Martha Jones was born in N. Sassafras Parish, Cecil County Maryland about 1764. The parish centered on St. Stephens Anglican Church, a lovely church in Earleville Maryland on the Eastern shore.   Her parents were  Jacob Jones and Augustine "Leney" Currer.   They lived on a plantation, None so Good in Finland, on the north side of the Sassafras River on banks of a Back Creek branch.  .

In the Cecil County Historical Society library Surname File on Currier there is a letter from Mrs. Oliver M. Currier of Havre de Grace, Maryland dated 1975.  In it she describes a Sermon Book given to  Mrs. Loreen Buffum Robinson of Long Beach CA.  The Sermon Book was given to Mrs. Robinson by a 95 year old cousin.  “The Sermon Book is the remains of a book of sermons preached by a Currier preacher in England at the time of Cromwell.  Augustine Currier Jones used this book as a family bible.The birth, death and wedding dates noted above and those of the children of Jacob and Augustine are all found in the Sermon Book. Mrs. Robinson had already sent the genealogical sheets and sermons to the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore in 1975. Cecil County has copies of the family notes made in the Sermon Book.  Below are the listing of the first three children.

"John Currer Jones born March 30, 1761,
Millicent Currer Jones August 14, 1762
 Martha Jones is in the Sermon Book but date is unreadable.  It is written just after Millicent so assume about 1764.

Augustine Currer Jones died just after giving birth to her last child Nov 1770.  Martha would have been just 6 years old with 4 younger children to help take care of.   For some reason in spring of 1773, maybe financial, Jacob left the family estate under the care of a relative, Alphonso Comegys and went.....somewhere??  for some reason?   Then in Dec. 1774 he sells the plantation to Comegys and moves his family to Duck Creek, in Kent County Delaware.  Cecil County Land Records Vol 14, p. 41.

Duck Creek is not very far from None So Good in Finland, about 20 miles.   There he married Rachel Fields, a recent widow, with 2 children plus 4 children born to her husband and his first wife.  Jacob and Rachel were married by beginning of 1776 and possible earlier. Now there are 13 children in the family and by end of year Rachel has Joseph Jones by Jacob.

Martha Jones  married Joseph  Greenwood by March 1777. She was named in her father's will as Martha Greenwood and it is dated March 28, 1777.  She would have been a very young bride. Her new husband was just 20 years old.  Kent County Marriage Records found in the Delaware Archives A27, page 192.  Martha apparently took over the care of Joseph Jones, Rachel's new baby.  for when Jacob Jones final Probate was finalized, Delaware Probate Record, Aug 27, 1790, Martha Jones Greenwood received her portion of the final distribution AND the portion for Joseph Jones as "they have raised him from one day old to present".   The family was living in North Carolina by this time and Joseph Jones was still with them.

For the first 3 years of their married life, Joseph Greenwood was actively engaged in the Revolutionary War regiments.  So even though she is a married woman, it is quite probably that she was living with or near the Jones' large household. It is possible that she took Joseph Jones with her to live with the Greenwood family south of Duck Creek,near present day Harrington, De. I would think that less likely.  We also know she was married early as she was listed as Martha Greenwood in the will of Jacob Jones as one of his children. His will is in Probate Records, Kent County Delaware 1777.

Joseph Greenwood was a member of Colonel John Haslet's Delaware Regiment. He served for one year after enlisting on January 15, 1776. From June to December of 1777 he served in the Delaware Militia under Colonel William Rhodes. He was home for Christmas, but he entered the Maryland Militia in January 1778 as a substitute for a term of two months. The MD Militia held a draft, Joseph must have replaced someone who had been drafted but could not complete the term. This information is found in the Revolutionary War Pension Record of Joseph Greenwood.

When the Revolution was over Joseph moved his family to Rowan County, NC. They lived there from about 1785 to 1797. The 1790 Census of Rowan County NC roll 637_7, Image 17 actual page says "327" has him listed in the Salisbury District.  The family consisted of Joseph > 16, 3 males under 16 and 5 females:                                  APPROXIMATE AGE
Joseph Greenwood         male       >16            35
Martha J. Greenwood    female                      26
William Greenwood        male        <16           10
Margaret Greenwood     female                        8
Nancy Greenwood           female                        5
Jane Greenwood              female                        2
unknown son                     male          <16           ?   probably closer to age of 1 based on the 1809 census
unknown daughter            female                         ?
Joseph Jones                     male         <16          14

 Rowan County Land Records shows he purchased 90 acres on July 9, 1796. He sold it in two parts on October 19, 1797. This is halfway between Greensboro and Charlotte. They had at least one daughter, Martha "Patsy" born in Rowan county Feb. 9, 1794.

The family next moved to Lincoln County Kentucky and lived there for 6 years .Kentucky Land Owners, 1787 - 1811 lists Joseph Greenwood on the tax list from 1799 to 1803.   During the time in Kentucky, their two eldest children, William and Margaret were married and stayed in Kentucky when Joseph and Martha moved on to Wilson County Tennessee. The Index to Early Tennessee Tax List shows Joseph Greenwood in 1804 paying taxes in Wilson County,  Here their next two daughters, Nancy and Jane married.

By 1807 Joseph Greenwood had moved on to Indian land which was to become Huntsville, Madison County, Mississippi Territory.  According to the Madison County Website,  "The first white settlers entered the area in 1804. The area was previously inhabited by Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians. The county seat was established at Huntsville."  It is less than a hundred miles due south from Wilson County, TN.  After a survey by Thomas Freeman it became the Mississippi Territory on 12/13/1808.

The 1809 Madison County Census was published in an edition of Valley Leaves, a publication of the Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society based out of Huntsville. However, it contains only the name of head of household. Joseph Greenwood is listed
1 male < 21          probably the unknown son of the 1790 census
2 males > 21        Joseph now 54,   maybe Joseph Jones - we don't know his story,
 3 females < 21    Patsy now 15, and 2 unknown daughters (one born in NC. the other probably in KY)
1 female > 21.     Martha, now 45  

Martha Greenwood is never mentioned after the birth of Patsy in 1794, but there is no indication that she had died or that Joseph remarried.

So the children attributed to Joseph and Martha Greenwood are:
1. William Greenwood born about 1780 in Delaware married Elizabeth Evans 1800 in Lincoln County KY
  Elizabeth died without leaving any children.  Our William married Rutha Clampett on August 5, 1806 in    Lincoln Ct. from Lincoln County Kentucky Marriage Index  Her family were also Delaware.
2. Margaret Greenwood born about 1782, married John Boren(Boring) 1802 in Lincoln County KY . re Lincoln County Wedding Certificate sent by Lincoln County Ky clerk.  I have a copy should you like one CONTACT US. My thanks to Cathy L'Altrelli
3. Nancy Greenwood born about 1785, married William Anderson 1807 in Wilson County Tennessee .
4. Jane Greenwood born about 1788, married William Hartgroves 1808 in Wilson County Tennessee .
5. Martha "Patsy" Greenwood born Feb 9, 1794 in Rowan County, NC wed July 23, 1809 in Madison County, Mississippi Territory to Henry Loy.
6.  unknown boy on 1790 Census
7.  unknown duaghter on 1790 & 1809 Census
8.  unknown daughter on 1809 Census

We believed Martha Jones Greenwood died sometime between the 1809 Census and 1814. Most likely in the Mississippi Territory.  In 1814 Joseph Greenwood married a second time.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

If you know the answer please CONTACT US.

Maier_Associates: © Copyright 2024

Doc; gxjon010
Last Saved on: 12/19/2008
Edited 8/2/2018
Edited 1/29/2022
Date edtied 11/7/2024