Walter Little Jones, Archie Davis & Family

Walter Little Jones was born on 12 January 1850 in Fort Bend, Texas (1), to James Jones and Mary Jane Little. 

Walter's mother died soon and his father remarried. On ⚭ 31 January 1855 (2), James Jones married 16-year-old Miss Fannie (Frances) E. Hill. She was the daughter of Mr. John P. Hill. The young lady was born on 10 June 1839, in Louisiana. 

Walter's father James passed away about two years later.

On  ⚭ 20 September 1859, in Fort Bend, TX (3), Ms. Fannie Jones, the stepmother, married Mr. William O. Bohannon (born on 29 February 1832). The latter was a stock raiser. In 1860, the man paid taxes for 36 horses and 2500 head of cattle. He also owned 701 acres of land worth $2000  (4).

Walter started his own family at the age of 19. His wife was Ms. Virginia Smith, age about 15. The marriage ceremony took place on ⚭ 11 November 1869 in Richmond, Fort Bend, TX (5). Virginia was the daughter of Mr. Thomas Jefferson Smith and Julia Maria Lee Beale. Mr. T. J. Smith used to be  a sheriff of the Fort Bend County, he owned a hotel in Richmond, operated a local blacksmith shop, and livery as well.

🏠 July 1870 (6) -  Walter and his young wife lived with her parents and siblings (at Mr. and Mrs. Smith's home in Justice Precinct #4, Fort  Bend, TX). Walter was a stock raiser.

🏡15 October 1870 (7) - the young couple were registered at their household. The value of both their personal and real estate were given as $300 each. Walter's uncle William s James lived with his wife and children in the nearby house.

Soon, Walter and Virginia's son Alex was born (see below).

♦ Sadly, Virginia Smith Jones passed away.

⚭ 4 March 1874 (8) - Walter married Miss Archietta (Archie) Davis, who was the daughter of William Kinchen Davis and Eloniza Jane Pickens. Archie was about 7 years younger than Walter, she was born  on 15 June 1857 in Bend, San Saba County,  TX.

🔹 22 September 1875 their youngest daughter Jenetta was born in Richmond.

At that time, Walter operated the livery stable.

Clipping source: The Four Counties. (Richmond, Tex.), Vol. 2, No. 17, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 25, 1875, newspaper, March 25, 1875; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth181362/: accessed March 18, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

👉 1875 - The Brazos River flooded Richmond (*) - many  merchants lost their business places. How it affected Walter Little Jones I am not sure,

🔹 28 April 1877 - Hattie E. was born
August of the same year - Walter still owned the Livery Stable

Clipping source: The Fort Bend Flag. (Richmond, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 3, Ed. 1 Saturday, August 11, 1877, newspaper, August 11, 1877; Richmond, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth181150/: accessed March 18, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

🔹 19 September1878 - another daughter, Abbie H, arrived.

 

By 1880, Walter had started a new business venture.

🏡 June 1880  - Census registered W. L. Jones (bar keeper, age 30), and his family in Richmond, ED 45, Fort Bend, TX (9). The names of Archie (age 21) and the children were  misspelled in the records - Aleck (Ellick - age 9), Jenny (age 4), Hattie (Hatty  - age 3), and Abbie (Abby - age 1).

 

🔹 12 December 1880 - Walter and Archie's son Thomas Harris Little Jones came to this world. Mourning came about a year later, when little baby Thomas died on ♦ 14 October 1881.

🔹 8 February 1882 -  William Eugene was born.

♦ 21 November 1883 - sad time again - little Abbie left this world.

🔹 22 October 1883 - new arrival in the family - another son, Joe A, was born.

August 1884

 

Clipping source: Walford, J. H. The Nation. (Richmond, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 4, Ed. 1 Friday, August 8, 1884, newspaper, August 8, 1884; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth181501/: accessed March 19, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

 

👉 June 1885 - great fire in Richmond (possibly arson according to the news) destroyed many business holdings. Unfortunately, Walter Little Jones' bar place was affected as well.

 

Clippings source: Walford, J. H. Richmond Opinion. (Richmond, Tex.), Vol. 4, No. 50, Ed. 1 Friday, June 26, 1885, newspaper, June 26, 1885; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth179343/: accessed March 19, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting The Dolph Briscoe Center for American History.

 

Not long after the fire, on 🔹 30 September 1885, Walter Little Junior was born.

♦ 20 November 1885 - Walter Little Jones (age 37)  passed away in Bend, San Saba, TX. Was his death related to the fire that happened a few months ago, I do not know.

 

Another death in the family came some time later.

♦ 11 November 1891 - Mr. William Kinchen Davis, Archie's father, passed away. 

 

Photograph Source: [William Kinchen Davis holding a cane], photograph, Date Unknown; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth8276/: accessed January 29, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting George Ranch Historical Park.

⚭ 18 July 1893 - 17-year-old Jenny married 3-year-older Mr. Toney Bernard  Wessendorff (10), born on 19 November 1872  in Richmond, to Anton Bernard Wessendorff and Anna Margaretha Johannah Janentzki.

Jennie Jones

Photograph source: [Jennie Jones (Wessendorff) wearing a white dress and a floral corsage], photograph, [1885..1910]; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth8296/: accessed March 19, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting George Ranch Historical Park. 

 

Young T B Wessensdorff

 

Photograph source: Lorenz, C.O. [T.B. Wessendorff as a teenager.], photograph, 1888; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth369/: accessed March 22, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum.

 

⚭ 1 June 1898 - Hattie married her brother-in-law Thomas Alex Wessendorff (11), born on 19 October 1877.

 

Hattie Jones

Photograph source: [Photograph of Hattie Jones Wessendorff], photograph, Date Unknown; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth8902/: accessed March 19, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting George Ranch Historical Park.

 

👉 After Walter's passing, Archie (age 49)  lived with her sons William (age 29), Joe (age 26)  and Walter Jr. (age 25) in Richmond, Justice Precinct # 1. William and Walter did odd jobs, Joe worked at a grocery store (12).

Mrs. Archie Davis and sons - Walter Little (kneeling), left - Joe, Bill holding a hat

Photograph source: Lorenz, C.O. [Archie Davis Jones and her sons.], photograph, 1892; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth483/: accessed March 19, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum. 

TB Wessendorff, Jennie Wessendorf, baby Lizzie, Walter Jones Jr.

Baby Lizzie - Elizabeth Weseendorf was born on 9 March 1894

 Photograph Source: [T.B. Wessendorff, Jennie Jones Wessendorff, Lizzie Wessendorff, etc.], photograph, 1895; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth392/: accessed March 21, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum.

Back row - from the left - TB Wessendorf, Jennie Wessendorff, Lizzie Wessendorff (standing), Archir Davis Jones, Welliam Eugene Jones, Lizzie Wessendorff, Walter Jone Jr., Joe A Jones.

Photograph source: [Group of people on the porch of a home.], photograph, 1895; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth342/: accessed March 21, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum.+9

⚭ 10 July 1918 - William Eugene married miss Eugenia E Burges (13).

 

William Eugene Jones

Photograph source: [W.E. Jones on horseback. Man dressed in dark suit.], postcard, Date Unknown; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth447/: accessed March 21, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum. 

 

 

 

Back row left: Mrs. Swinford, Lizzie Wessendorf, Jennetta Wessendorf, Mrs. Archietta Davis Jones, Jennie Jones Wessendorff,

Front row - Marguerite, Doris, and marie Wessendorf - photo taken in about 1910.

 

Lizzie Wessendorf was TB's sister. She was born on 6 November 1860.

 

Jennetta Wessendorf was born on 1 October 1896. Marguerite was born on 21 November 1901, Doris, was born on 21 November 1904, Marie was born on 15 April 1907.
 

Photograph source: [Mrs. Swinford, Lizzie Wessendorff, etc.], photograph, 1910; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth417/: accessed March 21, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum.

 

 👉 November 1918 - WW1 time - the Jones brothers were drafted.

 

 

Source: "United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZXH-5CW : Sat Nov 23 05:40:21 UTC 2024), Entry for William Eugene Jones, from 1917 to 1918.
 

Source: "United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZXH-5HH : Sat Nov 23 04:21:05 UTC 2024), Entry for Joe A Jones, from 1917 to 1918.
 

 

Source: "United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZXH-5CM : Fri Nov 22 18:03:57 UTC 2024), Entry for Walter Little Jones, from 1917 to 1918.
 

♦ Walter Little Jr.  passed about two years later, on 7 June 1920 (14). He lived 34 years, 8 months and 8 days.
Walter Jr., and his brother Joe had worked at a general store (15).

Hattie's husband Thomas was a bank cashier. He met his tragic end on ♦ 21 March 1923.

 

 

Clipping source: Bishop, C. M. The Giddings News. (Giddings, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 44, Ed. 1 Friday, March 23, 1923, newspaper, March 23, 1923; Giddings, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1597458/: accessed March 19, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Giddings Public Library and Cultural Center.  

That must have been a devastating time for Mrs. Archie Jones. More was coming. Soon after that tragic death, on ♦ 6 April 1923 another child of hers, Joe A, died at the age of 39 (16).
Three years later, on ♦ 20 September 1926 - Jenny, the eldest daughter of Archie and Walter's  died in the Houston Hospital due to TB (17).

T. B. Wessendorff's residence

 

Photograph source: [T.B. Wessendorff Residence, Richmond, Texas, 1901.], photograph, 1901; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth362/: accessed March 22, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend Museum.

Another death came on ♦ 13 January 1930. Toney, Jenny's husband died suddenly at the age of 57. He had been a merchant.

 

 

Clipping source: Bishop, C. M. The Giddings News. (Giddings, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 44, Ed. 1 Friday, March 23, 1923, newspaper, March 23, 1923; Giddings, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1597458/: accessed March 19, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Giddings Public Library and Cultural Center.

👉 After Thomas Alex Wessendorff's passing, Mrs. Archie Jones (age 76) lived with her 52-year-old daughter Hattie (18).

♦ 7 May 1930 - Walter Little Jones Sr.'s wife Archie Davis Jones finished her life journey (19) which was full of suffering. Among others, Archie's husband and six of her seven children proceeded her in death. Archie Davis Jones lived 72 years 10 months 23 days.

 

Mrs. Archie Davis Jones' house

Photograph source: [Home of Archie D. Jones 3], photograph, Date Unknown; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth610828/: accessed March 22, 2025), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Fort Bend County Libraries.

 

The last one of Mrs. Archie's children was William Eugene Jones.

He was registered by the Army in 1942 (20).

 W. E. Jones passed on 7 November 1954 in Seguin, Guadalupe, TX (21).

 

To be continued...

Sources:
findagrave.com
familysearch.org

1. "Find a Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2Z-DJG1 : 15 December 2021), Walter Little Jones, ; Burial, Richmond, Fort Bend, Texas, United States of America, Morton Cemetery; citing record ID 62521336, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

 2. "Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MJ-T9N : 22 January 2020), James Jones, 1855.

3. "Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2MJ-TSV : 22 January 2020), William O. Bohannon, 1859.
4. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1837-1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ85-6GFD : Sun Mar 10 00:02:39 UTC 2024), Entry for Wm Bohannon, 1860.
5. "Texas, County Marriage Index, 1837-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLD5-CJR : Sun Mar 10 16:54:40 UTC 2024), Entry for Walter Jones and Virginia Smith, 11 Nov 1869.
6. "United States, Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGY-BG7 : Sat Jan 18 07:57:07 UTC 2025), Entry for Thomas J Smith and Julia L Smith, 1870.
7. ""United States, Census, 1870", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXGY-5ZH : Tue Jan 21 05:21:39 UTC 2025), Entry for Walter Jones and Virginia Jones, 1870.
8. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-2010", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZB-S7SW : Wed Jul 31 23:38:27 UTC 2024), Entry for Walter L Jones and Archie Davis, 04 Mar 1874.
9. "United States, Census, 1880", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFNC-H1Y : Sat Jan 11 18:45:09 UTC 2025), Entry for W.L. Jones and Archey Jones, 1880.
(* )https://www.sugarlandtx.gov/1695/History-of-Fort-Bend-County
10. "Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXSR-6XK : 22 January 2020), Jennie Jones in entry for T. B. Wessendoff, 1893.
11. "Texas, Marriages, 1837-1973", , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FXSR-J57 : 22 January 2020), Hattie E. Jones in entry for Thomas A. Wessendorff, 1898.
12. "United States, Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2MB-HVG : Sun Mar 10 16:41:38 UTC 2024), Entry for Archie Jones and William Jones, 1910.
13. "Texas, County Marriage Records, 1837-2010", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2ZB-SZW1 : Wed Jul 31 23:39:17 UTC 2024), Entry for W E Jones and Eugenia E Burges, 10 Jul 1918.
14. "Find a Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV2Z-DJPM : 7 November 2023), Walter L Jones, ; Burial, Richmond, Fort Bend, Texas, United States of America, Morton Cemetery; citing record ID 62521337, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
15. "United States, Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC9C-CYM : Wed Jan 15 13:29:10 UTC 2025), Entry for Archie Jones and Joe A Jones, 1920.
16. "BillionGraves Index", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VYWW-T65 : Wed Feb 26 01:23:06 UTC 2025), Entry for Joe A Jones.
17. "Texas, Deaths, 1890-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K37G-3JS : Thu Jul 18 19:19:11 UTC 2024), Entry for Jenny Ryan Wessendorf and Walter Jones, 24 Sep 1926.
18. "United States, Census, 1930", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HTFW-4PZ : Sun Mar 10 19:04:35 UTC 2024), Entry for Archie Jones and Hattie E Wessendorff, 1930.

 9. "Texas, Deaths, 1890-1977", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K335-CY7 : Thu Jul 18 15:16:17 UTC 2024), Entry for Archie Jones and W K Davis, 7 May 1930.  

 20. "United States, World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XPV6-VP2 : Fri Feb 14 12:02:43 UTC 2025), Entry for William Eugene Jones, 1942.

 21. "Texas, Death Index, 1903-2000", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZJQ-6K2 : Tue Feb 25 03:55:18 UTC 2025), Entry for William Eugene Jones, 07 Nov 1954.