Grady-Brooks-Warren County GaArchives Biographies.....Jones, Walter C. 1855 - living in 1913
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 31, 2004, 10:46 pm

Author: William Harden
p. 1023-1025

   REV. WALTER C. JONES. Born in one of the early homes of south Georgia, Rev.
Jones represents a family which had a pioneer part in the settlement and
development of this section of the state, and during his own career has followed
a life of service and benefit to the community as well as for his individual
welfare. He has spent many years in the ministry of the Methodist church, and
since retiring has become noted as a fruit grower and nurseryman at Cairo.

   Walter C. Jones was born in the Hickory Head section of Brooks county,
Georgia, June 26, 1855. His father was Malachi, who was born in the Black Creek
section of Bulloch county, in 1809. The grandfather was Thomas Jones, born and
reared in Warren county, Georgia, going to Bullock county when a young man and
rearing his family and spending his last days in the latter vicinity. Thomas
Jones married a Miss Denmark. Malachi Jones was reared and married in Bulloch
county, and from there came into southwestern Georgia, accompanied by his wife
and three children. The journey was made across the country with team and wagon,
and his first location was the present site of Dixie, which was then located in
Thomas county. Buying a tract of timbered land, he cleared a space among the
trees and there built a log cabin, which was the first shelter of himself and
family in southwestern Georgia. Indians and wild game were still plentiful in
the almost unbroken forest areas which surrounded his home on every side, and
his labors contributed one more plantation to this section of Georgia.

   About 1845 he sold his land and bought a place in the Hickory Head section of
Lowndes county, now in Brooks county. There he again built a home and it was in
that house that Rev. Walter C. Jones was born. For many years after the
settlement of the family, no railroads were built through this country, and the
father marketed his cotton either in Tallahassee or St. Marks. One year he sold
his cotton at St. Marks for 3y2 cents per pound, and then turned and invested
part of the proceeds of the crop for a stock of salt for which he had to pay
$2.00 per sack, Malachi Jones improved the fine farm and spent the remainder of
his life in Brooks county, where he died at the age of seventy-one. The maiden
name of his wife was Sarah Reissier Groover. Her father was Charles Groover, a
native of Savannah, and her ancestors came to America with the Salzburgers. At
that time the family name was spelled Gruber, and was subsequently changed to
the present form. Charles Groover, clerk of court of Bulloch county, spelled his
name Gruver until 1837, as shown by the records, and then changed it to Groover,
and so far as known all other members of the family adopt this spelling. Charles
Groover from Savannah moved to Bulloch county, where he bought a plantation, was
soon afterwards elected clerk of the court, and served several years in that
official capacity. He remained a resident of Bulloch county until his death. The
maiden name of his wife was a Miss Reissier, who survived him and later married
Nathan Jones, and spent her last days in Bulloch county. Her sons were Samuel of
Statesboro; Charles E., a well known resident of Savannah, and Daniel who died a
young man. Mrs. Malachi Jones died at the age of sixty-nine years, and of her
fourteen children, eleven grew to maturity, named as follows: Sophronia, Nathan,
Julia, Charles E., William M., M. Franklin, Andrew J., Thomas T., Clinton R.,
Walter, Colquit, and Sally A. The son, Nathan, enlisted at the breaking out of
the war in the Confederate service and died while a soldier. Charles E., William
M., and M. Franklin served all through the war, and Andrew entered the army when
a boy in 1864, remaining until the final surrender.

   Walter C. Jones attended the rural schools in Brooks county and the Hickory
Head High School. The beginning of his career was as a merchant, engaging in
that business at Quitman at the age of twenty-two and continuing in that line
for nine years. In 1887 he joined the south Georgia conference of the Methodist
church, and for nearly a quarter of a century was active in the ministry with
pastorate in different sections of the state until failing health compelled him
to retire, and he is now a superannuated minister. However, he still engages in
the active work as preacher, when his health will permit, and is teacher of a
fine Bible class of ninety members at Cairo.

   On leaving the regular work of the ministry, Mr. Jones located at Cairo, and
turned his attention to farm life. He established a nursery and has made a
specialty of the culture of pecan trees and for several seasons has sold as high
as 12,000 to 15,000 trees. He also has a large and profitable pecan grove of his
own, and his farm located close to Cairo is considered one of the best in Grady
county. In 1912 he erected an attractive and comfortable home, built in the
colonial style, and located on Gordon Heights one mile from the court house in
Cairo.

   Rev. Walter C. Jones, on January 20, 1892, married Miss Martha Melvina
Powell. Mrs. Jones is a native of Cairo, and a daughter of Rev. William Powell,
who was born in that portion of Decatur county, which is now included within the
limits of Grady county. The grandfather of Mrs. Jones was Kedar Powell, who was
born in Decatur county, a son of parents who were natives of North Carolina, and
among the first settlers of southwest Georgia. Kedar Powell established his home
about six miles south of Cairo, where he improved a farm out of the wilderness
and lived there until late in life, when he moved into Cairo, and spent his last
days in this town. Rev. William Powell was one of the first merchants in Cairo,
and after the railroad had been built through, he was appointed station agent,
an office which he held until his death. He was also interested in farming, and
his place was partly included with the incorporate limits of Cairo. William
Powell married Lucretia Brocket, a daughter, of Capt. Lemuel Brocket, a large
planter of Florida. Mr. and Mrs. Jones have five children named Walter Colquit,
Jr., Margaret, William Powell, Joseph. Mabbett, and Lucretia.



Additional Comments:
From:

A HISTORY OF SAVANNAH AND SOUTH GEORGIA
BY
WILLIAM HARDEN

VOLUME II
ILLUSTRATED
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO AND NEW YORK
1913

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