Corporal William R. Jones
Confederate States of America
Company G, 31st Regiment, Georgia Infantry
March 24, 2017 - Born approximately 1841 in Gwinnett County, Georgia, William R. Jones grew up with three brothers, Patrick, Sam and Joel and two sisters, Matilda and Susan. With their parents, they lived in Walker County, Georgia through the census of 1860.
The American Civil War had been raging for eight months when William traveled to Savannah, George and enlisted on December 16th, 1861 with Company G., 31st Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Confederate States of America. In mid-June, 1862 the 31st moved from Georgia to Virginia where they participated in their first battle called “Battle of Gaines’ Mill”. They took on 170 casualties and one of their commanders, Colonel Clement Evans was wounded. Corporal Jones and the 31st would participate in 14 more battles including Gettysburg before he would be captured on April 6th, 1865 by Union Forces at the battle of High Bridge that was a crossing of the Appomattox River near Farmville, Virginia. He remained a prisoner at Newport News, Virginia until his release on June 25th, 1865. To secure his release Corporal Jones had to sign the Oath of Allegiance, also called a Loyalty Oath that pledged loyalty and allegiance to the Union.
Sometime after the war ended on May 9, 1865, William Jones took up residence in Alabama. During the year of 1873 he married a young lady named Addie Turner. Sons William, David, Jessie and Andrew were born by the 1880 census that showed them living in Sandy Ridge, Lowndes County, Alabama as farmers. His mother-in-law, Elizabeth Turner also lived with them.
In the year 1885, William, age 44 and his family that now also included a daughter, Allie arrived in Choice, Shelby County, Texas. This was the same year that the Shelby County Courthouse was completed. They lived on a farm as many did then and on March 27th, 1887 their last child was born, a daughter they named Georgia, probably in honor of the state William was born. The 1900 census placed them in Precinct 2, Shelby County, Texas, William now 59 and wife Addie 55.
Four years later wife and mother Addie would pass away on December 11th, 1904. October 28th, 1906 William at the age of 65 saw his youngest daughter Georgia marry Isaiah Richardson Hughes. At the age of 72, William applied for and received a Soldier’s Pension for serving in the Civil War. It was approved on September 1, 1913 to be effective December 1st, 1913. The amount of the pension was not disclosed on the approving document but whatever the amount I am sure it was a big help.
William R. Jones, Civil War Veteran lived in Shelby County, Texas for 37 years before his passing on January 19th, 1922 at the home of his son William in Choice, Texas at the age of 81. He was survived by five sons and two daughters. Two days later William applied to the State of Texas for a Mortuary Warrant. This was a Texas document used to confirm the death of a Civil War pensioner and to assist in their funeral expenses. The warrant listed the total expenses for the burial as $55.00. Records do not state how much the family received but the warrant form states that it will not be issued for more than $30.00.
William and Addie Jones rest in the Short Cemetery, Shelby County, Texas as do two sons and a daughter. Two other sons are known to be buried in Oaklawn Memorial Park. William served his cause, raised a family and lived a long life.
The Civil War Campaign Medal is considered the first campaign service medal of the United States Military. This decoration was first authorized in 1905 for the 40th anniversary of the Civil War’s end. The blue and gray ribbon denotes the respective uniform colors. The medal was then established by the US War Department on January 21st, 1907 by General Orders Number 12. To qualify a soldier must have served in the Confederate or Union Armies between April 15, 1861 and April 9, 1865.
(Sources: Civil War in the East.com, March, 2017; National Park Service, nps.gov/civilwar, March 2017; Wikipedia, Battle of High Bridge, March, 2017; Fold3, March, 2017)
