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Hi Bill,
”Massa”, the wife of Francis Smith I’ve been trying to find, is I believe Mercy Jones b. 1781 in Frederick Co., Va., daughter of David Jones b. 1747 and wife Sarah last name unknown b. 1751. Mercy’s siblings were John b. 1773, Leven b. 1775, Solomon b. 1777, Mary b. 1779, Tressa or Sarah(Sally) b. 1783, Anna b. 1785 and Kezia b. 1787.
John JONES Sr. Rev (b.1773-Franklin,,Va)
married Sarah SUMPTER (m.5 Jul 1790)
Solomon JONES (b.1777-,,Va)
married Miss REDPATH
Mary JONES (b.1779-,,Va)
married James BURTON
Sarah “Sally” JONES (b.23 Jul 1783-,,Va;d.12 Jul 1848-
Boone County,Indiana/Pleasant)
married Joseph Benjamin TROUT (b.5 Jul 1782;m.3 Oct 1798;d.19 Jul 1848)
Anna JONES (b.1785-,,Va)
married Joseph TYLER
Keziah JONES (b.1787-,,Va)
married Charles BURTON
Can you suggest ways of finding more information on this family and possible Blackfoot ancestry? It’s interesting to speculate that these Jones are part of the lost colony of NC, and are actually Croatans.
I’d be happy to hear your thoughts.
Thank you, Bill,
Sue
From reading Bearskin’s account of stream names recorded by William Byrd while surveying the VA/NC border ‘Massa’ means paint in Saponi/Siouan. Massa-moni was the name he gave for what is now called Island Creek north of Henderson NC flowing into the Roanoke just across the border in VA.
Massamoni is translated as “paint creek” in English. The ‘moni’ part of Massamoni meaning creek. The Massa part meaning ‘paint’ or ‘painted’ as in painted red from the red ochre in the clay banks of the creek. The pigment that was used to color pottery, clothing and such.
This seems like a logical name to use to reflect a connection to the Saponi. At least to me.
Dora Moses Cornelius Skinner Smith, their great grandson said he was 1/4 Blackfoot. If this came exclusively from the Smith/Jones line it would mean Francis Smith and Massa Jones were both full blood.
This is Massa’s niece Anna Jones, daughter of her brother John Jones and Sarah Sumpter. They were married 1790 in Franklin County VA.
http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/the-saponi-and-tutelo-indians.htm
This site links the Saponi word “Massa” with the Tutelo word “mass” and Dakota word “ma’za”. In Dakota maza seems to mean iron. This fits with the red ochre (iron) color referring to the creek name Massa-moni (Paint Creek).
This makes sense as maza is used in Dakota names like:
Dakota English
Maza Blaska Flat Iron
Maza Chante Iron Heart
Maza Yuha Mani Carries Iron Walking
Maza Okiye Win Woman Who Talks to Iron
In the book American Anthropologist Volume 3 it talks about ‘iron’ names and wonders if this is an accurate translation of maza into English. There are almost 100 different male and female names listed containing maza.
I’ve found another Smith relation via 23andMe. I don’t know her but she has the same oral history regarding the Smiths. The story is that Smith was not their original name, but was a name a paternal ancestor took on after moving from VA.
I found another related descendant on this line. Massa’s nephew Solomon Jones had a daughter Julyann who married a Redpath and they moved west through MO to UT like Massa’s niece Anna Jones. The Blackfoot ID is also in this branch of the family.
Have found the name Massa for the first time in someone else’s genealogy. Massa/Massah/Massey Wheat is from my closest cousin that has genealogy uploaded to GedMatch. She is from the same era and makes the same basic migration as Massa Jones in my family… born 1776 Wise VA, died 1814 Jessamine KY.
Daughter of Zedrick Zadock Wheat 1741-1802 and Lucy Davis 1748-1829 of MD.
Grand-daughter of Joseph “Lineage” Charles Wheat 1709-1793 and Mary Rachel Williams 1718-1793, Charles Davis 1710-1796 and Lydia Swearingen 1726-1798.
She marries William B Long 1769-1843 and their descendants marry into other lines that I’ve read bout here and seen in Rick Haithcock’s books – like Fish.
This is a picture of Massa Wheat’s daughter in law Mahala Martin Holman 1806 Woodford KY – 1869 Butler IA.
Looking at ancestors with the name Massa – I noticed another Massa Smith (male) in the Freedman Bank Records from TN. These records list ‘complexion’. He is listed as ‘brown’, others are listed as ‘black’.
When I find anyone with this name, I look at their maternal line. Everyone I have seen so far has names from Saponi surname lists or has no recorded parentage.
Another Massa I have found is Massa Jane Chambers 1784-1867 of PA/WV, her maternal line is to Mary Fish of VA – no further info:
Recently we have met more cousins on the Jones line who confirm the Catawba connection. She also confirmed the Trout lines of TN are also descended from the same Catawba Jones line and are related to the “Indiana Jones-Smith” lines.
Within a month or so we will have DNA samples on three more descendants tied to this group. Two are from ‘Indiana Smith’ first cousins visiting us up here. Another is from a cousin in Michigan who found me through our family tree.
If they all test that will be 13 people total in this study. With the level of interest statign to develop it looks to be time to write a short ‘Indiana Jones-Smith’ book to help everyone understand our shared heritage.
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