Jones Family Graves Bayview Cemetery, Morehead City, NC I featured this picture on this blog quite some time ago but I thought it would be good to highlight it again. I am so thankful for knowing where my Jones ancestors were buried. On my post,  The Kindness of Strangers , you will find closeups of some these graves as well as how this picture came about. Esther Lincoln Jones and Louis Oliver Jones --2nd great grand aunt and uncle. Alexander Jones --2nd great grandfather Cesar M. Jones --2nd great grand uncle Violet Jones Devaughn --2nd great grand aunt Cesar Jones and Mary H. Mitchel Jones --3rd great grandparents Fred Douglas Jones --1st cousin 3x removed, child of William Henry Jones and Emma Shepard Jones. Unmarked grave --unsure at this time who this was. I believe this may have been a child of William Henry Jones and Emma Jones due to the size of the cement slab and that the burial is right next to Fred Douglas Jones another one of their children

Microsoft Office Downloaded Image My blog is two years old! Wow! How did that all happen? It seems like it was just yesterday that I started. I wanted to share the discoveries I had made regarding my ancestors but I was well...you know, scared to get started. Finally I got the nerve, and began writing on May 30, 2011 with my first post, Okay...Here We Go! LOL.  I don't know why I was scared because...Well...(That's right, I am going to turn all Sally Field on you now.) You like me....You really like me!  Two years and 344 posts later, I am still here and having a blast! Thank you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me along the way. I can't tell you enough how much I truly appreciate each and everyone of you who has followed me on my journey.  And now....Let's Celebrate!

Microsoft Office Downloaded Image On last week's post,  Thankful Thursday: Thankful To Have Found Elizabeth Jones , I found the names of several of my 2nd great grand aunt's relatives listed in her will.  Here's the page that contained the names: Image courtesy of FamilySearch.org:   North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970; Carteret County Wills, 1925-1948 Vol. G Now you are probably wondering who were all these people? Here's a refresher on the Jones family line. This is well help show how everyone was connected. My 3rd great grandparents:   Cesar Jones (b. 1821--d. Aug. 14, 1899) was married to Mary Mitchel Jones (b. Jan. 21. 1823--d. Feb. 22, 1900.) To this union the following children were born. Lewis Oliver Jones (b. Jan. 14, 1838--d. Dec. 28, 1925) Violet Ann Jones Devaughn (b. Oct. 21, 1845--Dec. 2, 1880) Alexander Hamilton Jones(b. Mar. 5, 1852--May 22, 1915)--my 2nd great grandfather William Henry Jones (b. abt 1852--Oct. 30,

Microsoft Office Downloaded Image Thank you to all our veterans who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We honor you today.

I attended Robin Hood Day Camp from 1977--1980. I am not sure where the camp actually was. I lived in Cambria Heights, NY and I do remember that a yellow school bus would come and pick my brother and I up from our house in the morning and return us in the evening. I distinctly remember this being the first time I was around white and Asian people. I couldn't believe how straight their hair was and that they could just wear it out and not in braids.

Image courtesy of stockimages / FreeDigitalPhotos.net How many of you out there can relate to this pose? I call this the "I just found it! Yeah boyeeeee!" pose. It usually happens when you come cross a really meaty genealogy nugget that provides answers to questions and tons of bonus information. Some folks out there may call it the "Damn, I'm good" pose. Whatever you may want to call it, this is the exact pose I held after finding Elizabeth Jones's probate record.  For those of you who are new to Elizabeth Jones, she was my maternal 2nd great grand aunt. Here's how you get to Elizabeth Jones from me. -- me  -- my mom -- Mary Bryant Horton(grandma) --Ophelia Jones Bryant (great grandma) --Alexander Hamilton Jones (great great grandfather) Elizabeth Jones was Alexander Hamilton Jones's sister. Now on a post I put out earlier in the week called,  Mappy Monday: YooHoo, Elizabeth Jones Where Are You? , I found an Elizabet

Mary Bryant Horton --My maternal grandma looking pretty in pink. Picture was taken  in the early 90's. She was seated on the front porch of her home at 181-15 N. Conduit Ave. Springfield Gardens, NY.

Stone reads, "Here lies our loving Cesar M.  Son of  A. H. & Rosa Jones Born Dec 6, 1885 Died June 3, 1898 Asleep in Jesus Bayview Cemetery, Morehead City, NC

Microsoft Office Downloaded Image If you missed my prior posts that mention Elizabeth Jones, my 2nd great grand aunt, here are the links: On The Hunt For Elizabeth Jones Sunday's Obituary: Dr. Oscar Dunn Jones After figuring out that Elizabeth Jones was alive and living in Philadelphia as of 1943, I decided to see if I could locate her on the census.  Good news! I did. Source Information: Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. I found an Elizabeth Jones on the 1930 census living at 2124 Fitzwater Street who I believe was my ancestor. She was listed as  single and owner of her own home. Three roomers resided with her, two of which were an Alexander and Daisy Jones. I bet you anythi

Dr. Oscar Dunn Jones February 29, 1888--July 29, 1943 As you may already know, I am currently  On The Hunt For Elizabeth Jones . In the midst of this hunt I remembered a mention of an Elizabeth Jones in my 1st cousin 3x removed obituary. Dr. Oscar Dunn Jones was the grandson of Cesar Jones and Mary Mitchel Jones.  His parents were William Henry Jones and Emma Shepard Jones. William Henry Jones was Elizabeth's brother.  After growing up in Morehead City, Oscar went off in the world and earned his degree from St Augustine's College. He studied dentistry at Howard University and was a well respected dentist in Baltimore, Maryland. Here's his obituary. Pay special attention to the last sentence. Image courtesy of ProQuest Historical Newspapers:  The Baltimore Afro-American (1893--1988) pg. 16 "...and an aunt, Miss Elizabeth Jones of Philadelphia" This must be the Elizabeth Jones I've been looking for. There it was right there in an obituary I

Okay this post came up in a completely random fashion today. I've been hanging out with my best friend chatting and somehow we got on the subject of 70's and 80's TV shows. Specifically, it started when she mentioned the show "The Phoneix."  Now don't ask me how this came up in the conversation. We've been laughing about random nonsense all afternoon. But that's when I thought to myself, I wonder how many other people remember this show? Here's a clip. "The Phoneix" circa 1982 This show description came straight up from Wikipedia: The Phoenix is a 1982 television series starring Judson Scott which was on ABC for about one month. The plot revolved around an ancient extraterrestrial named Bennu of the Golden Light, who is discovered in a sarcophagus in Peru and awakened in the 20th Century. The series was first seen on a TV-movie on April 26, 1981 After viewing this, my friend and I got to talking about other TV shows we wa

Image courtesy of  Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net Well, I learned a lot from the will I featured last week on my post  Amanuensis Monday: The Will of Mary Mitchel Jones .  1) Mary Mitchel Jones owned property! She had a house and a lot that was inherited by her daughter Elizabeth Jones. 2) My 3rd great grandparents had a total of 6 children. Caroline Jones was a child I hadn't known about. I was not able to locate her on any of the Morehead City census schedules but there she was, plain as day, mentioned in the will. What happened to her? Why wasn't she shown living with the family group in 1880. Was she one of the older children of Cesar and Mary M. Jones? The answer to that last question, I think one can sort of figure out from Mary's own words in the will. "To which, I want devided among my six children Names to wit, - Oliver  Violet Ann  Caroline  Alexander, William & Elizabeth Jones" I thinks she listed her children in birth

Stone reads: Violet A. Wife of Warren Devaughn Born Oct. 21, 1845 Died Dec. 2, 1880 Asleep in Jesus Grave of Violet Ann Jones Devaughn My 2nd great grand aunt. Bayview Cemetery, Morehead City

My mother's day flowers from my kids. Happy Mother's Day!

Summer of 1995 Okay, I have a little secret. I used to have pet snakes. Now this snake in this picture wasn't mine but seeing this picture today reminded me of a certain period in my life when I did own snakes. What is it about when your young, it seems as if you always have something to prove.  For me, I have to admit that although I did love my snakes (yes I did just say I loved my snakes), I had them because I wanted to look cool. Snakes were cool to me...much cooler than a dog or a cat.  The picture featured above was taken during the summer of 1995. I was working as a radio advertising executive for a local station. It was my first real grown-up job after graduating college.  We were doing a live broadcast from my client's place of business, a pet store. At the time, I was the proud owner of two baby corn snakes which for most people would probably be two snakes too many.  Image courtesy of Wikipedia:  Description This six month old corn snake is eatin

Dear Mom...Thank you. Thank you for all that you have done and continue to do. Thank you for having had to grow up entirely too soon. For helping to raise your baby brother and for being the mother to your mom because she didn't know how to. For being "the mother" in that household when you were just a precious little girl. So sweet and innocent but so wise beyond your years. Thank you for your strength, your courage, your honesty. Thank you for being my friend when I have needed someone to lean on. Thank you for all the sacrifices you've made. Thank you for your honesty even when it meant sometimes telling me things I didn't want to hear. Thank you for the hugs, the love and tenderness.  Thank you for all of it and for all that is still to come. You are my precious mother and I love you. 

I collect postcards that show some of the places  where my ancestors lived. Here's one from my collection. 

Microsoft Office Downloaded Image This will is another treasure that I came across fairly recently. Let me give you some background on who's it is. Mary Mitchel Jones (Jan 21, 1823--Feb 22, 1900) was my 3rd great grandmother, wife to Cesar Jones (abt 1821--Aug 14, 1899.) My 3rd great grandparents died about 6 months apart. I wasn't surprised to see that their deaths were so close together. So often it seems that couples die this way. Anyway, after searching through North Carolina, Probate Records for Carteret County on Family Search.org, I came across the will of Mary Mitchel Jones. Image courtesy of FamilySearch.org:  North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 Carteret Wills, 1898-1916, Vol. C Image 44 Image courtesy of FamilySearch.org:   North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 Carteret Wills, 1898-1916, Vol. C  Image 45 Image courtesy of FamilySearch.org:  North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 Carteret Wills, 1898-1916, Vol. C  Image 45

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles Image ID: 10067213 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net On my post  Friday Funny: Bryant Siblings Having Some Fun , I left off with the question, "Who was Annie Marie Bryant Barnes?"  Previously when I talked about the Bryant siblings in my family, I only referred to 7 siblings.  My maternal great grandparents Frank and Ophelia Bryant's children from oldest to youngest were Frank Jr., Linwood, Loris, Ray, Mary, Rosa and Eloise. Well, it turns out that my great grandfather Frank had an eye for the ladies and "Yadayadayada" Annie Marie Bryant was born. You're probably saying, "What?! What the heck, you yadayadahed the best part!"  In case you don't get this reference please refer to the following Seinfeld clip. I guess I should try and explain a bit. Frank Bryant had an affair with a woman by the name of Carreta Bell .  She was born January 14, 1900 in Morehead City to James and Annie Bell. The Bell family lived in t

Me with coworkers, Wendy and Amy Yes folks, that is me with the pink hat on. I worked in retail for many years. I can't believe that the time stamp on this picture says it is from May 13, 2000. That's crazy! It seems like it was yesterday. I have tons of good memories from that place. This picture was taken the Saturday before Mother's Day that year. 

Ray Bryant, Mary Bryant Horton (my grandmother), Annie Marie Bryant Barnes seated on couch.  Eloise Bryant Grigsby seated on the floor. My Uncle Nat is kneeling on the right.  (He's the husband to Rosa Bryant Sanders who isn't in the picture.) The caption for this picture should read, "Come here you. I am going to cut that hair!"   I love this picture because it shows clearly how the Bryant siblings enjoyed each others company. I am not certain what year this was. I thing it may have been 1995 or 1996. I spoke with my Mom this week about what was the story behind this photo. She said that out of all 8 siblings, Uncle Ray liked to clown around the most. He always had people laughing. Wait a minute, I thought there were only 7 Bryant Siblings. Who was Annie Marie Bryant Barnes? Tune in tomorrow folks for the answer.