The story of the Jones brothers, John Washington and Thomas, begins in Granville County. Their parents were Angus Jones and Malissa Beasley, married on Christmas Day of 1879 in Walnut Grove Township, Granville County.¹Family Search: “North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP9Y-2X4W : 10 March 2021), Angus Bailey and Malissa Beasley, 25 Dec 1879; citing Granville, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm. The young married couple are found there in the 1880 census, Angus working on a farm and Malissa keeping house.²Year: 1880; Census Place: Walnut Grove, Granville, North Carolina; Roll: 964; Page: 449A; Enumeration District: 103. Ancestry.com and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 1880 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. 1880 U.S. Census Index provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints © Copyright 1999 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. All use is subject to the limited use license and other terms and conditions applicable to this site. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/13137892:6742 : accessed 21 May 2013. Original data: Tenth Census of the United States, 1880. (NARA microfilm publication T9, 1,454 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. John Washington Jones was their oldest son, born 1 May 1881.³John Jones headstone: Geer Cemetery (800 Colonial St, Durham, NC), photographed by Open Durham, 18 Apr 2020. Used by permission. Thomas Jones appears to have been their youngest, born 12 June 1894.⁴Thomas Jones death certificate: Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Death Certificates, 1909-1976 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1250348:1121 : accessed 24 May 2013. Original data: North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. North Carolina Death Certificates. Microfilm S.123. Rolls 19-242, 280, 313-682, 1040-1297. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. In between the couple had four other children, three of which lived long enough to be documented in records: two sons William and George and a daughter Beatrice. Sometime between 1894 and 1900 the family moved south to Durham, likely looking for better economic opportunities. The family is found in the 1900 Census, renting a home in the Hayti neighborhood on E. Proctor Street. Malissa is listed as married, but Angus is not listed with the family.⁵Year: 1900; Census Place: Durham, Durham, North Carolina; Roll: 1193; Page: 24; Enumeration District: 0031. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/68146590:7602 : accessed 21 May 2013. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls. It is uncertain if he died before the family moved to Durham or shortly after, as he is listed as deceased in a 1907 marriage record for John.⁶John Jones marriage license: Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1793242:60548 : accessed 21 May 2013. Original data: North Carolina County Registers of Deeds. Microfilm. Record Group 048. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC.

Malissa found work as a laundry woman, Beatrice as a maid in a private home and, like many other African Americans who moved to Durham, the sons found work in the tobacco mills.⁷Various years of Durham city directories, 1902–1914. John was also listed in one city directory working as a clerk at the grocery owned by noted Durham black businessman CC Spaulding.⁸Durham, NC Directory 1903-1904 (Durham, NC: Hill Directory Company, 1903-1904) p. 140, search for “508 Fayetteville”; digital image, “North Carolina City Directories,” DigitalNC (https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/25135 : accessed 26 May 2023). In September of 1907 Malissa and son John purchased a plot of land at the corner of Markham and New Streets, with the address 102 New Street—later 902 Ebony Street, then 902 Mason Street.⁹Durham County Deed Book 265: 549.
(https://rodweb.dconc.gov/web/search/DOCSEARCH5S1) The house no longer exists, but today would sit just east of the intersection of Roxboro Street and Memphis Street in Hayti. That same month, John married Louise Kenneday in Durham.¹⁰John Jones marriage license. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Charles Mayes of the Missionary Baptist Church. Louise was from Wilmington, but unfortunately nothing more is known about her. John passed away less than a year later, on 10 March 1908, at the age of 26. His passing occurred before the advent of death certificates, so our only knowledge of this event comes from his still-standing headstone.¹¹John Jones headstone. Thomas died four years to the day later, on 10 March 1912, at the age of 17, from pneumonia.¹²Thomas Jones death certificate. His death certificate records his burial in “City Cemetery” (the common name for Geer), but no headstone remains to mark where he rests. Their short lives are an unfortunate testament to the challenging health conditions many African Americans faced in both neighborhoods and workplaces.

Malissa would outlive her youngest son by 20 years, passing away in 1931 of uterine cancer.¹³Malissa Jones death certificate: Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Death Certificates, 1909-1976 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1268875:1121 : accessed 24 May 2013. Original data: North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. North Carolina Death Certificates. Microfilm S.123. Rolls 19-242, 280, 313-682, 1040-1297. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina. She was buried in Beechwood Cemetery, which had opened in the 1920s due to other African American cemeteries like Geer reaching capacity, which sadly prevented her from being laid to rest next to John and Thomas. However, two of her other children, William and Beatrice, would eventually follow her in death and interment in Beechwood—William in 1955 and Beatrice in 1962.¹⁴Wm. Jones death certificate: Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Death Certificates, 1909-1976 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007 https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/877800:1121 : accessed 25 May 2013. Original data: North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. North Carolina Death Certificates. Microfilm S.123. Rolls 19-242, 280, 313-682, 1040-1297. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Beatrice Jones death certificate: Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Death Certificates, 1909-1976 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007. https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1092094:1121 : accessed 25 May 2013. Original data: North Carolina State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics. North Carolina Death Certificates. Microfilm S.123. Rolls 19-242, 280, 313-682, 1040-1297. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Neither Thomas nor John had any offspring to carry on the family lineage. The only grandchild Malissa would have (and help raise) was Alphonso, Beatrice’s son.¹⁵Beatrice Jones death certificate. It does not appear Alphonso had any children, however, meaning no descendants of this family could be found.

JOHN W. JONES

BORN: 1 May 1881.¹⁷John Jones headstone.

DIED: 10 March 1908.¹⁸John Jones headstone.

BIRTH PLACE: Granville County.¹⁹1900 US Census Durham.

DEATH PLACE: Durham NC.²⁰Inferred from death date.

SPOUSE: Louise Kenneday.²¹John Jones marriage license.

PARENTS: Angus Jones and Malissa Beasley.²²1900 US Census Durham.

CHILDREN: N/A

OTHER FAMILY: Brothers William and George and sister Beatrice.²³1900 US Census Durham.

FAMILY BURIED IN GEER CEMETERY: Brother Thomas.

OCCUPATION: Tobacco worker.²⁴1900 US Census Durham.

CHURCH: N/A

AFFILIATIONS: N/A

ADDRESS: 102 New Street. ²⁵Durham County Deed Book 265: 549.

MILITARY SERVICE: N/A

THOMAS JONES

BORN: 12 June 1894. ²⁶Thomas Jones death certificate.

DIED: 10 March 1912.²⁷Thomas Jones death certificate.

BIRTH PLACE: Granville County.²⁸1900 US Census Durham.

DEATH PLACE: Durham NC.²⁹Thomas Jones death certificate.

SPOUSE: N/A

PARENTS: Angus Jones and Malissa Beasley.³⁰1900 US Census Durham.

CHILDREN: N/A

OTHER FAMILY: Brothers William and George and sister Beatrice.³¹1900 US Census Durham.

FAMILY BURIED IN GEER CEMETERY: Brother John W.

OCCUPATION: Tobacco worker.³²1900 US Census Durham.

CHURCH: N/A

AFFILIATIONS: N/A

ADDRESS: 102 New Street.³³Thomas Jones death certificate.

MILITARY SERVICE: N/A