Sunday, October 6, 2019

Jones Memorial Rock (Towanda Twp.)


This memorial rock lies in Smith's Grove, a historic grove just southeast of Towanda. The Jones family were some of the earliest European settlers in McLean County.

 Smith's Grove

The first wave of Europeans arrived in McLean County in the 1820's and 30's. Many settled in the edges of groves bordered by prairies. These were ideal locations. The trees provided shelter and raw materials. The prairies provided farmland. Streams provided water. 

Smith's Grove was one of these groves. John Smith, Sr., arrived in spring 1830. Smith's Grove is named after him. In 1831, he married Anna Havens. She was the daughter of Jesse Havens and Rebecca Hinthorn, prominent landowners west of Hudson (Haven's Grove is named after them). John and Anna moved to Haven's Grove in 1832. At some point, the Jones family took ownership of the Smith land. 

John Smith, Sr., however, was not the first European in Smith's Grove. According Duis (1874), LeBaron (1879), and Housbrouck (1924), the Jesse Trimmer family arrived in August 1826 and "saw no white person until they reached Smith's Grove." This implies European settlers were in the area before Trimmer arrived in 1826. Jesse Trimmer died shortly thereafter. His wife and eight children settled on Money Creek a few miles north of Smith's Grove. LeBaron (1879) states Hiram Havens (Jesse's father) arrived in Smith's Grove in summer 1826.

Of course, there were thriving Native American communities, farmland, and trading routes long before the European settlers arrived. In fact, Jesse Trimmer followed the Native American Wabash trail on his way to Smith's Grove from New Jersey. LeBaron notes the Native American children were the "only playfellows the Trimmer children had."

Smith's Grove is generally described as being in sections 9, 10, 15, and 16 of Towanda Township. It was an active rural community, with a school, church, and cemetery. 

Smith's Grove, 1874. Note all of the Jones' farms.
From 1874 McLean County Historical Atlas, Library of Congress.
Smith's Grove, 1895
From Historic Map Works, 1895 McLean County Historical Atlas

Smith's Grove today (2019)
Screenshot from Google Maps
The Jones Family & Memorial Rock

Abraham Jones, Jr. was the first Jones to arrive at Smith's Grove, settling on a farm in 1849. Several of his siblings and parents, Abraham, Sr. and Matila, arrived in the early 1850's. 

Two of Abraham Jr.'s brothers were Cyrus and Francis. Cyrus acquied land in section 10 (see 1874 atlas). In 1872, Cyrus, his wife Margaret Rayburn, and their daughter moved to San Jose, California, where Cyrus was a prominent landowner and rancher. In total, he owned about 800 acres in McLean County. Cyrus died in San Jose, but is buried in Smith's Grove Cemetery. Cyrus' daughter married attorney Samuel Tompkins and died in 1943 in California.

Cyrus Jones in California in 1912, three years before his death.
Original photo by J.O. Tucker.
From King Library Digital Collections, San Jose State University
Later, Francis's son, Marion Ellsworth, settled on Cyrus' land in section 10 (see 1895 atlas). In the 2006 plat map, Maurice Jones is still listed as the land owner along with Charles Anderson. 

The memorial rock likely commemorates the Jones' family long history of farming and land ownership at Smith's Grove. Certainly, this particular plat would have been a hub of Smith's Grove community activity. The rock would have been located on the Cyrus / Maurice Jones land, almost exactly where the house would have stood. 

Location of Jones Memorial Rock, just northeast of Smith's Grove Cemetery.
Screen shot from Google Maps

Location of C. Jones' home (black square) in relation to Smith's Grove Cemetery.
From Historic Map Works, 1895 McLean County Historical Atlas
I have no knowledge about who placed the memorial rock or how long it's been there. Interestingly, the rock states "Jones 1834." Based on the historic documentation, the first Jones arrived at Smith's Grove in 1849. The first evidence of the purchase of land is from 1850. I am not sure what the 1834 date references.






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