Jones: Lewis Jones Family Papers, 1861-1884
Call Number: MG-541
1 box 7 folders .25 cubic ft.
Repository: LancasterHistory.org (Lancaster, Pa.)
Shelving Location: Archives South, Side 11
Description: This collection contains letters written by Lewis Jones during the Civil War to his wife, Elizabeth. His diary records his military experience as a soldier in the 79thRegiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Company H. There are also receipts Elizabeth’s widow’s army pension application.
Creators: Jones, Lewis; Jones family.
Conditions for Access: No restrictions.
Conditions Governing Reproductions: Collection may not be photocopied. Please contact Research Staff or Archives Staff with questions.
Language: English
Source of Acquisition: Source unknown.
Administrative/Biographical History: Lewis F. Jones married Elizabeth Boley in October 1849. Together they had five children. When the Civil War began in 1861, Lewis joined the Union Army. He wrote many letters to his wife and children in Lancaster while he was stationed in various camps in Kentucky with the 79th Regiment of Pennsylvania Volunteers, Company H. In October 1862, Lewis was killed during the battle of Perryville, one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
Custodial History: This collection was originally part of MG-18 The Civil War Collection, Section B Civil War Families Collection. Transferred to MG-541 on 30 July 2009. Finding aid completed by KK, Summer 2014.
Folder 1 Civil War diary of Lewis Jones.
Contains the diary that Lewis Jones kept from the time he enlisted in the Union Army till his death at the Battle of Perryville in Kentucky on October 8, 1862.
Folder 2 Lewis Jones Letters, October-December 1861. (13)
Folder 2, Insert 1 Letters with Transcriptions October 1861
A letter from Lewis Jones to his wife describing the life within Camp Wilkins. Sent from Camp Wilkins near Pittsburg PA dated October 11, 1861
Letter from Lewis Jones letting his wife know that they are now on a boat. Sent from Camp Wilkins near Pittsburg PA dated October 17, 1861
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of second letter
Folder 2, Insert 2 Letter with Transcription October 1861
A letter from Lewis to his wife describing the trip from Pittsburg to Louisville, Kentucky. Sent from Camp near Louisville KY dated October 22, 1861
Transcription of letter
Folder 2, Insert 3 Letters with Transcriptions October-November 1861
Letter from Lewis to his Wife letting her know he is fine but has yet to receive his pay but he will send it as soon as he gets it. Sent from Camp Neven dated October 29, 1861
Letter from Lewis to his wife wondering why he has not received a letter from her since he left Pittsburg. Sent from Camp Nevin dated November 6, 1861
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of Second letter
Folder 2, Insert 4 Letters with Transcriptions November 1861
A letter to wife thanking her for the letter, mentions that hopefully he will receive his pay on Sunday and once he gets it he will send it along. Sent from Camp Neven dated November 9, 1861
Transcription of Letter
Folder 2, Insert 5 Letter with Transcription of that and Diary Entry November 1861
A letter to his wife telling her that he was given his pay for a month and 21 days and that he will send it to. Sent from Cam Neven dated November, 15, 1861
Transcription of diary entries dated November 11 to November 15, 1861
Transcription of Letter
Transcriptions of diary entries dated November 17 and 19, 1861
Folder 2, Insert 6 Letter with Transcription November 1861
A letter to his wife telling her how he got injured by a Cannonball and that someone had been discharged. Sent from Camp Neven November 19, 1861
Transcription of letter
Folder 2, Insert 7 Letters with Transcriptions November-December 1861
A letter to his wife asking her to have new boots made for him. Sent from Camp Nolens Dated November 30, 1861
A letter to his wife telling that in his last letter he wrote the wrong camp name last time asked again for new boots. Sent from Camp Negley dated December 4, 1861
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of December 3 Diary entry
Transcription of second letter
Folder 2, Insert 8 Letters with Transcriptions December 1861
Letter to his wife sorry to hear that their one child was sick, he had been busy helping to cook rations for a march but he is well fed. Sent from Camp Negley Dated December 9, 1861
Letter to his wife letting her not that there had been a skirmish but did not partake in the fight. Sent from Green River dated December 18, 1861
A letter to his wife thanking for gifts she sent and the boots also to let her know she can pick up the board money. Sent from Camp Wood Hart County Kentucky Dated December 22, 1861
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of second letter
Transcription of third letter
Transcription of Diary entries from December 25 and 29 1861
Folder 3 Lewis Jones Letters, Jan.-May, 1862. (46)
Folder 3, Insert 1 Letter with Transcription January 1862
Letter to his wife saying everything is good and he has been cooking a lot. Sent from Camp Wood Hart County Kentucky Dated January 2, 1862
Transcription of letter
Folder 3, Insert 2 Letter with Transcription January 1862
A letter to his wife informing her that their friend Joseph Maxwell had died and they are trying to send his body home. Sent from Camp Wood dated January 9, 1862
Transcriptions of diary entries dated January 3-9 1862
Transcription of letter
Folder 3, Insert 3 Letter with Transcription and Diary Entries January 1862
A letter to his wife telling her that he wants his new son named Freland also that he is glad to hear that Joseph’s body was able to be buried back home. Sent from Camp Wood dated January 16, 1862
Letter to his wife if she has gotten the Boarding Money yet. Dated January 17, 1862
Transcription for first letter
Transcription for diary entry dated January 17, 1862
Transcription for second letter
Folder 3, Insert 4 Letters with Transcriptions and Diary Entries January 1862
Letter to his wife saying that since he cooks he does not have to drill and will send money next time he gets paid. Sent from Camp Wood dated January 18, 1862
Letter to his wife saying that he will send Joseph’s clothes home with the money when he gets paid next. Sent from Camp Wood dated January 30, 1862
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of diary entry on January 25, 1862
Transcription of second letter
Folder 3, Insert 5 Letters with Transcriptions and Diary Entries February 1862
Transcriptions of diary entries from February 7 to February 19, 1862
A letter to his wife saying that he will send money once he is paid they also talk about the political situation back home. Dated February 12, 1862
A letter to his wife talking about the weather and the most recent march they went on he has yet to get paid. Sent from Camp Hambrigh Baren Co. KY dated February 20, 1862
Transcription of diary entry no date
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of second letter
Folder 3, Insert 6 Letters with transcriptions March 1862
Transcription of Diary Entry no date
A letter to his wife saying that the just passed through Nashville also that he no longer wants to help with the cooking. Sent from a Camp near Nashville, Tennessee Dated March 7, 1862
Letter to his wife that he will soon get paid and that he is tired and ready to come home but not until it is safe for his children. Sent from Camp Andy Johnson dated March 12, 1862
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of Second letter
Folder 3, Insert 7 Letters with transcriptions March 1862
A letter to his wife informing her that he has gotten paid and sent the money, he also got new pants. Sent from camp near Nashville Tennessee dated March 18, 1862
A letter to his wife along with Joseph Maxwell’s Clothes along with food. Sent from Nashville Tennessee dated March 22, 1862
Transcription of the first letter
Transcription of second letter
Folder 3, Insert 8 Letters with Transcription March 1862
A letter to his wife saying that when he sent the package the man wrote down the wrong address he also tells her what he had sent. Sent from Camp Andy Johnson near Nashville Tennessee dated March 24, 1862
A letter to his wife saying that they are marching again and when he gets paid he will send the rest of Joseph’s belongings home. Sent from Camp Merriweather Williamson Co. Tennessee dated March 30, 1862
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of second letter
Folder 3, Insert 9 Letters with Transcriptions April 1862
Letter to his wife saying that he paid again will send yet another box with Joseph’s things. Sent from Camp Morehead Columbia Maury Co. Tennessee dated April 8, 1862
Letter to his wife glad to hear she got the box he sent her. The Company had been at the battle of Shiloh but he did not have to fight. Sent from Camp Morehead dated April 18, 1862
A transcription of the first letter
A transcription of the send letter
Folder 3, Insert 10 Letters with Transcriptions April-May 1862
A letter to his wife saying that he sent another box with supplies in it and that if Josephine is mad she should consider herself lucky that she got any of Joseph’s belongings back at. Sent from Camp Morehead dated April 28, 1862
A letter to his wife telling her that Captain Kendrick had been capture while he was putting up telegraph poles on his way to Alabama. Sent from Camp Morehead dated May 9, 1862
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of Second letter
Folder 3, Insert 11 Letters with Transcriptions May 1862
A letter to his wife about the miles the marched into Alabama and back they were also able to take ten men prisoner two of which captured Kendrick. Sent from Camp Morehead dated May 21, 1862
A letter to his wife saying that they are about to march and if she needs to send him a letter send it to the 79th Colonel Hanbright Negleys brigand. Sent from Camp Morehead dated May 28, 1862
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of second letter
Folder 4 Lewis Jones Letters, June-October 1862. (13)
Folder 4, Insert 1 Letter with Transcription June 1862
A letter to his wife describing the march across the Columbia Mountains and his first battle where they were victorious and about the people who lived in the woods. Sent from Camp Cooper Shelbyville Bedford County Tennessee dated June 14, 1862
Transcription of letter
Folder 4, Insert 2 Letter with Transcription June 1862
Letter to his wife saying that Josephine should be able to get the money that Joseph had sent home at Giger and Co. and that he has been eating well. Sent from Camp Cooper dated June 19, 1862
Letter to his wife asking her to write more often and that he sent her his pay.
A transcription of the first letter
A transcription of the Second letter
Folder 4, Insert 3 Letters with Transcriptions June-July 1862
Letter to his wife asking her to pay the water rent and taxes awhile and asking her to write more often. Sent from Camp Cooper dated June 29, 1862
Letter to his wife describing what they did for the 4th of July and that he will send money soon. Sent from Camp Cooper dated July 8, 1862
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of second letter
Folder 4, Insert 4 Letters with Transcriptions July-August 1862
Letter to his saying they’ve only marched 8 miles since he last wrote. Sent from Camp Near War Trace July 12, 1862
A letter to his Wife that they had just arrived in Nashville where he received both hers and Josephine’s letter from the 6th of July because of how long it was. There is a note also attached saying that the rail road was torn up by the rebels. Sent from Nashville August 12 and 15, 1862
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of second letter
Folder 4, Insert 5 Letter with Transcription September 1862
A letter two his wife describing the long marches that they have made recently and that that they aren’t getting mail cause they are on the march constantly. Sent from camp near Bowling Green Kentucky September 8, 1862
Transcription of letter
Folder 4, Insert 6 Letter with transcription September 1862
A letter to his wife saying that they get mail every day now , also that he heard the rebels are moving North into Maryland and Pennsylvania which makes easier to control cities in the south. But they do not have enough men to control every little town. A note from the 16th that he is now owed four months pay nut doesn’t know when he will get it. Sent from Bowling Green Kentucky September 12 and 16, 1862
Transcription of letter
Folder 4, Insert 7 Letters with Transcriptions October 1862
Recipe of some sort
A letter to Mrs. Jones from Christian Mattern informing her of her husband’s death in battle and that he found his book and will Send it to her. Sent from Camp near Craborcherd October 16, 1862
A letter to Mrs. Jones explains how Lewis died and what they did with his belongings and will send the money soon. No date or place
Transcription of recipe
Transcription of first letter
Transcription of second letter
Folder 4, Insert 8 Summary of Troop Movements and transcriptions 1862
Transcription of summary of 1862 movements
Transcription of Diary entries from February 25 to October 8 1862
Folder 5 Receipts, 1853-1862. (21)
Folder 5, Insert 1 Receipts from July 1853
Receipt for the coffin of the Son of Lewis Jones for five dollars from Henry Miller July 28, 1853
Receipt for John Bernadou no date
Receipt for $10.25 on June 5, 1854
Receipt for $3.66 on September 28, 1857
Receipt for $30.00 on October 1, 1857
Folder 5, Insert 2 Receipts from February 1860 to July 1861
Receipt for Lewis Jones Payment of $10.00 on February 5, 1860
Receipt for Funeral Expenses of Joseph Boullay February 6, 1860
Receipt for Lewis Jones payment for burial February 10, 1860
Receipt for Lewis Jones payment for burial February 18, 1860
Receipt for Mr. Boley for payment of $3.23 June 8, 1860
Receipt for payment of water rent by Lewis Jones on August 18, 1860
Receipt for Lewis Jones payment of $3.57 August 26, 1860
Receipt for Lewis Jones payment of $9.10 September 22, 1860
Note of James Boullay’s death on 19th of October no year given
Folder 5, Insert 3 Receipts
Receipt of Lewis Jones payment of $50 April 1, 1861
Letter informing Lewis Jones that his Water Rent is due April 1, 1861
Receipt for payment of water rent by Lewis Jones on July 27, 1861
Receipt for Elizabeth Jones for $3.65 May 24, 1862
Receipt for Archibald Trimble for $4.21 June 3, 1862
Receipt for Archibald Trimble for $3.43 July 8, 1862
Receipts from 1862
Folder 6 Letter from F. T. Ronk to Lewis Jones, 1862. (1)
Letter from F.T. Ronk to his friend Lewis Jones hoping that he is safe and what has been going with the crop this year. September 2, 1862
Folder 7 Jones Family Papers, 1862-1884 (Widow’s Army Pension Application) 1862-1884. (12)
Folder 7, Insert 1
List of Children and date of Birth
A hymn about death
Folder 7, Insert 2 Letter 1863
Letter to Elizabeth from a Sibling letting her know how sorry they are for her loss Dated March 8, 1862
Folder 7, Insert 3 Pension Applications 1863-1867
Pension Applications 1863-1867
Folder 7, Insert 4 Envelope with Checks
Envelope addressed to Mr. Wells Bound Grove Whiteside CO, Ill.
Check from January 21, 1882 for $8.00
Check from May 10, 1884 for $25.00
Folder 7, Insert 5 Letters 1882
Letter to Joseph Jones to see how he is doing sent from Dallas dated March 31, 1882
Envelope Addressed to Joseph Jones