Thomas Taylor Jackquaws/Jaques/Jackwaise m. Mary Mitchell
I have been searching for information on the Jacques/Jackways, etc for years after finding I am descended from them through both my parents (lucky me! LOL! - this is a tough family!)
Anyway, I did finally establish more info about my Thomas T. He married Mary Mitchell, daughter of John and Lydia (Congdon) Mitchell in May 1808 in South Kingstown, RI.
According to Nailor Tom's Diary, he died on 5 Jan 1825. The exact entry states: "Taler Jaquay died 5 Jan 1825."
My Thomas T also used the name Taylor Jacwaise (pick whatever spelling you want!).
Henry Northup, Daniel Stedman and Oliver Steadman were chosen to inventory the estate after the widow Mary Jacquays appeared at the town council on 10 Apr 1826 and asked to administer the estate.After inventory, the value of Thomas T's estatewas given at $63.27. His debts were listed as being $97.22. There is no evidence that he owned any real estate, nor have I found any deeds for him.
One month after apprasing Thomas T's estate, Henry Northup married Thomas T's widow, Mary. They did have childen but none survived to adulthood. Henry died in 1835 and Mary then went on to marry Samuel Burgess. There were no children born to that marriage.
Mary's will, written on 15 Feb 1865 and probated in South Kingstown on 8 Mar 1869 reads as follows (copied from microfilm at the Rhode Island Historical Society):
In the name of God, Amen, I, Mary Burgess being weak in body but of sound mind, in view of my approaching dissolution do make this my last will and testament in manner following that is to say:
First, I give and devise all my personal property after my funeral charges are paid to be equally divided among my five daughters vis: Dorcas Whitford, Margaret Jacques, Elizabeth J. Mullen, Mary Ann Eccleston and Lydia Davis.
Lastly, I hereby nominate & appoint Updike C. Whitford Sole Executor of this my last will and testament and do hereby revoke all others and former wills by me made and published and establish this only as my last will and testament.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at South Kingstown this 15th day of february in the year if our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Mary (her seal) Burgess
Signed published and declared by Mary Burgess as and for her last wll and testament in our presence who have at this request in her presence and in presence of each other hereunto set our names as witnesses:
Isaac M. Church, Updike C. Whitford, Judith S. Church
On 8 Mar 1869 Updike Whitford was named by the SK town council to be administrator of Mary's will.
Thomas and Mary also had a son Henry who died in the Civil War. A William Jacques contributed money to the Civil War memorial in South Kingstown. Note that William was not in a position to be a philanthropist. I believe he was probably Thomas's brother and contributed in honor of his nephew Henry. William's eldest son was a Jonathan Jacquays and looking at the census there was a Jonathan Jacquays in 1774 with one son and in 1782 with two sons. These dates correspond closely to the dobs of Thomas and William. I have not made a case for them being sons of any of the other Jacques (Nathan and Samuel) nor do I know if Jonathan is the son of one of the Nathans or of Samuel, but based on census, the use of the name Jonathan for William's eldest son plus the fact that the name was carried to later generations, I feel fairly certain Jonathan was the father of both Thomas and William.
I do not know the name of Jonathan's wife. There are clues but there were also a few Jonathan Jacques running around SK so figuring out who is who is tricky.
This family was not well-to-do and left few records, but they did tend to carry names down. I descend from Dorcas C. Jaques, d/o Thomas and Mary. She married Updike Cooper Whitford and was probably named for the wife of Lydia Congdon's father, Robert Congdon. Robert married a Dorcas, sometimes thought to be a Potter but I question if she was really a Potter. There's an entry in the SK records noting a Dorcas that boarded with Robert Potter (not sure which Robert) and she is initially called Dorcas Potter but someone later scratched that out and wrote in the surname Sheffield. That's still a mystery!
Other children of Thomas and Mary were:Margaret, Mary Ann who m. George Ecclestone, Lydia H. that married James Davis, Henry - probably never married since his mother got his pension - and finally Elizabeth who married John Mullin.
Anyway, I thought I would share this for what it's worth and just have a couple of notes to add. Lydia Congdon's husband John Mitchell drowned off Point Judith in Nov 1787 and for several years she was supported by the town. She later married Henry Hooper Holland and is buried in Rockville Cemetery in Hopkinton. I am very certain that this John Mitchell is not part of the Block Island Mitchell family as some have indicated. The Worden genealogy says he was from that BI family but there is very contradictory info in the BI records to show that a John Mitchell lived on BI but at the same time my John was known to be in SK. It is not likely he was in both places at once.