Strange as it may seem, the Jones family is actually descended from an English family of mercers (merchants of silks and fine cloth) named Smith. The line goes from the Smiths to the Adams to the Raplees and then to the Joneses.

As shown below, they not only came from Stratford- on-Avon, William Smith's signature appears on the Royal charter which founded Stratford-on-Avon.

William's son John Smith, married Alice Walker, sister of Henry Walker, Shakespeares friend. Shakespeare was godfather to Henry Walker's son William. (see below)

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The English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Conn.
By Roderick Bissel Jones

Article from "The New England Historic Genealogical Register, April 1974, pp. 136-139

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Jacobus in The American Genealogist (hereinafter TAG) 25:126-139 had an article on Richard Smith who was in Withersfield, Conn., by 1669 and died there about 1670 aged about 80. It gives many of his decedents but nothing on his ancestry. The facts given herein tend to show that he was the grandson of Alderman William Smith of Stratford on Avon, co. Warwick, England, and his wife, sister of the Bishop of Winchester.

Master William Smith, the mercer, was called alderman, an office next below Bailiff (Mayor) and members of the Corporation in the royal charter given to Stratford on Avon in 1553. The references now hold that he was the William Smith that in 1553 was the Bridge Warden, maintaining the bridge over the Avon, and was that William Smith who in 1542 was made by Thomas Atwood a trustee of Atwoods house in "Corn Street" along with Master Richard Quiney, son of Adrian who died in 1534, and Master Thomas Whately.

The alderman must not be confused with William Smith, the haberdasher, who lived "in" Henley street, also named in the charter as corporation member, but who was not an alderman and not called "Master." The haberdasher died in 1600. There is no known blood or other relationship between the two William Smiths or their families. The family of the alderman appears to have been in Stratford for a least a generation before the family of the haberdasher. However inasmuch as both families had many Williams, many mercers and aldermen and gentlemen, one cannot escape the feeling that both, perhaps a generation before had a common origin.

In 1552 Sir Richard Catesby, Master William Smith, and two other freeholders were fined four pence each for not attending the local court.

The minute book of the Stratford corporation shows the signature of William Smith, the alderman, written 27 Sept, 1564. As early as 1548 the Alderman owned and lived in "The New House", High Street. There it still stands, numbered 34.

He was a widower with a daughter when he married, as his second wife, Mistress Alice Savage, widow of Richard Savage of Evesham, co Worchester, who died in 1551, and mother of two daughters. She was the daughter of Master Thomas Watson and his wife Agnes Weeks of Bengeworth. Co. Worchester, a few miles west of Stratford, and sister of John Watson, later Bishop of Winchester, and grand-daughter of John Watson and his wife Agnes Young. For these armigetons Watsons see the Visitations of Worchestershire and Gloucestersire.

The Alderman owned seven houses and much other property. His daughter by his first wife married, probably by 1568, and esquire Richard Palmer. Between May and October 1577, the alderman moved to Worchester, leaving his son John, the ironmonger, in The New House. His will was dated 6 December 1578; in 1579 he was buried in Worchester cathedral. His widow's will of 28 April was proved 28 May 1585. (See Water's Gleanings).

Master William Smith employed a tutor to his children, John Bretchgirdle, sometimes written Brace girdle, who in his 1565 will bequeathed books "to William, eldest of Master William Smith." and ti "his brothers Richard, Robert, Thomas and John" (later the ironmonger) who was to have his Latin Sallust.

Child of William Smith, Alderman, and his first wife:

1. A daughter; mar. Richard Palmer, Esq. Of Compton, an overseer of his father-in-law's will of 1578.

Children of William Smith and Alice (Watson) (Savage) Smith.

2. William, "the elder" and eldest son, b. ca. 1553 and so named in the wills of his mother and his uncle, the Bishop.
3. Richard, graduated by Christ Church, Oxford in 1570; Vicar of Warcombe, Isle of Wight. He had a son William. (See Compton Reade's Smith Family, 1902, Bristol, for descendants of William.}
4. Robert, bur. 11 July 1579, Stratford. Probably ill at the date of his father's will in which he is not named.
5. 2. v. John, the ironmonger, b. ca 1557.
6. vi Thomas, Bapt. 11 Nov. 1563; father of a Richard Bapt. 1583/4.
7. vii William, "the younger" called a student in Winchester College in the 1583 will of his uncle, the Bishop of Winchester.
8. viii A daughter, referred to in the Bretchgirdle will.
9. ix A daughter, posthumous, b. ca, 6 April 1579.

References for the above are found in the following works by Edgar I. Ripp, Life Trustee of Shakespeares Birthplace: Shakespeares Stratford, 1928, 85pp., Oxford University Press; Shakespeare's Studies, 1930, 176 pp. (Ibid); Shakespeare, Man and Artist, 1938, 938 pp. (Ibid); and in the Parish Registry of the Church of the Holy Trinity, Stratford.

2. John Smith, the ironmonger, born ca. 1557 in Stratford, co. Warwick. Chamberlain, then Alderman (1600), and Bailiff by 1605 of Stratford on Avon, he lived after his father had moved away, in The New House, High Street, which his father had owned and lived in.

He married 16, January 1591, Alice Walker, bur. 20 April 1633, sister of Henry Walker, Shakespeares friend, mercer of Stratford, church-warden, three times mayor and finally "gentleman", and perhaps granddaughter of Henry Walker of Snittfield, co. Warwick, whose 1558 will was witnessed by Shakespeare's grandfather, Richard Shakespeare. Shakespeare was godfather to Henry Walker's son William.

John's will of 1612, cited in Waters's Gleanings, directed that he be furried in the parish church next to his son Henry. He was buried 27 Dec. 1612.

Children of John and Alice (Walker) Smith, all named in his will:

1. Henry, bapt. 1593; bur. By 1612 in Holy Trinity, Stratford.
2. Thomas, bapt. In October 1594; "my eldest son" in the will.
3. 3. Richard, bapt. 16 Nov. 1595.
4. Alice, bapt. In May 1597.
5. William, bapt. In September 1598.
6. John, bapt. 1599/1600.
7. Margaret, bapt. in January 1601/02
8. Robert, bapt. in August 1604
9. Eliner.

3. Richard Smith was in Wethersfield, Conn., in 1669. Winthrop saw him there and entered in his Journal that Smith was "come 80 years". Eighty is such a round number that Smith must have been somewhere in his seventies. The Richard Smith baptized 16 Nov. 1595 would have entered his seventy-fifth year in November 1669. There was a contempory Richard Smith, baptized 9 Nov. 1593 in Stratford, son of Francis Smith of another family, probably the Richard buried 4 Nov., 1614, as he is not mentioned in the 1623 will of Francis nor the 1633 will of Alice, widow of Francis. (See Walter's Gleanings).

It is here suggested that Richard Smith of Wethersfield was one of the twenty men that George Wyllys, esq., lord of the manor of Fenny Compton, 13 miles east of Stratford, sent ahead to set up his seat in Hartford, Conn. (He himself came in 1636) Both of Wyllys' wives were born in Stratford, the last one, who came with him from Hartford, having been born a Smith. He must have known well the men of little Stratford and their abilities. Reasons were given in 46 TAG, 136-7 for believing that a daughter of Richard Smith of Wethersfield married a half nephew of Governor Wyllys, Richard Harris of Hartford.

All of the eight children of John Smith, the ironmonger, were in their teens or younger when he died. In his will was "Thomas, my eldest son", who received his dwelling house. The younger Richard, born in 1595, was to get only a piece of land, "which I BOUGHT OF Cousin William Smith, son of my brother Richard Smith." Henry Walker, mercer, overseer of the will of Richard's father, may have taken Richard into his home and shop and taught him the arts of a mercer as Richard is called "mercer" some seven or eight years later in the parish register at the baptism of his son "Richard, son of Richard Smith, mercer, --1621".

Jacobus listed the approximate date of birth of the children of Richard Smith of Wethersfield. The baptisms in Stratford of the children of Richard, beginning with Richard baptized in 1621 above, agree with Jocobus to the limits of tolerance allowed by Jocobus "about".

In the 1660's in Wethersfield the wife of Richard Smith was Rebecca (probably Bushwell or Boswell). Note that Winthrop wrote that Samuel Buswell of Salisbury, Mass. Was kin to Rebecca Smith of Hockanum, Conn. This was the above Rebecca. Richard and Rebecca named a son "Samuel" as did their son Richard and Joseph.

Children of Richard Smith of Stratford-on-Avon, co. Warwick, England and Wethersfield, Conn.:

A daughter b. say 1619; mar. Richard Harris of Hartford who d. There in 1666.

Richard "born about 1617" (Jacobus) The parish register of the Church of The Holy Trinity, Stratford-on-Avon, records the baptism in 1621 of "Richard, son of Richard Smith the mercer". Richard Smith, weaver, bought land in Pequot (New London), Weaver", was admitted an inhabitant of Wethersfield where his father had been living for years. A man born into a family of mercers, having to do with all aspects of silks and other fine fabrics, might well limit the scope of his calling to weaving in the New England wilderness.

Samuel, bapt. in Stratford, son of Richard (Parish Register). Nothing further is known of him.

Susannah, born ca. 1624 (Jacobus).

Mary, b. ca 1624

Joseph, bapt. in Stratford in April 1627 "son of Richard Smith, mercer;" bur. 30 May, 1630. (Parish Register)

Benjamin, bapt. in Nov. 1629 "son of Richard Smith" (Parish Registry); Richard Smith of Wethersfield named a son "Benjamin".

Joseph , born in say 1629" (Jacobus) Joseph "son of Richard Smith, mercer" was bapt. June 1632 in Stratford-on-Avon . (Parish Register) James Boswell (Buzzell) willed land to his "cousins" Richard and Joseph Smith.

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DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM SMITH

1 William Smith - 1579
.. +Alice Watson - 1585
. 2 John Smith 1557 - 1612
..... +Alice Walker
.... 3 Richard Smith 1595 - 1669
........ +Rebecca Bushwell/Boswell - 1667
....... 4 [1] Abigail Smith
........... +John Betts
....... *2nd Husband of [1] Abigail Smith:
........... +John Adams 1637 - 1670
.......... 5 John Adams 1666 - 1750
.............. +Phebe Wood
............. 6 John Adams - 1762
................. +Sarah Smith
................ 7 Uriah Adams 1733 - 1814
.................... +Unknown
................... 8 Sarah Adams 1779 -
....................... +Stephen Raplee 1772 -
...................... 9 Byer Raplee 1803 -
.......................... +William B. Jones 1803 - 1895
......................... 10 Alonzo Jones 1826 -
......................... 10 Charlotte L. Jones 1828 -
......................... 10 William C. Jones 1830 - 1900
............................. +Catherine Mary Hayward 1832 - 1904
............................ 11 Milo Jones - Unknown
................................ +Jane Elizabeth Hills - 1939
............................... 12 Howard Vincent Jones 1887 -
................................... +Eva Mandana Stocjwell 1887 - 1953
.................................. 13 Howard Vincent Jones jr. 1921 -
...................................... +Eugenia Maxine Jones
..................................... 14 Phillip Charles Jones 1943 -
......................................... +Lynda Sands
........................................ 15 Vincent Jones Jones 1969 -
........................................ 15 Shannon Marie Jones 1972 -
............................................ +Jeffrey Paul Nibur
..................................... 14 David Vincent Jones 1948 -
......................................... +Alice Kathleen Hart 1946 -
........................................ 15 Kenneth Jones 1965 -
............................................ +Sharie Mohn 1965 -
........................................... 16 Jena Jones 1984 -
........................................... 16 Kile Jones 1986 -
........................................... 16 Andrea Jones 1988 -
........................................ 15 Dale Jones 1966 -
............................................ +Kim Wheeler 1965 -
........................................... 16 Kelsie Jones 1991 -
........................................... 16 Shellia Jones 1993 -
........................................ 15 [2] Barbara Jones 1969 -
............................................ +Eddie Basham
........................................... 16 Jessica Basham 1988 -
........................................ *2nd Husband of [2] Barbara Jones:
............................................ +Stacy Smith
........................................... 16 Morgan Lee Smith
........................................... 16 Zachary Dal Smith
..................................... 14 [3] Dianne Jean Jones 1955 -
......................................... +Robert Ruth 1954 -
........................................ 15 Robert Vincent Ruth 1979 -
........................................ 15 Erika Diana Ruth 1981 -
..................................... *2nd Husband of [3] Dianne Jean Jones:
......................................... +George Geiger
............................... 12 William Cornelius Jones 1889 - 1965
................................... +Julia Dorothy Finster 1907 - 1983
.................................. 13 Kay Janet Dorothy Jones 1938 -
...................................... +Roger Thyr
..................................... 14 Brian Thyr
......................................... +Danita
........................................ 15 Nicholas James Thyr 1994 -
..................................... 14 Lisa Thyr 1962 -
......................................... +Scott James Barker 1962 -
........................................ 15 Charles James Barker 1985 -
........................................ 15 Natalia Lynn Barker 1987 -
.................................. 13 Cornel Robert Finster Jones 1939 -
...................................... +Merry Alice Maki 1939 -
..................................... 14 David Bruce William Jones 1964 -
......................................... +Ann Summerville Kelly 1964 -
........................................ 15 Seamus Dylan Summerville Jones 1995 -
........................................ 15 Isobel Alina Kelly Jones 1998 -
..................................... 14 Corey Robert Nicholas Jones 1966 -
.................................. 13 Dale Chester Westbrook Jones 1940 -
...................................... +Jeanne Adelle Finkelstein 1936 - 1985
..................................... 14 Terrence Flom Jones 1972 -
......................................... +Autumn Hickenbotham
......................................... 15 Yrick Jones (adopted) 1996 -
......................................... 15 Zayde Tatania Jones 2001 -
..................................... 14 Tod Simeon Hayward Jones 1976 -
............................... 12 Percy Milo Jones 1894 -
................................... +Dorothy Phillips - 1968
.................................. 13 Jane Jones
...................................... +Jack Quigley
..................................... 14 John Quigley
..................................... 14 David Quigley
..................................... 14 Francis Quigley
............................ 11 [4] Charles Edward Jones 1854 - 1906
................................ +Harriet R. Shoemaker
............................... 12 Francis Jones - 1907
............................ *2nd Wife of [4] Charles Edward Jones:
................................ +Ellen Banks - 1889
............................... 12 Franklin A. Jones
............................... 12 Florence Helen Jones
............................... 12 Joseph Rosslyn Jones 1882 - 1956
................................... +Grace Irene Muller 1881 - 1960
.................................. 13 Noel Paul Jones 1913 -
...................................... +Doris Ellen Wishart 1915 - 1979
..................................... 14 Noel Jones
............................ 11 Kattie Jones "Catherine" 1864 -
................................ +John Howard
............................... 12 Julius Howard
......................... 10 Stephen R. Jones 1826 - 1893
............................. +Alvira S. Miller 1826 - 1892
...................... 9 Anna Raplee 1799 -
...................... 9 Sarah Raplee 1801 -
...................... 9 Rozell Raplee 1806 -
...................... 9 Uriah Raplee 1808 -
...................... 9 Thomas Raplee 1810 -
...................... 9 Martha Raplee 1813 -
...................... 9 Andrew J Raplee 1817 -
...................... 9 Erasmus D. Raplee 1819 -
................... 8 Martha Adams
....................... +George Givens
................... 8 Catherine Adams
....................... +Andrew Rubblelee
................... 8 Anna Adams
....................... +Thomas Russel
................... 8 Elizabeth Adams
....................... +John Dilliston
................... 8 Zephariah Adams
................... 8 Obadiah Adams
................... 8 Abraham Adams
................ 7 John Adams
................ 7 Sarah Adams
................ 7 Deborah Adams
................ 7 Catherine Adams
................ 7 Evi Adams
................ 7 Sylvania Adams
................ 7 Robert Adams
............. 6 Jeremiah Adams
............. 6 James Adams
.......... 5 Rebecca Adams
.......... 5 Abigail Adams
.......... 5 Sarah Adams
.......... 5 Jeremiah Adams
.......... 5 Jonathan Adams
.......... 5 Thomas Adams