52 Ancestors 2015 Edition: #30 Violet Ann Jones Devaughn --My 2nd Great Grand Aunt

Amy Johnson Crow, the author of the blog No Story Too Small, is the host of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Blog Prompt series. If you are not familiar with the project please click on the following link:  Announcing 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: 2015 Edition.


Week 30 (July 23-29) – Challenging: It’s a good time to take a look at another challenging-to-research ancestor.

Yes, I am still a bit behind on this challenge. Sigh. On a positive note, the reason I am behind is because the family and I are having the craziest, busiest, super most fun summer ever! Being present with the living is a priority. For now, I am going to do the best I can with finding time to write. 

One of the things I find challenging is when an ancestor dies too darn young. They show up on the 1880 census and then ... Bam! Just like that something happens and they're dead.  That's kind of what happened with my 2nd great grand aunt Violet Ann Jones Devaughn. 

According to Violet's headstone, she was born on October 21, 1845. The 1880 Federal census gives indication that she was born in Onslow County, NC like all the other children born to my 3rd great grandparents Cesar Jones and Mary H Mitchell Jones. 

Source Information Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Source CitationYear: 1880; Census Place: Morehead City, Carteret, North Carolina; Roll: 956; Family History Film: 1254956; Page: 115D; Enumeration District: 024; Image: 0232

The census was enumerated on June 10, 1880. A little less than 6 months later Violet Ann Jones Devaughn was dead.

Stone reads:  "Violet A.

Wife of Warren Devaughn

 Born Oct. 21, 1845

Died 2, 1880.

Asleep in Jesus."

Dang, what happened! Perhaps an accident or a sudden illness caused her demise. 

Things I know about Violet:

Parents:  Cesar Jones and Mary H Mitchell Jones

Born:  Onslow County, NC

Age when she died:  35 years old.

Siblings:  Caroline Jones, Louis Oliver Jones, Alexander Hamilton Jones (my 2nd great grandfather), William Henry Jones, and Elizabeth Jones.

Spouse:  Warren DeVaughn --I haven't been able to find a record of Violet and Warren's union yet. In fact, I haven't been able to find out anything other than his name and that he was dead as of June of 1880 when the census was taken.

Violet's occupation in 1880:  "Cook in hotel." She may have worked at the Atlantic Hotel in Morehead City. The original Atlantic Hotel was located in Beaufort, Carteret County, NC. That hotel was destroyed in August of 1879 by a hurricane. June 1880 was the new hotel's first season.

Violet Ann Jones Devaughn was mentioned in her mother's will. You can see what assets Mary Mitchell Jones left Violet and her other children here.

What happened to Violet's two children, M. J. Devaughn and Wm. H. Devaughn who were listed alongside their mother on the 1880 Federal census? Find out, on my next post.