Martin Erwin Brooks Jones History Sheet

 

The only candid photo I have of him. Taken by a family member and was found in my mother's (Carolita Jones Quillin) 

family photo album that she compiled in 1990.

Martin E.B. Jones

History Sheet 

Compiled by Nancy Quillin Long

Feb. 22, 2013

 

Sources:  Census Reports, interview with Martin Frank Jones, interview with Carolita Jones Quillin, letter from Dorothy Jones Autrey to Lucy Jones Day, letter from Robert “Bob” Jones to Lucy Jones Day

 

1845 --  Martin Erwin Brooks Jones was born on 21 Jan 1845 to Martin Jones and Keziah Busby in Shelby County, Alabama.  He was only 1 years old when his father died.  That meant that Martin Jones left Keziah with 2 small children so she returned home with her children, MEB and Charles, to live with her parents, Meredith (Marady) Hampton Busby and Mary Polly Brooks. 

 

Meredith Busby was listed as a preacher in the 1850 census when MEB was just 5 years old, so MEB found him to be a father figure and followed in his footsteps.   MEB became a Reverend also and farmed at certain intervals.  Martin Frank Jones (my uncle) remembers MEB as a very learned man.

 

1860 --  Keziah and her children, MEB and Charles, are found in the census living with her parents in Shelby County, Alabama.  Oddly, Charles is listed as insane.  I’m not sure what that means.  Later in some documents, Dorothy Autrey has him married to Mary Kelly.

 

In the letter written by Dorothy Autrey, it was stated that MEB was first married to M.C. Sadler and then divorced.  (I have not found any documentation of this.)

 

1867 --  MEB married Manerva Jane Seale on 3 Jan 1867 in Shelby County, Alabama.  Manerva is 5 years older than MEB.  They are found in the 1870 census with a 2 year old daughter, Mary K, and a 1 year old son, John Ervin.   Keziah is living with them as well as MEB’s older brother, Charles McLeod Jones.  Also in the household is a 14 year old nephew and Manerva’s 76 year old father Abraham Seale.   MEB was farming and the value of his real estate was 440, about double that of his neighbors.

 

1880 --  MEB and Manerva are still living in Columbiana, Shelby County, Alabama.  He is 35 years old and they now have 5 children.  Keziah is still living with them.  It appears that Manerva’s brother, Steven, lives next door with his wife and their 7 children.

 

1900 – MEB is 55 years old and living with Manerva (59 years old) in Tom Bean, Grayson County, Texas.   Their son, Burwell (18 years old) is still living with them.  MEB’s occupation is listed as minister.   He owns a home for which there is a mortgage.

 

MEB settled in Vernon for a short time, and Martin Frank told me that MEB knew my Papa McNair.  Papa was the District Missionary for Foard and Hardeman Counties.

 

1910 – MEB is 66 and living with Martin Harmon Jones and Mattie Bell in Foard County, Texas. His wife, Manerva, died in 1909.  Martin Harmon and Mattie Bell have 4 children: Albert (12), Joe C (8), Hugh (5), George (1).  MEB  is listed as a farmer on a general farm.

 

1920 – MEB is 75 and still living with Martin Harmon and Mattie Bell.  Children living with them are Joe C (17), Hugh (14), George (11), Lucy (1), Albert (21) and his wife Joicy (19).  Census says Martin Harmon is renting.   He is the employer; my guess is that he has a lease. 

 

Pappy (Joe Carroll Jones) put up Minerva and MEB’s tombstone.  Martin Frank remembers visiting MEB on the farm and a rooster flogged Martin Frank.  MEB knocked the rooster off…and that is the only memory that Martin has of MEB.   Martin Frank recalled that MEB and Minerva were missionaries to the Indians in Oklahoma (possibly to Indians in Alabama as well.)

 

Martin Frank said there was another Martin Jones after the Martin Jones who married Keziah Busby.  That older Martin was born in the 1700’s.  (I have not found anything to document this.)  Neither of those Martin’s could read and write.  Martin Frank said that he has an old trunk somewhere with a slip of paper with a payment for Keziah.   On that slip of paper there is mention of Martin Jones (her husband) and his father, another Martin Jones.  There is some sort of signature on that paper relating those two Martin’s.