JONES GENERATION TEN
1911. JOHN MITCHELL10 JONES, (Isaac
Sherman9, George Sullivan8,
John R.7, Prettyman6,
Ebenezer5, Thomas4,
Ebenezer3, Thomas2,
WilliamA-1), b 22 Nov 1892 DeKalb Co., TN d 1 Apr
1941 at his home on Wolf Creek, DeKalb Co., TN buried Jones Cemetery m 16 May
1922 DeKalb Co Nancy Dupree Cantrell b 13 Nov 1898 DeKalb Co., TN d 23 Feb 1992
Smithville, DeKalb Co., TN dau of Samuel Houston Cantrell and Susan Dupree
Florida. John was born and lived all his life on the family farm. He attended
school not only in his neighborhood, but his father sent him to school in
Dowelltown and Buffalo Valley where Bob Kerr was his teacher. His sister, Nina,
states that he had a hard time saying blue and some other words. His sister says
that he was a very mild man, and she only saw him mad two times. One time was
when some men got into an argument at the sorghum mill below barn. When one of
the men ran to house and wanted a gun, John Mitchell personally put an end to
the argument by taking a stick to the men in the argument. The other time she
saw him mad involved his son. Johnny Agee drove a covered wagon as a school bus.
Earl, Johnny's son, and my father got into a fight on the way back from school,
and Johnny slapped my father. The next day Ike and my grandmother went out to
talk to Johnny about the incident. John Mitchell also came out, and when Johnny
denied the incident. John Mitchell got on the wagon and showed Johnny the
bruises on my father’s face. Johnny still denied he hit my father, and John
Mitchell proceeded to hit him. The hit knocked Johnny between the mules, and
John Mitchell followed him. Afterward Johnny apologized and said he would never
mention the incident; John Mitchell also said he would never mention the
incident again. At the age of thirty John Mitchell married Nancy Dupree Cantrell
who lived nearby in the Center Hill community. It was obviously a good match.
They were both hard workers, and made a great team on the farm. My grandmother
said that the two never had a cross word and this was confirmed by Aunt Nina..
They would attend dances together by riding horses. John would dance, and
sometimes my grandmother would play the banjo. My father relates that his father
would wear leather leggings in the winter, and would wear the leggings when he
was dancing. One time the leggings came off and flew across the room. In 1927
John paid $8,000. and purchased from Palace Agee 180
acres of land that joined the Jones farm. After their marriage he and Nancy
lived in the Andrew Carr log cabin. John added another room and porch onto the
house. There they lived until the death of John's mother. John was six feet two
inches tall and about 170 to 180 lbs, and had blue eyes. He could not swim so
the taking of the log rafts down the river was an adventure for him. One time
while they were on Cumberland River the ropes on the rafts broke, and John was
in great danger. Finally they got close enought to the bank of the river for him
to jump onto the shore. He apparently had a sense of humor from a story told by
my Mullican grandfather. Apparently the two men had never met until after my
father and mother got married. My mother’s father was at the Red Hill Mill on
Indian Creek in DeKalb County. There he met John Mitchell. When they introduced
themselves. John Mitchell said my son married a Mullican. My other grandfather
said my daughter marrried a Jones, and asked "Are you Frank’s
father?" John Mitchell's reply was, "Thats what Nancy tells me".
My grandmother was a very modest woman and I never told her this story. She
always wore long sleeves, and women wearing shorts and bathing suits were
shocking to her. She was always busy in her garden, house, and other chores. She
would watch one soap opera each day, and some TV at night. But even while
watching TV she was busy knitting. She was a long time member of the Wolf Creek
Baptist Church. John Mitchell would attend church with her, but was never
baptized. For a number of years some relatives lived with her after the death of
her husband including her Uncle and Aunt, Clabe and Della Florida. She managed
the farm, and raised cattle. She was a good manager of the farm, and her cattle
were so gentle they would walk right up to her. Child:29:
+ 1915. (i) FRANK GARLAND11 JONES b 26 Feb
1923 m Pauline Mullican.
1914. NINA10 JONES, (Isaac
Sherman9, George Sullivan8,
John R.7, Prettyman6,
Ebenezer5, Thomas4,
Ebenezer3, Thomas2,
WilliamA-1), b 29 July
1909 DeKalb Co., TN d 9 Dec 1994 Austin, TX buried Woodlawn Cemetery, Nashville,
TN m 21 Mar 1937 Luke Lee Moss b 27 June 1918 Hopkinsville, KY DeKalb Co., TN d
4 Aug 1943 son of John L Moss and Katie Maggart. Most of the following is from
Nina's life story as written and told by her. She states that "I was
spoiled, pampered, and protected by my father, mother, and my brother. The four
of us were very close, and I never wanted to stay away from home at night. My
father was a strong willed, brave, and intelligent man. I just knew he could do
anything to protect me from all harm. I never remember my father being very
well. He suffered from asthma and allergies. The farm houses in the Wolf Creek
community had no inside water or electricity. We drew our water from a well, and
piped water for the animals from a spring. We used the tub for washing clothes
also as a bathtub. We made our own soap, grew our own food, and raised the
animals for our meat. November was usually hogkilling time in the community, and
neighbors would come to help. Then everyone went from house to house until all
families had their pork processed for the winter. A round of chittling suppers
would take place in some of the homes. Nancy and I would take all of them in but
my parents and brother would have no part of this delicacy. Neighbors sharing
was a common experience in the Wolf Creek community as the community was like
one big happy family. In the spring of 1922 my mother suffered a serious
illness. For weeks she could neither walk or move. Dr Thomas Jefferson Smith
could not diagnose the problems and another doctor was consulted. It was during
this time that my brother brought home a bride I had never met. I now had the
sister I always wanted. Nancy was very kind to me, she took me places, sewed for
me, and I thought she was the best of sisters. My mother recovered and things
returned to normal".
"Our social life varied according to the season of the year. During summer there was the various rounds of church meetings, some in tents, and some under brush arbors. The brush arbors. The brush arbors were the most fun, and especially if the listeners got "religion". After the meetings were over we would walk home in the moonlight with our young man. The Fourth of July picnics were the high-light of the summer. My dad was the sponsor of many of these picnics. The food was plentiful and the lemonade was very special. I'll never forget the lemonade stand. The attendant would cry "Come and get it. Ice cold lemonade. Made in the shade and stirred with a spade." After the long horseback ride to the picnic I was ready for a glass."
"At an early age my father began to read to me, and not just children's books but good novels and magazines. Besides Dad, Aunt "B" [Brunettee Jones], and her daughter Lema would read to me. I did not start to schoold until I was eight, but I had already learned to read. My cousin Lema "Lem" and I would take a biscuit left over from breakfast and climb into a big mulberry tree in our front yard, and spend the afternoon reading. My best friend, Mary, and I also used the mulberry tree to share our secrets.
"Aunt B and Lem lived near by and I spent lots of time with them. Lem and I were like sisters throughout the years. Lem would raise geese for spending money. One time when I was at her house one of the goslins got sick. My father came to take me home. I did not want to go home, and told him I can't go as Lem's goslin is sick. He replied, Nina, let's go. You are no damn goose doctor. I went home and the goslin recovered."
"Just before I entered the seventh grade my father decided to move to Silver Point, and let my brother manage the farm. I never liked living in Silver Point, but my mother enjoyed it as now for first time she could attend the Cherry Hill Church of Christ. I attended the seventh and eighth grade in Silver Point. I went to Nashville to stay with Aunt B and Lem to attend high school. I did not like the city schools, city living, and the smoke and soot of the city. Aunt B was a member of the Lindsley Avenue congregation of the Church of Christ. It was there during a fall meeting that Lem and I obeyed the Gospel and were baptized. When I finished the ninth grade; I returned to my family on the farm, and I was so happy to be back. I finished my high school education at Baxter Seminary which was a boarding school. I would return to the farm each weekend. I graduated from Baxter Seminary in 1930. I was accepted to attend the St. Thomas School of Nursing in Nashville, but due to my fathers poor health I remained at home. The following year I did enter Nashville General Hospital School of Nursing, but after three weeks I realized that nursing was not for me. That spring I entered Tennessee Tech at Cookeville. My room-mates and I had lots of fun, and our grades suffered as a result. The law at this time in Tennessee was that a teaching certificate was issued after three months of college for one term of teaching. In July 1932 I started my teaching career at Laurel Hill in the Wolf Creek community. The staff consisted of myself and the principal; who was one of my former principals. I taught the first four grades, and school ended in time for me to attend the spring and summer quarters at Tech. After six quarters I was issued a permanent profession certificate." She taught at Laurel Hill for two years, Viewpoint (Popular Flat) next year , then Dale Ridge, and then back to Viewpoint. The rural school teacher was paid $40.00 per month for eight months. Schools were never dismissed because of bad weather. "The children loved school and were eager to learn, and the teacher was the most respected person in the community." There was no money for playground equipment so we used homemade balls and bats, a grapevine was the jumprope, and drop the handkerchief was a game all the children enjoyed. Box Suppers would be held to raise money for the school."
"During the spring of 1936 events occurred that changed my life. The Wolf Creek Baptist Sunday School Class wanted to put on a play. It was just after my fourth year of teaching, and I was back at Tech for the spring quarter. The Sunday School Class asked me to direct the play, and take the leading role. We met in one of the homes to discuss the play, and Luke Moss, who had been away to high school, was there. I had always known of him, but had never been around him very much since I was some years his senior. Most of the people taking part in the play were married, so Luke and I began spending time together working on the play. Our friendship grew as we spent time together. When the production of the play was over I was still in college, and Luke was gone from the area for awhile. He wrote to me, and when he returned my quarter was over at Tech. While I was waiting for the 1936/37 school year to begin; we began going places together. He would come to my home on weekends. Luke was one of the most talented people I have ever known. He loved country music, and would write songs and poems. He could play the guitar, banjo, organ, and piano. He was also a good artist, and could draw very realistically. He was also one of the most gentle, kind, and unselfish of people. He had the highest of morals that included no drinking or swearing. The time we spent together caused our friendship to become love. I never felt gaps in our age made a difference, and so we were married in 1937. I was still teaching at that time so there was no honeymoon. We had very little money, and lived in one of Luke's father's tenant houses which consisted of one room with side room for kitchen. There was no electricity, and no running water. We carried water from a spring, and at night would sit by the wood cooking stove listening to the radio. We were very happy, and lived there six months. We listened to the World Series, and rooted for the Yankees. The Yankees are still my favorite baseball team. When Luke's father moved to his boyhood home to care for his mother we moved into their old house. I now discovered I was pregnant! It was a normal pregnancy, and I had no need for a doctor. Pat was born in 1938, and became the adored pet of both families. When she was 18 months old I returned to teaching, and did not realize I was again pregrant. Luke was away working to make money for the family. Pat and I stayed with my parents so I could continue teaching. In August tragedy struck when my mother died suddenly from a heart attack. I had not been feeling well, and I discovered I was suffering from toxemia and elevated blood pressure. Dr. Smith took me to my mother-in-laws, and put me to bed. The physical illness and shock left my nerves in shreads. Luke came home, and I did not return to teaching. In September tragedy struck again when our son was still born. My brother would visit often, and always would bring a little gift for Pat whom he adored. He was always there for me, and alway considered what was best for me. He suggested that Luke and I buy our own farm. He recommended that we buy the Exum place. My brother purchased my half of the Jones farm, so that we would have the money to buy our farm. In January 1940 we moved into our own house on our farm, and it was there that Jon was born. In 1941 Luke left the country looking for work, and I went with him. We first went to South Bend, Indiana, and then to Chicago. We returned to the farm in November as it was time to gather corn and other crops. One day as Luke returned from the store he discovered men on our farm cutting trees. He learned they were cutting a roadway for machinery that would be used to build Center Hill Dam. The construction work ruined our farm, and Luke got a job with the road workers. World War II caused a halt to the construction of the Dam, so Luke found a job as driver with Wilson Truck Company in Nashville. In January 1943 we joined him in Nashville. I discovered I was pregnant for the fourth time. My doctor put me on a strict diet. The summer of 1943 was very hot. The morning of August 3rd Luke left for work. On August 4th I had breakfast ready as I knew he would be back from his trip. I answered a knock on the front door, and a man from Wilson Truck Company was there. He told me that my beloved husband had been killed in a wreck that morning. I went into total shock. Luke's family and my family paid for the funeral as I had only 35 cents in my pocket.
Nina's life to this point had not prepared her for the difficult time she
would now have of being the sole breadwinner with three small children. She had
lived a sheltered life with her family to provide for her. She was able to grow
with these difficulties and overcome all of the obstacles. Sonja was born in
September. She received $5000.00 in workers compensation, and received also
$18.00 a week. She returned to teaching at a high school, but did not like it.
She finally got a teaching position in a one room school in DeKalb County. At
this time Ike became quiet ill, and she had to give up her teaching job to take
care of him. Aunt B and Lem persuaded her to move to Nashville in fall of 1948.
She had completed a beauty course in Cookeville, and now worked in a home beauty
shop. She hated hairdressing, but due to a lack of degree could not get a
teaching job in Nashville or Davidson County. Her pastor and Lem came up with a
plan for her to put her children in the Church of Christ Tennessee Orphan's
Home, and go to David Lipscomb College for six quarters. She says that this was
the most difficult decision she ever had to make. She moved in with Aunt B and
Lem. They did not charge her board, and she worked to pay for her tuition. The
$18.00 she received was sent to the Home for Children's Board. In September 1953
her children came home, and she had a job at Jere Baxter Elementary School. She
would teach there for 23 years until September 1973. She fell at school, and
fractured her leg and knee cap. She moved back to the Wolf Creek area with Jon,
and helped raise his three boys since he was divorced. Aunt Nina is an example
of the strong women that our family has produced. She was a kind loving woman
with great affection for everyone in her family. Despite great odds she managed
to keep her family together, and raise her children to be good members of our
society. She found strength in her church and was devoted to it. Heavenly Father
certainly has a great reward for her. Children:29
+ 1920. (i) PATSY PARELEA11 MOSS m Jerry
Jarrard.
+ 1921. (ii) JON SHERMAN11 MOSS m Jackie Alcorn.
+ 1922. (iii) SONJA DALE11 MOSS m Kenneth Wigley m2
Raymond Duke.
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