David Jones

1736 - 1820  (83 years)

• Name	David Jones  [1]
  Born	12 May 1736	White Clay Creek, New Castle, Delaware
  Gender	Male
  Died	05 Feb 1820	Easttown, Chester, Pennsylvania
  Person ID	I4846	Grow
  Last Modified	24 Apr 2012

  
  

  Family	Anne Stillwell,   b. 1724,   d. 1779  (Age 55 years)
  Children	1. Rev. Horatio Gates Jones,   b. 11 Feb 1777, Chester County, Pennsylvania ,   d. 12 Dec 1853, Roxborough, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  (Age 76 years)
  Last Modified	24 Jan 2021
  Family ID	F1417	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Photos

  David Jones

  
  

• Notes

  The Rev. David Jones was a preacher, ardent patriot, frontier explorer, author and doctor. "Bibles & Battle Drums" a biography on David's life was published in 1976. In 1761 David Jones became a Baptist Preacher after completing his training at the Hopewell Academy in NJ. In 1772 and 1773 the Rev. Jones went to the wilderness of present day Ohio to "convert" the Indians to Christianity. He tells of his trips in, "A Journal of Two Visits made to some Nations of Indians on the West side of the River Ohio, in the years 1772 and 1773". David Jones used his pulpit to preach "Colonial" patriotism years before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. His sermons were printed and distributed widely. In 1776 when war broke out with England the Rev. David Jones joined the Pennsylvania forces fighting the British. He served as Chaplain & Doctor with his neighbor and friend General Anthony Wayne until 1783. The Rev. Jones held the rank equal to that of a Major. The Rev. Jones was in the midst of many battles such as Brandywine, (where stories tell of his horse being shot while he rallied and led a diversion group), Germantown, Monmouth, Paoli, Ticonderoga & Greenville. He wintered with Washington at Valley Forge. On the eve of battles Rev. Jones would rally the troops with his rousing patriotic sermons and then tend to the men's spiritual & medical needs during and afterwards. At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War David was in his 40s. For the times this was considered an old man. Yet, he was always active in the field with the troops. He was a scout and courier carrying messages between General Anthony Wayne, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. The Rev Jones always carried one or more derringers and on one ocassion captured a British officer acting as a spy. The British General Howe noticed these actions and posted a reward for Reverend Jones capture. British troops were repeatedly detailed to find him. In 1794 Rev. David Jones (age 58) became the 2d Chaplain ever of the of the U.S. Army. David continued to serve in field actions until 1800 when he was discharged. During War of 1812 President Madison asked David (then 75) to again serve his country. Old Rev Jones was with the troops in their battles in the Ohio country, Fort Detroit, Ft Erie and Lake Ontario. In 1815 at the close of the war the Reverend returned home and was discharged from military service. David Jones was the son of Morgan & Eleanor (Evans) Jones. There were a great many preachers in his ancestral and 1700's family. David had 7 siblings: Ann (Delap), John, Abel, Joshua, Zachariah, Lettice (Wood), Morgan & Esther (Thomas). On 22 Feb 1762 in Middletown, NJ, David married Anne Stillwell daughter of Joseph & Sarah (Shepherd) Stillwell. The couple had 8 children: Eleanor (Garret), Mary, Joseph, Mary (McLean), Joseph, Morgan, David & Rev Horatio. The Reverend is buried with his wife, Anne, in the cemetery of the church he became a Pastor of in 1775.

  
  

• Sources

  [S90] Public Member Trees, (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006.Original data - Family trees submitted by Ancestry members.Original data: Family trees submitted by Ancestry members.;), Ancestry Family Trees.