A Proud Man - Charles Fred Jones aka "Butch"

I've written about my grandfather and his pride in his work before. I'm grateful that the Cincinnati Transit Company published a bimonthly news magazine called The News. I thought I had pretty much gleaned what I could from their publication until I found out that the Cincinnati History Library and Archives had some copies I may not have reviewed. A trip to the library uncovered some gems I had not previously discovered. What joy! And so I share them with you -- my fellow Joneses.

An Unexpected Find Thanks to Google Books

In the evening when I am half-watching TV, I often search for the names of family members on google books. (Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE google books)? Last night I was searching on my grandfather, Charles F. Jones. Up came a reference to The News published by the Cincinnati Transit Company where both my grandfather and father were employed. Thanks to our wonderful Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton Co., I was able to "Ask A Librarian" to find this article on microfilm and email me a digital image free! So here is today's piece of gold.

In truth, The News labeled the picture incorrectly. From left to right it should read Pfc. Charles F. Jones, Jr., Sgt. Robt. L. Jones, and Cpl. John T. Jones.The article refers to two of the sons meeting in England, and I have a picture of that. It also references a separate article in The News and a picture in the Enquirer -- so I guess I have more hunting to do.

John and Bob in England

Update: Here is the same picture as it appeared in The News, periodical published by the Cincinnati Street Railway, July/Aug.1945, p.7.

If the Walls Could Speak . . .

Pop

In the Family Matters blog, I wrote extensively about the research I did on my Grandfather's (Charles "Fred" Jones) career as he made his way through the ranks of the Cincinnati Street Railway Company.  As they converted from streetcars to buses, sadly in his opinion, he was the proud foreman of the Hewitt Ave. "car barn."  I had little idea of his proud history until I came across the Cincinnati Transit Historical Society.  You can read of my discoveries about Pop's accomplishments in this article in two parts.

In Margaret Ann's notes she wrote "what great years for us children -- we had love, support and fun."  But there were also tense times as one by one each son was called to serve in World War II.  Included are a collection of collages as one by one the three boys departed to serve their country during that tense time. As a mother, I just can't imagine the feelings.

Charles "Bud's" Departure

Bob's Departure

Johnny in World War II

If the walls could speak . . .

The Next Generation

When Fred and Norine were first married, the best evidence shows that they lived at the Gladstone two-family.  This is based on the property record that shows that older sister, Edith, sued all of the heirs of Charles Henry to enable her to get her part of her inheritance.  A judge ruled that the property would have to be sold and the proceeds divided among his widow and three children.  Fred and Norine were listed as living in the home when the suit was filed two months after their marriage and four months after Charles Henry's Death.

A search of the Cincinnati City Directories and the 1910 U.S. Census shows the young family boarding with the Zins family at 2416 Eastern Ave.  They were living there when their first-born, Edith, was born.  Although birth certificates were not required until 1911 in Ohio, her birth was recorded with the city and later transcribed to an index card.  A link to these records is here.

Birth Record for Edith N. Jones

The young family didn't stay at this address for long.  Margaret Ann's notes referred to the family living on Dandridge.  Dandridge is a street in the Pendleton Area of downtown Cincinnati -- not part of the East End. I couldn't understand why they would have moved there, but then I remembered that Norine's brother, Albert, and sister, Addie, were living in that area.  A search of the Cincinnati City Directories showed the family living at 514 Dandridge Street and Albert and Addie Cronin living just around the corner at 1306 Pendleton.  Both buildings have since been torn down.  "Fred's" occupation was listed as "carpenter."  Albert Cronin was a bartender.

Charles Frederick Jones

I have to imagine that there was a strong call back to the East End.  By 1912 the City Directories list the family at 2269 Columbia Ave.  This growing family rented from Fred's Uncle Tom and Aunt Ella.  They would continue living here until 1929, when the city purchased the property to make way for the new Columbia Parkway.  My cousin, Tony Scardina, found this priceless picture showing all five children on the front porch of this property.

Pictured in a clockwise direction:  Edith holding Margaret Ann, Charlie (Bud), Bob, and Johnny

Anyone able to identify the blurry car in the background?

The Marriage of Fred and Norine Jones

St. Rose Church

On December 16, 1909 my grandparents, Charles "Fred" Jones and Norine Cronin married.  St. Rose Church played a central role in the life of my grandmother.  She was a devout Catholic.  

Based on the collage of the interior of the church below, I'd love to imagine my grandmother walking down the aisle of this historic church dressed in a beautiful dress that she undoubtedly sewed.  The reality is that they most probably were married by the priest in the rectory and never set foot in the church.  My wonderful, religious grandparents were a "mixed" marriage.  When both potential spouses were not Catholic, they had to be granted a "dispensation" to marry and the non-Catholic spouse had to agree to raise all children Catholic.  I have several relatives on both sides of my family who got "married in the rectory."

There are so many interesting connections between the location of this church and my Jones family ties to the river.

• My gg-grandmother, Elizabeth Kinley Jones, had a "cottage" located behind the church on the river bank.  The family lived there for at least 10 years after she was widowed.
• Her son, Charles Henry, lived in that home and probably contributed to his family's support.  When he married in 1882, he and Rachel moved into a home on Gladstone.  This location was pretty much "up the hill" from St. Rose.
• Charles died on September 9, 1909.
• My grandparents married at St. Rose on December 16, 1909, a couple of months after his father's death.  I believe they were initially living on the Gladstone property.
• On February 7, 1910 (102 years ago today), Edith Jones Hodges filed a lawsuit forcing the eventual sale of the property.
• Fred and Norine became borders of the Zins family on Eastern where they began their new lives together.
• Following the birth of their first-born, Edith, John and Caroline Zins became the Godparents of Edith who was baptized (where else) at St. Rose Church.

It doesn't look like we will be leaving the East End and the Ohio River any time soon.

Margaret Ann's Records

There is NOTHING that excites someone attempting to understand her family history more than a document written by someone who may have first-hand knowledge of the family. This document contains notes about my grandparents, Norine and Fred Jones. It was written by their youngest daughter, Margaret Ann. For years I've worked to prove or disprove the contents. Much of it has been supported by the research, with a few exceptions.  For readability, I have taken the liberty to add some punctuation and other minor changes to the transcription of her notes. Thanks, Aunt Margaret Ann.  You've been a big help.


Transcription:
Norine Augusta Cronin Jones
Born 1854 - Mt. Sterling, KY moved to Lexington then to Cincinnati where her brothers owned a saloon and grocery at 711 Main St. Later after working at the Manhattan Restaurant in the Mabley and Carew Tower married Charles Frederick Jones 1909 St. Rose Xavier Church.  Lived for a while on Dandridge St. (I think weeks) then moved to Zins home, a local saloon keeper and his wife who had been a friend to Dad when he ran away from home about age 13 and swam out to a river boat and worked as a cabin boy the reason for leaving his mother (Rachel Wainright)  had died when he was Leo (6) Dad (8) Edith (10).

Stepmother (Alwilda) laid to rest beside Dad's father in Walnut Hill Cemetery.  Rachel was buried in Ky -- Ft. Mitchell I think.



Later Mom and Dad rented from Tom and Ella Jones at 2269 Columbia Ave. moving to 2424 Eastern in 1929. The stock market crash came after the move but my faithful father made his payments.  Home cost $5500 and sold for $7500  -- What good years for us children.  We had love, support and fun.  Mom died in 1964 and Dad lived at 2424 until he moved in with Sis in 1966 at 3106 Kinmont.









If you become involved in a genealogical society such as the Hamilton County Genealogical Society and want to submit your family for various lineage groups, documentation such as that presented by Margaret Ann can be used to support your findings, but is not considered PROOF.In the next post, I will show how the proof differed in some ways from this GREAT source of information.

What I Know

I know that my great-grandparents, Charles H. and Rachel Jones, married at Emanuel Protestant Episcopal Church on January 25, 1882.  On June 16, 1882, Charles and Rachel purchased the two-family duplex that would eventually be known as 2314 and 2316 Gladstone.  This was probably a good move because Rachel was pregnant with Mary Edith who would be born on October 29, 1882.  Charles was 32 and Rachel was 31 when Edith was born.

I've written extensively about Rachel because I've found her story to be so fascinating.  She was the daughter of Britton Wainright and Mary Elizabeth Darby.  You can read all about the challenges her family faced following the death of her father while marching to confront John Hunt Morgan of Morgan's Raiders here and here.

Lillian's letter described Rachel this way:

Rachel was a very refined, intelligent woman who was slightly crippled, I think, walking with a little limp. Her health was delicate and she died early. Charles Jones remarried, but his second wife was not a good mother to her stepchildren, mother said. Charles was a kind man, very easy-going, but the children needed Rachel's guidance. Had she lived she would have insisted on a good education for Fred, Leo, and Edith.

Rachel developed what was then described as "consumption," now known as tuberculosis.  From Census documents I know that Rachel's mother, Mary Elizabeth Darby Wainright, lived with the family and assisted in the raising of the children.

 Cincinnati Birth and Death Records, 1865 -1912

It had to be a difficult time for the entire family.  In the ten years that Charles and Rachel were married they had three children, she was suffering from tuberculosis and Charles was trying to support a family of five plus his mother-in-law.  I wonder if Rachel was consoled at all by the view of the Ohio River from their home.  

Mary Edith, Leo, and Fred

Since Edith was 10, Fred was 8 and Leo was 5 at the time of their mother's death, I have to assume that this picture was taken close to the time of their mother's death.  Recent research has enabled me to get a much better picture of how this family was able to move forward after Rachel's death.

Note:  I want to acknowledge the contribution of Betty Arnett, granddaughter of Edith pictured above.  Although we've never met, Betty had these and other PRECIOUS pictures in her possession and graciously shared them with me.  Her mother had saved them in a box. Fortunately for all of us, they were labeled.  I will be forever grateful.  You can read about "Betty's Box" by searching for it in http://Jonesfamilymatters.blogspot.com