The face of Claremont New Hampshire’s Mary Farrar Jones (1789-1879)

Mary Farrar Jones of Barre MA and Claremont NH

Mary Farrar Jones gazes out at you from the photograph. It was taken at the Stephen Piper Photography Studio in Manchester, New Hampshire, between 1866 and 1879, when she died. (The Piper photography studio opened in 1866 and continued until 1887). She wears a well made post-Civil War dress, with a cameo at her throat. Her hat seems to be that style worn starting in 1858 and later.

She would have been between 77 and 90 years of age, depending on the exact date of the photograph. Her face is greatly wrinkled, and her expression placid. Her dress may have been black, as it seems dark, but it could also have been brown or a dark blue or green. Her husband, Ezra Jones died in 1841. Normally black mourning clothes would be worn for a full two years following the death of a spouse, however it could also be worn longer. Her dress, if black, would have been typical of a mourning dress worn at that time.  Her waist was small, indicative of her wearing a corset.

View of the town of Claremont New Hampshire in 1846

She was born Mary Farrar in Barre, Worcester Co. Ma. The town was a near a granite quarry with many families in the stone-cutting business. In 1829 at the age of 40 she became the third wife of Ezra Jones, a man 37 years her senior, and an influential man of Claremont NH. Though the Farrar history shows her with a surname of Caldwell, I find no evidence of a prior marriage for her, and her marriage record to Ezra Jones clearly lists her as Mary Farrar.

-SOME SOURCES-
Memoir of the Farrar Family NEHGS Register, October 1852, No 4

Memoir of the Farrar Family by Hon. Timothy Farrar LL.D.
https://archive.org/details/memoiroffarrarfa00farr

History of the Town of Waitsfield, Vermont 1782-1908

—–PARTIAL GENEALOGY OF MARY (FARRAR) JONES—–

Jacob Farrar & Hannah Hayward [England to Lancaster, Worcester Co. MA] He was killed by Indians in King Philips War in 1675.

Cornet Jacob Farrar & Susan Rediate/Radiate [Lancaster MA to Concord MA]

John Farrar & Mary Hilliard [or Mary Burdit Swift]

Major Joseph Farrar, b. 25 Sep 1746 in Concord, Middlesex MA, d 3 Sep 1812 in Barre, Worcester Co MA; m. 23 Nov 1775 in Barre, Worcester Co. MA to Lydia Stone, daughter of Matthias & Susanna (Chadwick) Stone. She was b. 8 Sep 1757 in Barre MA and as “widow of Joseph” died 7 Nov 1837, age 81y in Barre, Worcester Co. MA. Resided Barre, Worcester Co. MA
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Children of Joseph & Lydia (Stone) Farrar:
1. John Farrar, b. 2 Nov 1777 MA
2. Joseph Farrar, Jr. b. 31 March 1780 MA; he married Lydia –.
3. Matthias Farrar, b. 24 April 1782 MA
4. Lydia Farrar, b. 4 March 1784 MA
5. Susanna Farrar, b. 13 Dec 1786 MA
6. +Mary Farrar, b. 16 May 1789 Barre, Worcester Co. MA
7. Marcy/Mercy Farrar, b 26 Sep 1791 Concord MA; m. 11 June 1812 at Barre MA to Winslow Claflin. She m2) John McFarland.
8. Hannah Farrar, b. 24 Nov 1795 MA
9. Francies Douglas Farrar, b. 10 Feb 1799 MA

Mary Farrar, daughter of Joseph & Lydia (Stone) Farrar was b. 16 May 1789 in Barre, Worcester Co. MA, and died 18 January 1879, and is buried in Union Cemetery in Claremont NH. She married Major Ezra Jones, son of Capt. Ezra & Elizabeth (Jenison) Jones, as his third wife. He m1) 15 Oct 1772 to Susannah Stone, dau of Matthias and Susannah (Chadwick) Stone. She b. 6 Sep 1775, and d. 5 March 1780 aged 25 years. He married 2d) 26 July 1781 in Claremont NH to Esther Roys/Rice, prob dau of Benedict and Esther Roys. She was b. Feb 1760 in Cambridge MA and d. 2 July 1826, aged 78 in Claremont NH. He married 3d) 13 Dec 1829 in Claremont NH to the Mary Farrar above, [the History of the Town of Waitsfield VT shows her name as Mary Farrar Caldwell, indicating perhaps that she was previously married, however I have not found any evidence of a prior marriage. The Claremont marriage record shows Mary FARRAR not Caldwell]. Ezra and his family resided in Barre MA, and after 1776 in Claremont NH. Ezra Jones was b in 18 April 1752 in Barre, MA and died in Claremont NH 11 Aug 1841. He was a signer of the Association Test in Claremont in 1776, and received a bounty for military service rendered during the Revolution. He was prominent in Claremont, often moderator, selectman seventeen years (1788-1809) 14 times first selectman, representative 1800-1-2 and 1815-16-17. He was also a proprietor of Waitsfield. Both Major and Capt. Ezra Jones have been listed in SAR membership reports. Ezra and his wives are buried in Union Cemetery, Claremont, Sullivan County, NH. As far as I know, Mary (Farrar) Jones did not have any children.
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Book: Gravestone records from the ancient cemeteries in the town of Claremont, New Hampshire by Charles B. Spofford
–JONES EZRA, MAJOR. August 11, 1841, 89y
Major Jones was one of the earliest settlers of the town, coming here prior to 1773. He was Representative in 1800, 1801, 1801, 1815, 1816 and 1817; Selectman from 1788 to 1809 with the exception of five years; Moderator from 1792 to 1804; and was also Master of the Masonic Lodge.
–Jones, Susannah (Stone) (first) wife of Ezra. March 5, 1780, 25y
–Jones, Esther (Roys,) wife of Ezra. July 2, 1826, 78y.
–Jones, Mary (Farrar,) (third) wife of Ezra. January 18, 1879, 89y 9m.
–Jones, Esther, daughter of Ezra and Esther. Oct 4, 1791, 18m
–Jones, George Augustus, son of above. Aug 8 1790 in his fifth year
–Jones, Joel, son of Ezra and Susannah. Feb 15, 1781, 15m
et al.
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History of Town of Claremont NH
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Children of Ezra & Susanna (Stone) Jones:
1. Elizabeth Jones, b. 2 Feb 1773 in Claremont, Sullivan Co. NH
2. Ezra Jones, b. 23 March 1775 Claremont NH; m. Cornelia Jones.
3. Jenison Jones, b. 1 January 1777 Claremont NH, died 22 Dec 1852; removed to Waitsfield VT in 1797. He held many town posts including justice of the peace, representative, town clerk, treasurer, and selectman. He m1) Philena Holmes daughter of Jonathan Phinney & Keziah (Barrows) Holmes. She b. 30 March 1782, d. 5 Jan 1858. Had 9 children.
4. Mathias Stone Jones, b. 12 April 1778 Claremont NH
5. Joel Jones, b 5 Dec 1779 Claremont NH, d. 15 Feb 1781, 15m
Children of Ezra & Esther (Roys/Rice) Jones:
6. Carolina Jones, b. 27 April 1782 Claremont NH; m. Isaac Hubbard of Claremont NH
7. Nathaniel Jones, b. 4 July 1783 Claremont NH [or Barre MA], he d. 29 March 1866 at Royalton VT; He married 9 October 1806 in Vershire, Vershire Co., VT to Sarah “Sally” “Sallah” Kindrick/Kendrick. She was b. abt 1785 in NH. In 1860 they were living in Wolcott, Lamoille Co., VT.  They had at least 2 children: (1) Nathaniel Kendrick Jones, b. Sep 1820 in Vershire VT and d. 11 Aug 1912 in Wolcott VT of old age [he m. Lucy Hutchins]; and (2)  Truman Jones, b May 1828 in VT, and d. 29 Jan 1905 in Wolcott, VT [he m. Angeline Jones].
8. Rice/Roys Jones, b. 28 Oct 1784 Claremont NH, d. 16 April 1857 in Claremont NH. He married 26 May 1810 in Claremont NH to Lydia Farrar, dau of Joseph & Lydia (Stone) Farrar. [recorded also in Barre MA where he is listed as Boyce/Boys]
9. George Augustus Jones, b 16 March 1786 Claremont NH, d. 15 Feb 1781, 15m
10. Henry Jones, b. 8 January 1788 Claremont NH; m. Lucy Sartwell; resided Vermont
11. Esther Jones, b. 14 March 1790 Claremont NH, d. 4 Oct 1791, 18m
12. Fanny Jones, b. 3 April 1792 in Claremont NH, d. 27 Sep 1882; she m. David Parker of Vergennes VT
13. Charles Jones, b 1 July 1794 in Claremont NH; d. 10 May 1843; m. Sep 1817 to Ann Cobb
14. Abraham/Abram Jones, b. June 1797 Claremont NH; d. 16 June 1844 in Lemington VT; m. 25 June 1818 Susan Long, dau of Capt. Simeon Long of Nantucket MA.