I think I have some information for you. First let me tell you that I grew up in Eliasville; my family having come there in 1884. My brother and his children still till the soil that our great grandfather worked so hard to obtain. In 1958 a man named Tom Cunningham (no relation to my husband, however) wrote a book called the Story of Eliasville. He was diligent in finding living ancestors and getting information from them before they died. None of this is documented because he got it by interviewing people. I will be forever grateful to Tom for this book. It has been out of print for many years, but I am fortunate enough to have a copy. In it is information about Wiley Jones. My wonderful years of elementary school were spent in the Eliasville schools, my father and grandfather both having graduated from EHS. I am pleased to know more about Wiley Jones who was apparently quite instrumental in establishing the school there.
page 8:
"Wiley Jones from Ellis County came in 1877 to become one of the most versatile citizens of the new town as stock-farmer, merchant, and schoolteacher."
page 13:
"Wiley Jones, who brought his family from Ellis County in 1877, added his general store to the growing center."
page 33:
"The first teacher in Eliasville was Mr. Wiley Jones who had come to Eliasville in 1877. That fall he set up a school in a one-room cabin on the Gus Long place a half mile south of town. This school, which was under the 'Community School System', in the state when little if any help was available from the school funds, was probably supported by subscriptions from the patrons."
page 56:
"Aunt Sallie Donnell relates the events surrounding the first Sunday School in Eliasville: Before the erection of the old mill and its water-power dam in 1878, her father-in-law, Mr. James D. Donnell, 1877, organized the first community Sunday School under the shade of the large pecan trees beside the water fall where the dam now is. That fall, when cold weather came, a more permanent organization was effected in a log cabin on the Gus Long place. This time the three leading citizens of the community shared inunion organization: Mr. Wiley P. Jones, Mr. Elias DeLong, and Mr. James. D. Donnell. Mr. Jones was chosen superintendent, and for some five years this Sunday School carried on, with only an occasional visiting minister dropping in to preach for them. About the year 1882 the rock school house was erected and religious work in the community became centered there, and continued to be for about 20 years. This never-to-be-forgotten "meeting house" with its dual religious and educational function may be described as the mental and spiritual incubator of the idealism which has made Eliasville the unique Community it was. From the simplest ABCs of its school to the deepest soul-searching messages of its preachers, this old rock house on the hill was the symbol of the finest and best life had to offer. Its every stone, its school furniture, every picture on the wall, even every board in its floor, emanated an aura of sacred meaning which complletely captivated our young hearts, lending a tone to our lives which shall never leave us as long as we live." (gc note: I have a photo of this school on the hill. The school is gone now. I would be happy to get a copy of the photo to you.)
page 104:
The Jones Family
Wiley P. Jones (b. 1844) and Harriet Anderson Gilmore Jones were married in 1866 in Ellis County. They settled on the Clear Fork about two miles below Eliasville in 1877. He was versatile enough to raise cattle, operate a store, and teach school. His family and hired help must have assisted him greatly. He became the first teacher in the community school held in a small hut on the Gus Long place south of town, and on Sundays he was the first superintendent of the Union Sunday School in the same little hut. His pupils were the older Baldwins, Donnells, Dawses, Parrotts, Hugheses, Longs, DeLongs, Pratts, Hills, and others. The Jones couple had three children: Johnny, Cora, and Will. Cora was burned to death in Eliasville at the age of 13." (gc note: I had never heard about Cora being burned; however, Eliasville burned down 3 different times over those years and into the oil boom days, and was rebuilt each time. I have photos of the building days. I have a photo of my grandfather as a pupil, but I don't know if Wiley P. Jones is in them or not. Would you recognize him?)
page 109:
"Susie Milam married C.T. Jones, and their daughter, Cora Sue, married H.T. Wilkinson of Weinert. Susie's son, Captain Stanley Milam Jones, lost his life in World War II when his plane went down at sea." (gc note: I put this in here because of the reference to "Cora". It is possible these were some descendents of Wiley Jones.)
page 20:
"Lloyd Jones operates the only general store in the town today." (gc note: I put this in here because I knew Lloyd when I was a little kid. If you find you are related to him, let me know; I have stories I can tell you about him. He was the son of Albert Milton Jones and Desdamona Mobley. Albert Milton Jones was the son of J. R. Jones and Nancy Malissa Madole. Albert Milton Jones is buried in Stoker Cemetery. Malissa Madole was born Jan. 2, 1834, died July 11, 1907 and is buried in Eliasville Cemetery where Lloyd is buried. Now here is another connection: Madoles were related to the Taylors, who are my kin, and there are Taylors buried in Stoker Cemetery. Whew, is this as clear as mud?)
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Not related, but for your information:
From the Stephens County Rural Cemetery book:
Wiley B. Jones
Oct. 14, 1907
Aug. 1, 1973
Tex PFC US Army WWII
There are 3 placed reserved for "Jones" next to him, and next to that
are 3 placed reserved for "Kuhn".
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Here is another side note: I live in Arlington, Texas. A Mr. Dunlop recently catalogued all the cemeteries in Tarrant County, put them in 3 big 3-ring binders and donated his only copy to the Arlington Public Library. I was there Saturday, and it wasn't on the shelf because they were making a copy in case the library copy got destroyed. They said it should be ready in a few weeks. I am anxiously awaiting it. If you will send me the names you think were buried in Tarrant County, I will look them up for you. I go to Graham about once a month, but don't usually get to do genealogy. I hope to do some research this summer. Let me know how I can help you up there in Alaska, and I will try. I am hoping this will be an exciting bunch of information for you. This is why I do volunteer lookups...I have had people do the same for me, and it thrills me to find information for people.
One more thought. I am in the process of transcribing my grandfather's journal that he wrote in 1896(the older Pratt who could have been a pupil of Wiley Jones), and will let you know if I run across a reference to him.
Georgia Pratt CunninghamHome
