| Notes |
- "Thomas Jones came from south-east England and emigrated with Henry Whitfield's company. He signed the 'plantation covenant' aboard ship, 1 June 1639. Jones settled at Guilford with Whitfield, and became a member of the church Whitfield gathered. Jones was elected as the first marshall of the plantation, and re-appointed annually until 17 June 1650, when another was chosen 'to succeed in his room in that office when he removes'. Henry Whitfield had already resolved to go back to England, and had presented his reasons formally to the Guilford church on 20 February 1649/50. At that point Jones signalled his willingness to continue payment to a minister. However, he and others in Guilford (notably Samuel Desborough) were now also contemplating departure. When Jones was next elected marshall, on 9 June 1651, provision was again made for the time 'when Providence shall remove him'. On 10 June 1652 someone else took his place. Jones went to England c. 1652, and may have joined Samuel Desborough in Scotland. William Leete, writing on 10 October 1654 to Desborough at Leith, asked him to 'remember my respects to Mr Jones'. Jones died soon after this: on 10 March 1654/5 John Davenport reported that 'Mrs Disborough, and Goodman Jones, of Gillford, dyed of the small poxe in England or Scotland'. Jones's children were still in New England. On 12 June 1656, his stepdaughter Mary Carter demanded £40 from his estate, which was paid to her. This left estate in New England valued at only £1 3s 8d for Jones's three other children, Samuel, Nathaniel and Sarah. Nathaniel Jones of Branford died in 1668, leaving £52 6s, of which £45 15s was due to him as portion of his father's will in England. On 4 March 1667/8 William Chittenden registered a sale of Jones's property from the early 1650s, made with permission of Jones's son Samuel. Chittenden had arrived in Guilford in 1639 with Jones and acted as his agent after he left." [Abandoning America, citation details below.]
From "Thomas Jones of Guilford, Connecticut," citation details below:
Thomas Jones was one of the pioneer settlers of Guilford, and came with Mr. Whitfield. His name is sixth on the plantation Covenant, signed 1 June 1639, on the passage of Mr. Whitfield’s company to Guilford. He was evidently a young man, and probably was a relation of William Jones of New Haven. He appears to have been the first Marshal at Guilford, and have held that office without a dissenting vote. Perhaps he was not married when he came to Guilford, though this is not certain. He married a Mrs. Mary Carter, probably a widow, with a daughter, Mary Carter, who subsequently married Samuel Ward of Branford, 1 January 1658.
He was a witness in the first court, 15 August 1645, and was chosen or rather reappointed Marshal at a court held 7 October 1646. To this office he was annually rechosen until 17 June 1650, when George Bartlett was chosen 'to succeed in his room in that office when he removes,' Thomas Jones to retain office until then. On 8 June 1651, 'George Bartlett was chosen to succeed brother Jones in the Marshal’s place, when Providence shall remove him.' Before 10 June 1652, he had removed, and John Fowler was chosen Marshal. He left his property and family in Guilford, and may have intended to return. His wife died 16 September 1650, and probably soon afterward his place was sold and transferred to John Meigs. The deed was given many years later, however, on 4 March 1667/8, by Lieutenant William Chittenden, 'the said Thomas Jones’s Agent.' Thomas Jones had died many years before that date. Mr. Davenport, in a letter to Governor John Winthrop, Junior, dated about 10 March 1655, wrote as follows: 'Mr. Disborough and Goodman Jones died lately of the small pox in England or Scotland.'
Thomas Jones evidently came to Guilford for a more free exercise of his religious and perhaps political opinions, and returned to England when his friends came in power. When Mr. Whitfield tendered his reasons to the Church of Guilford, Feb. 20, 1649-50, for his removal, and enquiry was made of every man concerning his particular ability in paying to the ministers for the present, and in probability to continue according to ordinary providence, 'Thomas Jones professed his willingness and hoped to be able to continue his present payments.'
His home lot lay next that of John Bishop, on the east side of the Green, and he held in addition 6 acres of upland and swamp near by, 4½ acres of upland in the East Creek Quarter, and 5½ acres of marsh land there. In the Neck he held 9¾ acres of upland, and also owned 8 acres of marsh at 'Salt-holes.'
On 12 June 1656, Mary Carter demanded £40 sterling from Thomas Jones’s estate, which the court ordered to be paid her. This sum consumed all the inventory but £1-03-08, which was ordered to be kept for the children.
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Nielsen Hayden genealogy
- Bef 1655
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