The Jones family of Montgomery county, New York, trace their ancestry to Wales. While in many cases these common family names are more or less difficult to separate and correctly chronicle, in this instance the records of the New Jersey and New York localities give definite information and can be depended upon.
(I) John Jones, born in Wales, emigrated to America and settled in Essex county, New Jersey, probably in Newark. He married and had three sons — John, Moses and Joseph.
(II) Joseph, son of John Jones, was born in 1681, and died in 1753. He became a large land holder and owned a great deal of land now comprising the city of Orange and West Orange extending to the Orange mountains. On June 18, 1711, he deeded a part of the land to John Suydenham, and June 12, 1718, he and wife deeded another part to Nathaniel Ward. His wife's name was Hannah, and they had but one child that appears on the records.
(III) Samuel, son of Joseph and Hannah Jones, was born in Newark, Essex county, New Jersey, in 1706, and died October 18, 1764. He married Elizabeth Morris, probably daughter of John W., and granddaughter of Captain John Morris. Children:
- John, born August 15, 1735;
- Hannah, January 23, 1738;
- Joseph, November 19, 1739;
- Cornelius, (see forward);
- James, born April 22, 1743;
- Sarah, May 29, 1745;
- Zebulon, June 25, 1747;
- Elizabeth, February 12, 1749;
- Mary, November 19, 1750;
- Phoebe, March 29, 1753;
- Lydia, August 30, 1755.
(IV) Cornelius, son of Samuel and Elizabeth (Morris) Jones, died intestate between 1792 and 1794. Administration papers granted on his estate are recorded in the will book at Trenton, New Jersey, vol. 34, p. 36. He was a private of the Essex county regiment of New Jersey militia, and served in the war of the revolution. His house and farm were plundered by the Hessians and stripped of everything movable. He married Joanna, daughter of Joseph and Martha (Sergeant) Harrison, two of Newark's oldest families. She "entered into the covenant" with the Mountain Society, now the First Presbyterian Church of Orange, October 6, 1774. Children, baptized in church of the "Mountain Society" in November, 1774;
- Naomi, married Enos Lyon;
- Samuel, see forward;
- Matthias;
- Nancy;
- Mary.
On April 21, 1776, Martha was baptized; other children of whom there is no baptismal record found, are:
- Cyrus, born August 24, 1770, died May 27, 1870, nearly reaching the century mark;
- Joanna, married Daniel Matthews;
- Nancy, second daughter, married Moses, son of Captain Thomas Williams.
(V) Samuel (2), son of Cornelius and Joanna (Harrison) Jones, was born in Newark, New Jersey, November 4, 1768, died in Montgomery county, New York, May 21, 1865. In 1794 he removed with his wife and child to New York state, going up the Hudson to Albany by sailboat, thence by team to Montgomery county, where he settled in the northeastern part of the town of Amsterdam. He there secured a tract of land that he cleared, improved, and made his permanent home. He married, in East Orange, New Jersey, Jane ————, born December 23, 1766, died in Amsterdam, December 16, 1849. She is buried with her husband at the Manny's Corners Cemetery. Children:
- Mary, born June 1, 1792, in New Jersey, died in Montgomery county, New York.
- Louis (see forward).
- Cornelius, born May 4, 1798, died July 9, 1841.
- Cyrus, died in infancy.
- Evaline, born April 30, 1804, died January 1, 1835, married, 1827, John C. Cooper, a farmer of Montclair, New Jersey, where they died.
- Jane A., born September 28, 1808, died June 19, 1828.
(VI) Louis, eldest son of Samuel and Jane Jones, was born October 12, 1794, after the arrival of the family in Montgomery county. He inherited the farm there settled upon by his father, and on it spent his entire life, which ended August 21, 1825.
Louis Jones married, in Saratoga county, New York, Sarah Hayes, born in Galway, New York, August 1, 1800, died December 6, 1883. She is buried in Green Hill Cemetery, Amsterdam, while her husband sleeps in the burying ground at Manny's Corners. Children:
- Mary A., born August 19, 1820, died October 30, 1881; married Chandler Bartlett.
- Julia A., born September 11, 1821, died December 24, 1845, married, April 25, 1844, Alexander Scott, born in Scotland, June 17, 1817, emigrated to the United States in 1836 and died September 3, 1865; no issue.
- James Van Zant (see forward).
- Samuel C., born April 19, 1825, died August 22, 1855, unmarried.
(VII) James Van Zant, eldest son of Louis and Sarah (Hayes) Jones, was born April 4, 1824, died December 28, 1903. He owned and cultivated the homestead acres for many years, finally transferring it to his grandson, William J. Jones. He was one of the founders of the Presbyterian Church in West Galway, and served as elder. Presbyterianism was inherent in the Jones blood, the family previously having been strong and active in that faith. He was first a Whig, later a Republican. This was also the usual party faith of the voters of the family. He married Angelica Van Allen, born September 23, 1821, died December 14, 1891. Children:
- Edward L. (see forward);
- Arthur Van Allen, born July 20, 1854, died in infancy.
(VIII) Edward L., eldest son of James Van Zant and Angelica (Van Allen) Jones, was born April 23, 1851, died January 11, 1884. He was born, reared, lived and died on the Jones homestead farm which he cultivated as assistant to his father who survived him.
Mr. Jones married, in Galway, October 4, 1877, Christina Knox, born September 24, 1851. She survived him and resides on the homestead farm with her only son, William J. Jones. She is a lineal descendant of the Knox family of Paisley, Scotland, who produced the great Scotch reformer Rev. John Knox. Her American ancestor was Peter Knox, who married, in Scotland, ———— Fletcher, and emigrated to the United States, settling in Galway, New York, where he married (second), Jane Clow, born October 1781, died 1851. Children: Jane, Mary A., William, Catherine, Elizabeth and Margaret. William, only son of Peter Knox, was born in West Galway, New York, April 11, 1818, died in West Charlton, May 23, 1887. He was a farmer, and married Isabelle Stewart, born in Johnstown, New York, October 24, 1818, died January 16, 1888. Children:
- Jane, born September 8, 1839, married James Gilchrist, born 1837; he was a farmer of Charlton, and died at the age of thirty-two; his widow resides in Tennessee.
- Catherine, born December 28, 1841, died September 1904; married Robert Blood, a farmer of Perth, New York, deceased.
- Caroline, born January 30, 1847; married Rev. John Mitchell, born 1844, a minister of the Presbyterian Church at Lakeville, New York.
- Christina (Mrs. Edward L. Jones).
- Peter, died in infancy.
- Peter (2), died at age of three years.
- Isabella, died in infancy.
(IX) William James, only son of Edward L. and Christina (Knox) Jones, was born on the homestead farm, May 23, 1882. He was educated in the town schools, afterward entering the high school at Amsterdam, where he was graduated in the class of 1901. He entered Union College, where his education was completed. Impaired health compelled his return to the farm which he owns, and where he lives the life of a refined and cultured gentleman. This farm has been in the Jones name one hundred and twenty years, and now contains one hundred acres, all under cultivation.
Mr. Jones is a Republican in political faith, and he and his mother are members of the Reformed Church at Hagaman.