Civil War veteran
William Jones was my great great grandfather and told many stories of his service in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. It is believed he fought with either an Alabama or Georgia regiment and lied about his age to appear older so he could enlist, supposedly sometime in 1863. After a few battles, it is thought that he was captured and sent to a Union prison camp (potentially in Ohio) where he was eventually offered his freedom if he took the Oath of Allegiance in exchange for service to the Union army. He was told that he had to go west to fight in the Indian Wars and he agreed.
Soon after, he met my great great grandmother (Margaret Gorman) and made the decision to desert. He changed his surname to Jones (we believe his true surname is "Kremer" or some variation), married Margaret and started his life on the run! They ended up having 12 children together.
He shows up on the 1870 Federal Census as living in Dodge County, Nebraska and was living in Minnesota by 1880, where he lived the rest of his life until he died of a stroke at the age of 86 in 1931. He was an avid fiddler. It was said he learned to play on a "gourd fiddle" and would play for extra money.
Most of his history was passed down by word of mouth through family members and it is said that he told many colorful stories about his life -- we may never know what was true and what was fiction
When William Jones died in 1931, he had a wonderful article published about him in the newspaper. He seems to have had a wonderful spirit and a true zest for life. He was an amazing man, even without the embellishments.
Civil War veteran
William Jones was my great great grandfather and told many stories of his service in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. It is believed he fought with either an Alabama or Georgia regiment and lied about his age to appear older so he could enlist, supposedly sometime in 1863. After a few battles, it is thought that he was captured and sent to a Union prison camp (potentially in Ohio) where he was eventually offered his freedom if he took the Oath of Allegiance in exchange for service to the Union army. He was told that he had to go west to fight in the Indian Wars and he agreed.
Soon after, he met my great great grandmother (Margaret Gorman) and made the decision to desert. He changed his surname to Jones (we believe his true surname is "Kremer" or some variation), married Margaret and started his life on the run! They ended up having 12 children together.
He shows up on the 1870 Federal Census as living in Dodge County, Nebraska and was living in Minnesota by 1880, where he lived the rest of his life until he died of a stroke at the age of 86 in 1931. He was an avid fiddler. It was said he learned to play on a "gourd fiddle" and would play for extra money.
Most of his history was passed down by word of mouth through family members and it is said that he told many colorful stories about his life -- we may never know what was true and what was fiction
When William Jones died in 1931, he had a wonderful article published about him in the newspaper. He seems to have had a wonderful spirit and a true zest for life. He was an amazing man, even without the embellishments.
Family Members
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Lucy Ann Jones Kerber
1867–1949
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Katherine "Katie" Jones LaBelle
1869–1949
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William Henry Jones Jr
1874–1913
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Genevieve Minerva "Jennie" Jones Bennett
1879–1951
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Caroline Maude "Carrie" Jones Conway
1882–1967
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Myrtle B Jones Altenhofen
1886–1976
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Florence E Jones Mitchell
1889–1949
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Edward David Jones
1891–1891
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Frank Edward Jones
1893–1953
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