Submitted By:  Rita Parker

Jones, Powers and Davis Clans of South America, Bell County Kentucky

by Rita M Parker 

John Jones was born in 1822 in Whitley County, Kentucky. I have found no documents that conclusively identify his parents. John and his children lived near Wylie Jones (b 22 Dec 1823) whose father was said to be Jesse Jones of  LimestoneCreek, Whitley County Kentucky. It is very likely John's father was a close relation to this Jesse Jones (b abt 1799 in Franklin? North Carolina). 

John's wife Sarah Powers was born and raised on Patterson Creek north of Jellico, Tennessee in Whitley Vo Kentucky. Sarah's father was James Powers (b 1784, Virginia). Sarah's  grandfather was early Kentucky settler, Eliakim Powers (b about 1760 Prince William Edwards Co, Virginia). By 1830 the Powers' had migrated from Virginia and settled near Nancy Jones (widow of William Jones and brother to wealthy businessman Simon Peter Jones).  After the 1840 census the James Powers family  moved a few miles east along the Poplar River near the Jesse Jones Limestone Creek homested close to what are now Knox and Bell Counties, Kentucky. 

In February 1845 John and Sallie rode over the rugged Log Mountain to obtain thier marriage license in Claiborne County, Tennessee. On Feb 19, 1845 John Jones and Sarah "Sallie" Powers were married. According to their first child, George's birth date, Sarah was 6 months pregnant at the time of their marriage. According to Emmaline Jone's 1874 birth record her Grandparents had lived in Bell County when her father George was born. 

John and Sarah's Children 

By the 1850 census John and Sarah and their children George (b 05 May 1845 ), Sirilda (14 Apr 1847) and Riley (1848) had settled near Sarah's brother, George Powers in what in now Frakes / Pearl, Bell County Kentucky. 

By 1846 George Powers had bought land on Laurel Fork. Shortly thereafter he became the first postmaster of what was known as South America on the E Fuson estate(around Frakes). 

According to Elmer Fusion's history of Bell County, George Powers (b. 03 Jan 1822) was also known as "Wolley" due to his wild apprearance. Fuson wrote:

"Once a little girl met "Wooley" on the road and was frightened by his strange appearance. He kindly reassured her." Fusion also mentioned the "modern"  2-story clapboard houses Wolley and his sons built. (Apparantly they were some of the first is this remote region of Bell County.One of the houses was built by Berry Powers and sold to Manse Partin.) 

By the 1860 census John and Sarah were enumerated with 5 more children: Bob or "Wylie", Nelly, Sylvia, and John Jr.  According to these records they owned the land they farmed. They lived between Maden Bryant and  Shelton Partin. 

On  10 Feb 1867 George  married Elizabeth Davis, in her father John Davis' home. The Whitley Co Marriage Record shows John and CJ Lambkin were the witnesses. George and Sarah were married by Baptist minister Benager "BA" Peace. 

Elizabeth's father, John Rains Davis (b25 May 1822, died 17 Mar 1911 Fonde, Bell Co Ky) was a son of Preston Davis (b abt 1800) and Grandson of early Bell County pioneer, Richard Davis (b abt 1760, North Carolina). At his death in 1815 Richard owned about 2000 acres in the Gap area of Bell County. Elizabeth's mother was Emaline Partin. 

Shortly after George and Elizabeth's marriage, George's sister Gemima married. Jones researcher Ken Lintott writes of daugher Gemima's marriage: 

 "Marriage bond between Green Reynolds 21 and Gemima Jones 16, Oct. 29, 1868. Surety was Daniel Powers (Gemima's uncle) Her parents, John and Sarah were from "makmin" (?)  Marriage took place at Sarah Jones 'and Sarah gave written consent for marriage." 

Gemima had given birth to Green's baby, Lafayette on September 24, 1868. 

The Death of John Jones 

The 1870 census shows Sarah Jones living with John Jr and her youndest son, Frank who was born in 1862. According to this census Sarah was widowed. Military records do not indicate that John served in the Civil War; and Sarah never applied for a widows pension. John was killed between 1860 and 1868 when daughter Gemima married. 

Distant Jones kin, Rhonda Chesnett described the her ancestor killing a local (possibly kin?) man in the 1860's. She wrote: 

"One night after church in Whitney County, Kentucky, he (General Jones, son of William Jones b abt 1818) helped a lady onto her horse. His hand inadvertantly touched the ankle of her boot. Later that night, her husband got drunk and came after my great grandfather with a gun.

Captain Jones and great grandma (?) ran into their 2 story house. The lady's husband started shooting at the house. Captain Jones pulled out his gun and shot the man from the second story window.

He and his wife carried the man into their house and placed him in bed. They then went and got his wife and brought her to their house. That night they collected their things and moved to Talequaha (Oklahoma) before he could be arrested."  

Is it possible John Jones was killed by a cousin to maintain the dignity of his wife?  Family researchers have assumed that such an ending to his life is possible, especially given the criminal behavior of John and Sarah's oldest son, George. 

Murders of Jones In-Laws 

According to a March 31, 2007 e-mail  from Bill Reynolds (Green and Gemima Jones Renyolds descendant) to Ken Lintott:

"Gemima was 14 years old when first son, Lafayette was born in 1868. After Lafayette was born, Green Reynolds married Gemima at the home of Gemima's mother, Sarah Jones. Gemima's husband, Green Reynolds, disappeared sometime after August, 1870. I was told that Green went up into the hills one day and never came back. (Story told by Fayette Reynolds, Lafayette's son). 

During the August 16, 1870 census Green Reynolds is found living with his sister, Nancy Henderson and her family near Pineville. 

Bill Reynolds states in an e-mail of  April 2, 2007

"My ancestors still say that Green Reynolds disappeared and it is possible that he was murdered after leaving Gemima. I have always believe that he was forced to marry her because he got her pregnant and she had a baby (my great grandfather Lafayette) and that he wanted out so he up and left after 1870." 

Gemima and all her brothers were not enumerated in South America in 1870 using thier given names. In 1874 Gemima married Levi "Lee" Davis and had at least 8 children. 

The next family member who was murdered was George's first wife Elizabeth's siter, Sarah, husband Speedwell Powers (father Jerry Powers).  On September 4, 1878 Speed was killed by a gunshot wound.  Speedwell's widow, and George's sister-in-law,  Sarah Davis eventually married George's brother Robert "Wylie" Jones. Sarah and Bob's  first child and son was names George. 

George's Brothers Bob and Riley Jones 

Bob aka Wylie Jones married Caroline "Mandy" Davis March19, 1874. Mandy's father, Henry was Robert's maternal great-uncle Bob and Mandy had 3 children:  Matilda, Hester and John Henry. Bob left Mandy artound 1880. Bob then "married?" Sarah Davis Powers, George's sister-in-law. Bob and Sarah had 8 known children. Bob died 27 September 1930. Sarah died 16 Jan 1924. Both are buried in the Fusin Cemetery road 3483 off  route 1595. 

Riley married Elizabeth Hatfield. about 1871. Riley elizabeth and their son Fayette are buried in the George Partin Cemetery behind the Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church south of Frakes on Rt 190. All three died in 1928. 

Elmer Fusion wrote of the law-abiding brothers:

"The Powers also built a two story house that Bob Jones bought from John Powers  (Wooleys' son) . Robert Jones (wife Ida Fletcher Jones) cut down and remodeled the Bob Jones (his father) house where he is now living." 

In 1935 both brothers contributed $5 to the purchase of additional land for the Henderson School in Frakes.

George Jones on the Lam Between 1880 and 1902. 

Although we haven't located George and his older sibs in the 1870 census, he and wife Elizabeth are identifed as the parents of Emaline Jones born in Bell County 1874. 

According to George Rhodes' great-great granddaughter Ginny May Morris (desended from Bertha, Harvey, Russ, George Rhodes), George had changed his name from Jones to Rhodes after killing a man when he was young. In an e-mail correspondence dated September 25, 2006 Ginny wrote "The reson you or anyone  else is having trouble finding back further than George on the rhodes side...well the story that hope, Gail, Sue & I have been told by our parents & grandpa was that George Rhodes was a JONES & that he killed a man & was on the run from the police so to keep from being caught he changed his name to Rhodes  some have it Rodes." 

On June 10, 1880 the census taker notes George and family living next to brother Riley and cousin Speed Jones (son of Wylie Jones of Brush Creek). He is enumerated as JOHN Jones with family Elizabeth 28, and children John 12, William R(ussell) 10, Wiley 7/8, Emmaline 4 and Sarah 2. The next day George and family are enumerated  about 120 miles east n the the Lick Creek area of Pike County, Kentucky near the famous Hatfield and McCoy clans!  George says his name is George Rods (Rhodes) 30, wife Elizabeth 23/28 and children John 12. Russell 7, Wylie 3, and Emmaline. 2. 

Faye Goodman (granddaughter of Sallie Jones, daughter of George Jones/ Rhodes) reports that family lore states George and four other Jones men retaliated against an abusive in-law, killing the man in the process.  The story of George's flight from the law and subsequent use of the Rhodes alias is a story told by many branches of the Jones/Rhodes descendants. 

In 1880 George's mother, Sarah, was livng with her brother, "Wooley" Powers. 

1884 to 1889 George's Marriage and Divorce to and from Elizabeth Epling Polley

On July 31, 1884 George Rhodes married Pike County neighbor  Elizabeth Epling Polley  accross the Pike County Kentucky State line in Buchanan County Virginia. Epling was about 9 years older than George. 

In the 1880  Pike County census Elizabeth is enumerated as a widowed woman living on land she owned. Elizabeth married John Polley in 1862 and bore him at least 3 children before he died during the civil war. Before meeting George Elizabeth had had several children with married men. The fathers of her 4 illigitimate children were Moses Coleman and  Joseph Looney.

By 1888 George, along with RT Hackney's (daughter Emmaline's future father-in-laws) assistance George began a divorce proceeding against Elizabeth in Buchanan County. George charged Elizabeth with adultery and abandonment. Future son-in-law RT Hackney (married Emaline) was happy to furnish testimony toward those ends 

On June 19, 1888 RT Hackney  testified in a sworn statement: 

 "Q Do you know of Elizabeth Rhodes having committed adultery within the last five years and since her marriage to George Rhodes if so state what circumstances...

Ans I of my own personal knowledge know of her having been within the last five years, and since her marriage with George Rhodes, in bed with a man who was not her husband and who was not related to her. This was in her own house at Pike County and about 10 o'clock at night. She was under the cover with the man- I went to this place with this man that night, who told me on the way that he was going there to 'git him a little that night'. This is the same man I saw in bed with her under the cover."  

Elizabeth was also reportedly guilty of have an "illicit and improper conversation with a man during her marriage..." Further testimony indicated Elizabeth had, between 1886 and 1888 refused to live with George in Buchanan Co Virginia, and had indeed moved out of his house in 1886. According to Hackney's testimony she was using the name Coleman. 

George was granted the divorce in the summer of 1888, even though Elizabeth appeared  unaware of the divorce proceeding and therefore could not respond to the charges levied against her. 

George's Marriage to Mary Jane Hackney

Mary Jane (Ruel Priest, Nicodemus, John Hackney) had married her cousin, Shade Hackney in Buchannan County Virginia when she was about 15 years old. In January 1888 Mary Jane filed a Petition for Divorce. In order for her to divorce Shade Mary had to establish grounds for divorce. . According to their Buchanan Co divorce records Shade was known to womanize during their marriage.

On Feb 27, 1888 Vandalia Hackney gave sworn testimony to D. McClanahan JP. He asked her: 

" Q Do you know of Shade Hackney Committing adultery within the last five years?

Ans I have seen him in bed under the cover with 2 or 3 different women." 

Mary Jane was granted her divorce March 6, 1888. 

Mary Jane had made such a convincing argument against Shade that the Decree:

"restrained and prohibited (Shade) from marrying again." 

On July 21, 1891 Shade petitioned the court to allow him to marry. That petition stated "Your petitioner for a long time living (sic) a moral life. He has broken himself of and entirely abandoned his wild ways. That his 'wild oats' are all sown and that he has intensely reformed and is leading an industrious life being a young able bodied stout healthy man in his 28th year." 

George Rhodes married Mary Jane Hackney in Buchanan County, Virginia in March 1889.   

Much had changed in the George Rhodes household after he divorced Elizabeth Polley. The family appears to have left Pike County and had been living in Buchanan Co Virginia. Mary Jane's children Henry and Lilly came to live with the family making at least 6 children in the household. By 1889 George's oldest son John would'ave been about 22 years old. I believe John returned to Bell County perhaps after his mother's death.

3 of the 4 remaining children of George and Elizabeth left their fathers house over 11 months. 

Wiley married Vinnie McClannahan Dec 24, 1889 near Grundy at his father-in-laws home.

Emmaline married Alexander Hackney at RT Hackney's home near Grundy in January 1890

Russell married Nickie Matley February 1,1890 at George Rhodes home in Buchanan.

That was four Rhodes marriages between March 1889 and February 1890. 

Sallie may have left after her siblings as early as 1890 when she would have been about  12 years old.  Sallie recollected her father  (perhaps prompted by her stepmother) sent her to live with a man, Jim Hurley, so she could care for his children. It is believed that she had two children by Hurley as her two children went by that name. Sallie definately left George's family by 1892 / 1893 since she had two Hurley children by 1895.

Sallie down to Smyth County, Virginia where she met and married Jim Osbourne in 1895 at the age of 15 to 17. On her Marriage Bond Sallie stated she and her father were born in Dickinson County Virginia. She did not give her mother's name. 

Around 1892 Lemmie Rhodes was born to George and Mary while they lived in Big Rock, Virginia (according to Lemmie's Social Security application).  Around 1894 daughter Fannie was born, followed by Thomas in 1896. In June 1899 George and Mary lived in Big Rock, Buchanan Co Va according to son Lemmie's social security record.  

By the 1900 census, George (age 41), Mary and children lived in a rented house and was farming around Rock Lick , Buchanan County Virginia. George lived  near his son Russ (age 28) Russ' wife, Nickey (age 31) and grandchildren Bertha May (born 1895), and Bessie (born 1898). In this census George stated he only worked 6 months in the previous year.   George and family  are also reported in the 1900 Pike County Blackberry district census. 

In the 1900 Census George (last name written Rhodes), then about 48 (b Mar 1852) years of age, lived in the Blueberry District of Pike Co Ky. Wife Mary J. (b Mar 1868) was 32.  She stated that 4 out of 5 children were alive at this time.  Lillie, Mary's daughter by Shade, was unaccounted for at the time of this census. Lillie may have been the 5th child Mary referred to. In the same census son Russ notes  that both his parents were born In Tennessee, contrary to what George told the census   taker at the same time. 

1900 Census 104  #10-10 June 2 1900

George W  Rhodes 48 

Mary J Rhodes 32 

Henry Rhodes 10  (b Mar 1890. Henry later returned to using Hackney, his birth name)

Lemmon Rhodes 7  (b July 1892)

Fannie Rhodes 6  (b May 1894)

Thompson Rhodes 3  (b Mar 1900) 

The Rhode's  moved back to Kentucky between 1897 and 1900. 

According to Ken Lintott

"The Blackberry district is in the northeast corner of Pike county, along the border of West Virginia. It is bounded on the north by the Tug River and includes Blackberry Creek where Tolbert McCoy and his brothers, Phamer and Randolph, killed Ellison Hatfield in August 1892.   

The murder and subsequent revenge killing of the brothers ignited the Hatfield - McCoy feud. Most of the neighbours of George Rhodes in 1900 were Hatfields." 

This  area of Pike county includes some of the roughest terrain in Appalachia,  the people are secretive and distrust strangers and government officials. For a man like John or George  Jones, alias George Rhodes, this would have been a favorable location to hide from the authorities." 

George "Wooley" Powers' Exodus from South America 

Elmer Fusion mentioned George Jone's uncle, George Power's reaction to the incivility of his kin: 

"After World War I "Wooley" had enough of lawlessness and made an exodus to Oklahoma where he died." 

In reality Wooley and the bulk of his children left South America around 1895. Lois A Powers of Perrytron, Texas   wrote of their perilous journey: 

"George Powers & his wife, Sarah Chaudoin, together with four married sons & one married daughter, left Clairfield, (Claiborne Co.) Tenn, in the Spring of 1895 for free land in Okla.  

This mule train was loaded with all their household furnishings, and the necessary seeds & tools for making a living in the new territory. Each wagon was drawn by four mules. They took no other livestock. 

At some of the rivers, the wagons were ferried across. However, at one ford, disaster hit the train. On account of the high water, the ford was too deep for the wagons and all goods not tied down floated off down the river. 

This calamity left the Powers short of bedding & food. As the summer advanced, hardships and sickness increased. The huge swarms of mosquitos left dysentery, typhoid, & malaria in their wake.  

Several members of the train became desperately ill &, in Arkansas, they were forced to camp for nearly two months. There, the father, George Powers, born January 30, 1822, died and was buried in the old military cemetery near Carrolton, Arkansas.  

After the funeral, the wagons were again hooked up and the move went forward. In the late fall, the teams pulled into Cleveland County near Purcell, OK. It was too late to go further that year and the men all hired out to harvest a settler's corn crop.  

The following year, the families began to separate as each family located land. George O., born June 6, 1860, settled in Cleveland County. John, born November 7, 1863, drew a homestead in Caddo County. Greenberry, born July 9, 1855, found his place in Beckham County, and David, born July 2, 1850, settled in Cimarron County. Melda Powers Baker, born October 10, 1858, and her family settled in Pottawatomie County." 

George Looks for Greener Pastures 

Between the 1900 census and 1904 George and family moved back to Bell County where his youngest, Matt Jones, was born in 1904. In 1909 George and Mary's oldest, Lemmie Rhodes, left Bell county and returned to Buchanan Co Virginia to marry Virgie Fuller. 

The 1910 census lists Mary Jane and her children from her previous marriage along with George and her children. The enumerated family included Thomas, Fannie, Matt and Henry and Lillie Hackney. George had disappeared. Either he left his family before 1910 or was hiding from the census taker. In the 1910 census Mary J Jones gives her marital status as "widowed". She lived on Wheeler Creek Road in Bell County. Her grown male children were working in coal mines. The 1900 census is the last time he is found with Mary Jane. 

George is no where to be found in the 1910 census.  George is found in 1920 and 1930 living with son Wylie Rhodes.  That family moved to Washington State. as did George's daugthter, Emaline Jones Rhodes and husband RT Hackney. The families  moved to Chellais, Washington to find work in the booming timber industry. 

 According to a McClannahan family document 

 " In 1912, after hearing of life in the West, they started West.  When first coming to Lewis County in 1912, they lived on Logan Hill.  Later they moved to the Bezma place near Salkum and then to Green Mountain.  Charlie Rhodes was born on Green Mountain.  In 1921 they moved to Burnt Ridge.  The Chehalis Train Depot was being built the year they came here.  On Burnt Ridge they bought 35 acres for $2500.  they built on an addition onto the house to accomodate the family.  Mr. Kettleson built the original house which was fairly new when they moved in.   

Grandpa Wiley Rhodes worked at Carlisle Mill at Onalaska and in the woods to help pay for the place.   The whole family picked ferns at 1 and 2 cents a bounch to help out.  They also picked hops at Salkum. 

Our Great Grandad George Rhodes is buried on part of the original land as is one child of Elisha Rhodes." 

In the 1920 Census George was reported to be about 75 years of age and lived with son Wiley in Salkum, Lewis, Washington. By this time he stated he was widowed.

Wylie Rhodes 40, heard tender for logging company

Vina Rhodes 39

Geo Rhodes 22

Lyce Rhodes 18

Mack Rhodes 16

Willie Rhodes 14

Lely Rhodes 13

Louise Rhodes 12

Princie Rhodes 10

Charles H Rhodes 4 7/12

George Rhodes 75 

In the 1930 census George lived in Granite, Lewis County Washington. He lived with son Wiley and family. The census taker noted his age as 89. The name was spelled Rhoades. In this record George and his wife Elizabeth  are identified as having been born in Tennessee. George stated he was  born in Tennessee and that his parents were born in Kentucky. George stated he was 25 at the age of his first marriage. He was a civil war veteran. They lived on Burnt Ridge Road toward Lake ?  Mill. George Rhodes did not, to this writer's knowledge, ever apply for a civil war pension. 

After 1930 George died and was buried on son Wylie's property. 

According to Virginia Rhodes, granddaughter of Wylie Jones Rhodes, George was reportedly  a very lazy man. For about 20 years he lived in Wylie's attic, fearful and refusing to come down the stairs. He died and is buried on Wylie's homeplace. Wylie's youngest son Charles' family still live there.

During his life George, with his family's collusion, completely and thoroughly kept "the authorities" from discovering the truth of his background. Consequently, his descendants were confounded trying to piece his history together.  George methodically, thoroughly and successfully distanced himself from his past.  After 1880 (and possibly as early as 1870) the Rhodes and Jones names were often interchangeable. Hopefully continued detective work by his descendants may discover the truth of who he was and where he came from