to him or her both real and personal to be equally divided between the Survivors of them ITEM it is my will and desire that after my decease my Children may be disposed of in the following manner, to wit, my Son Howell to the care of Sterling Edmunds. My Son Thomas to the care of the Reverend Thomas Lundie, my Daughters Katherine and Charlotte to the care of John Coleman and my Son Edmunds to the care of Thomas Simmons. LASTLY I nominate and appoint my friends John Coleman and Thomas Simmons and Sterling Edmunds, Executors of this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking and disallowing all former Wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal____ day of January 1771.

Elizabeth Stith

Signed, Sealed, published and declared
by the Testatrix as and for her last
Will and Testament in presence of us

The words "To her and her heirs and assigns
forever" were interlined before signed

Sterling Edmunds
Thomas Edmunds
Thomas Stone

At a Court held for Brunswick County the 25th Day of February 1771
This Will was presented in Court by John Coleman, Thomas Simmons and Sterling Edmunds, the Executors therein named who made oath thereto according to law and the same being proved by the Oath's of Thomas Edmunds and Thomas Stone two of the Witnesses thereto and ordered to be Recorded, and on the motion of the Executors, who together with Richard Elliott, their Security entered into and acknowledged their Bond in the penalty of two thousand pounds with condition as the the law directs certificate is granted them for obtaining a probate thereof in due form.^[9]

Research Notes

DAR records show that Elizabeth Jones was 1st wife of Buckner Stith Jr., but this is a different Elizabeth Jones, born 1766 & died 1788.

Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed May 26, 2015), "Record of Buckner Stith (b 1722), patriotic service", Ancestor # A110256.

See also sources and comments posted on the profiles of Buckner Stith Jr. (Stith-103) & another Buckner Stith (Stith-15).

Caution

It seems there are two Stiths who married an Elizabeth Jones (see biography text for Stith-361), but more research is needed.

This profile is protected to ensure it is not merged into Unknown-361746. There is a possibility that Drury's wife Martha was also a Jones, but sources are needed.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} " Historical and Genealogical Notes," The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Jan., 1915), pp. 220-221 (Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture; DOI: 10.2307/1914721). Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1914721
2. ↑ Hopkins, William Lindsay, “Surry County, Virginia, Deeds and Estate Accounts, 1734-1755,” ® 1991 by William Lindsay Hopkins; reprinted Iberian Publishing Co., Athens, GA, 1994.
3. ↑ Hopkins, William Lindsay, “Surry County, Virginia, Deeds and Estate Accounts, 1734-1755,” ® 1991 by William Lindsay Hopkins; reprinted Iberian Publishing Co., Athens, GA, 1994.
4. ↑ Will of James Jones. Surry Co., VA, DB/WB 9, pp. 427-430, w. 22 Aug 1742, p. 16 Feb 1742 (1743 new style). Digital image at Ancestry.com - https://ancstry.me/2DtbXsx
5. ↑ Will of Sarah Jones. Surry Co., VA, DB/WB 9, pp. 708-709, w. 4 Mar 1750, p. 16 Jul 1751. Digital image at Ancestry.com - https://ancstry.me/2GDF7Y0
6. ↑ Will of Howell Jones. Surry Co., VA, DB/WB 9, pp. 709-711, w. 6 Apr 1751, p. 16 Jul 1751. Digital image at Ancestry.com - https://ancstry.me/2GDF7Y0
7. ↑ Hopkins, William Lindsay, “Surry County, Virginia, Deeds and Estate Accounts, 1734-1755,” ® 1991 by William Lindsay Hopkins; reprinted Iberian Publishing Co., Athens, GA, 1994.
8. ↑ Bradley, Dr. Stephen E., Jr., “Brunswick County, Virginia, Deed Books, Vol. 5, 1770 - 1775,” Lawrenceville, VA, 1998.
9. ↑ Will of Elizabeth Stith. Brunswick Co. Will Book 4 pgs. 49 & 50. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9PH-S849

• The WikiTree profile Jones-1723 was created on 31 October 2010 through the import of Pioneer Stock.GED.
• The WikiTree profile Jones-4347 was created on 03 April 2011 through the import of Bwiki.ged.