One of the first things you might find odd regarding Thomas Jones and Lavinia Young is that they both were born on May 14. The next thing that was kind of different about them was that their respective families intermarried so much that it was damn near impossible to tell who's who without a program. But then again they both came from colonists and where they lived, there weren't a lot of options. All they had was each other's families for miles and miles away. Two recorded events of first cousins marrying surely were brought about for the same reason.

But Thomas and Lavinia Young Jones and children were a solid, well respected family held in high esteem among their peers and the public in general.  Thomas was a good, shrewd businessman who provided for his family in the kind fashion.  Not only were they well respected in business and in the church, but they were philanthropists with a great reputation for never turning any needy person away from their plantation. Read below to find out some interesting facts about this fine family

Birth: May 14, 1802
Screven County Georgia, USA
Death: Feb. 24, 1869
Thomas County Georgia, USA

Thomas Jones married Lavinia Young (daughter of William Young and Mary Henderson) in Sept. 1826. They moved to Thomas county in March, 1827, and in 1839 Thomas and Lavinia Jones began building "Greenwood Plantation" and continued for nine years. Thomas Jones was one of the large planters in the Thomas County area. It is recorded that he bought nine slaves in 1839 for $10,000.(In 2015 dollars that is $242,549.00!) Under the direction of John Wind, an English architect, they built Greenwood, one of the great examples of Classical Revival architecture.

Thomas and Lavinia had nine children, James Young, Mary Elizabeth, Francis Remer, Harriet Lavenia. Thomas William, Susan Estelle, Henry Francis, Florence and Martha Tallulah. Their first son, James Young Jones, served in the Florida House of Representatives in 1861, 1862 and 1863. Also, they were the direct ancestors of a Florida Governor, Thomas LeRoy Collins 1955-1961; as well as Dr. Thomas Capers Jones of Suwannee Gables on the Suwannee River in Old Town, Florida, and is buried at Old Town Cemetery.

Their son, Adj. Henry Francis Jones was killed in action as a member of Cobb's Cavalry. His body was returned home to be buried in the family cemetery at Greenwood. Also buried there is a Northern soldier, who came here as a prisoner of war, was taken from the hospital and cared for at Greenwood for almost a year before he died. (Some writers say he was left sick on the porch of Greenwood). The Jones family got letters through the lines to his family in Paris, Maine, and informed them that he was buried in the Jones Cemetery at Greenwood. Many years later, while on a trip, some of the Jones descendants detoured by his family's home and was given the letter they had kept so many years.

Thomas Jones died in 1867 and his widow held the plantation together for another twenty years. One of the very last things Lavinia Young Jones did when she sold her home was to have her carriage brought around, filled with fire wood and burned. She said she'd be damned before she'd see a yankee riding in her carriage. At least I know where we got our tenacity!

Spouse:
Lavinia Young Jones (1810 - 1891)

Children:
James Young Jones (1827 - 1877)*
Mary Elizabeth Jones Chaires (1830 - 1854)*
Francis Remer Jones (1831 - 1833)*
Harriett Lavinia Jones Brandon (1833 - 1893)*
Susan Estelle Jones (1835 - 1854)*
Thomas William Jones (1839 - 1894)*
Henry Francis Jones (1841 - 1864)*
Florence Jones Vaughn (1844 - 1896)*
Martha Jones Davis (1846 - 1934)*

Burial:
Greenwood Plantation Cemetery
Thomasville, Thomas County, Georgia, USA

Find A Grave Memorial# 21594540