Alavina or sometimes written Alvina Jones was Isaac's third child and oldest daughter born circa 1793 in Rowan County, NC. She married Bowen Whitlock in Surry County, NC sometime prior to 1816. Bowen was born circa 1790 in Rowan County, NC to James Whitlock and Nancy Bowen. As was mentioned in an earlier post concerning Isaac Jones, Bowen Whitlock had served as the ensign in the same militia company as Isaac during the War of 1812. Most evidence seems to suggest that it's very likely that Bowen's father James and Isaac may have known each other going back to the late 1700's and Rowan County. James Whitlock was the nephew of Hardy Jones the renowned Methodist who had founded the Cokesbury School in Rowan County, and then in 1801 James would act as a witness and prove in court Isaac's first land purchase in Surry County.
Very little mention of Bowen Whitlock or Alavina Jones can be found in Surry County records. The earliest mention of Bowen is found in the September 19, 1800 Surry County will of his grandfather Thomas Bowen, in which he is left "2/3 of real and personal estate when he is of age." Eight years later he is indirectly mentioned as one of the "8 children of Nancy Whitlock" in the July 28, 1808 will of Phillip Howard who was Bowen's mother Nancy's stepfather. It isn't until the 1818 Surry County tax list that you see any further mention of Bowen Whitlock in the county records. On it he is listed as "Boon Whitlock" and only paying a white poll.
By 1819 the couple had relocated to Warren County, TN along with Alavina's brothers Thomas and Burrel. The 1820 Warren County census indicates that Alavina and Bowen now had two female daughters under the age of 5. These would be their two oldest children Elizabeth Adaline Whitlock (1816-NC) and Sarah Ann Whitlock (1819-TN). Having eventually relocated to Lincoln County, TN, the 1830 Census now shows Bowen and Alavina with three more additional children: an unknown female born sometime between 1820-1825, a male born sometime between 1820-1825 who I expect is their son James A. Whitlock, and another unknown male child born between 1825-1830. By 1840, the Calloway County, KY census would seem to indicate the couple had an additional 5 children by that point. The oldest of these five was their son George W. Whitlock (1832-TN) who was then followed by their daughter Mary Frances Whitlock (1833-TN). The final three are all under the age of 5 and comprised of two males and one female. Based on the 1850 Calloway County census listing for Alavina's daughter Elizabeth Adaline Whitlock Clark, I would be inclined to believe that two of these final 3 children are the Jackson Whitlock (1837-KY) and Martha Ann Whitlock (1840-KY). The other male child under 5 alluded to in the 1840 Census remains a mystery to me. Based on the age of Jackson Whitlock, it's quite possible that he is actually John B. listed under a nickname.
Assuming that all the children shown living in Bowen and Alavina's home in 1840 were in fact all actually their children, this would bring the couples total to 10 in all. Extremely likely for the time, although unfortunately it's difficult to rectify this with later estate documents concerning Alavina Whitlock unless you assume that 4 of these children died prior to 1854. From this point forward all court documents involving the heirs of Alavina Jones Whitlock are mentioned as only being: Elizabeth A. (Whitlock) Clark, Sarah A. (Whitlock) Jones, James A Whitlock, George W. Whitlock, Mary F. Whitlock, John B. Whitlock, and George W. Jones.
The inclusion of George W. Jones is interesting because he is most likely the primary clue to the identity of Bowen and Alavina's daughter born in Tennessee between 1820-1825. With George W. being listed as both an heir to Alavina's estate, as well as her father Isaac's, this would certainly indicate an unknown daughter of Alavina had married a Jones and passed sometime before 1854. An indication of his age can be found in the 1858 Vance vs. Heirs of Isaac Jones lawsuit in which he is listed among the heirs of Alavina and suing "by his next friend J. S. Jones." By only listing a "next friend" in the document representing George W., this would indicate to me either an error or he had no legal guardian at the time and was still under 21.
This George W. Jones is most certainly the same one mentioned in "The Joneses Of Kentucky's Calloway And Marshall Counties, 1820-1910" by Henry Earl Jones in regards to a possible illegitimate child of Isaac Jones. This presumption comes from the Marshall County Guardian Book #2 and dates to March 3, 1851. I didn't have any luck locating this document while I was at the Kentucky State Archives so I'll just quote the author. According to Mr. Jones the document "lists Isaac T. Jones as guardian of George Washington Jones, infant orphan of Isaac T. Jones." Right off the bat, one must be careful with the term "infant orphan" that is used in the document's wording. During this point in time the court system used the term "infant" to describe anyone under the age of 21, so it's difficult to ascertain George W. Jones' actual age at the time. As I mentioned before, the 1858 Vance lawsuit indicates that George W. Jones descends somehow from Isaac's daughter Alavina, most likely through an unknown daughter, and the combination of these two documents would indicate she was married to an Isaac T. Jones or at least impregnated by one. It's entirely possible that this Isaac T. Jones is the son I attributed to Thomas Jones (1788-NC) who seems to disappear off the map after the 1850 Census where he is living in the home of H. Z. and Nancy Hawkins at age 30. It wouldn't be the first time a set of cousins married in this Jones clan. With the earliest mention of Isaac Jones' (1770) death being the March 22, 1851 "quitclaim deed" involving Kesiah, it's also entirely possible that it was actually Isaac the subject of this blog who was granted guardianship over George W. Jones on March 3, 1851. The one issue that makes me hesitate to attribute this guardianship to Isaac Jones (1770) is the usage of the middle initial "T" in the person's name in the document. With over 100 documents directly involving Isaac in my possession, I have never seen him or anyone else use a "T" or any other middle initial when writing his name.
But back to Bowen and Alavina Whitlock..............
The couple and their family first arrive in Calloway County, KY in 1835 as shown by Bowen's first appearance in the county tax records being taxed for 165 acres of Isaac's Tinsley Survey land. Beyond the tax lists, county records are somewhat scarce involving Bowen or Alavina. In 1839, Bowen Whitlock appears in the county will books listed as a buyer at the estate sale of Nancy Lindsey. Two years later on July 10, 1841 Bowen can be seen entering into a deed with Isaac and Thomas Jones in which he puts up quite a bit of household property as collateral for a $130.17 loan. By 1844 Bowen can be found once again in the county will books, listed as someone who owes money to the estate of John Miller in the estate account dated January 6, 1844.
At some point between this last document and Alavina's purchase of 153 acres from her father Isaac on November 5, 1844, county records indicate that Bowen had died during the year. I tend to think that the Tinsley Survey land that Alavina had just purchased was the same piece of land that Bowen Whitlock had been shown being taxed for since 1835. Confirmation of Bowen's death can be seen in his disappearance from the Calloway County tax records starting in 1845, instead being replaced by his wife Alavina. Calloway County Will Book C states that the sale of Bowen Whitlock's estate was held "this 28th day of April 1845" and his brother-in-law Joshua Douglas Jones was the administrator. I don't believe Bowen Whitlock owned any property at the time of his death. As I mentioned before, I believe the land he was shown being taxed for going back to 1835 was the same piece of property that Alavina purchased from Isaac in 1844, and this was one of the methods Isaac used to eliminate the need for a marriage bond when it came to his daughters. Based on the subsequent estate inventory account submitted to the court by Joshua Douglas Jones on October 25, 1845, it doesn't appear Bowen left much behind in this world except possibly some debt.
As per his administrator Joshua Douglas Jones, Bowen Whitlock's personal property included: "one table, lot of tools, hammer and drawing knife, pair of millstones and appenttreses(sic), lot of corn, three head of sheep, grindstone, sythe and cradle, yearling, man's saddle, cutting knife, chisel." Considering Alavina had to buy back the grindstone for .50 cents and the yearling for $1.30, I would say that this list of personal property was only what was needed to be sold in order to cover any expenses or debts Bowen had left behind.
Alavina would never remarry and continued to live out her days in Calloway County up until her own death four years later on September 5, 1848. The earliest mention of her death is the inventory of her estate submitted by her administrator John Jeffrey on December 20, 1849. This document and the subsequent "sale bill" for Alavina's estate are probably two of my personal favorites because they give an amazing look into how a home might be outfitted in 1840's Kentucky. The "sale bill" also written on December 20, 1849 is a virtual who's who of the Isaac Jones clan. Alavina's brother-in-law John Jeffrey was also appointed the guardian of her underage children which is pretty heavily documented in the numerous reports he made to the court up into the mid-1850's. By 1850 Alavina's oldest daughter Elizabeth Adaline had married Henry P. Clark and she can be seen living next to John Jeffrey on the census for that year. Also in the home are three Whitlock minors: Mary, Jackson, and Martha Ann. Apart from the Mary, it's difficult to say who these other two might be. Jackson might be a nickname for Alavina's son John B. The Martha Ann is a complete unknown because the only children of Alavina's that John Jeffrey is mentioned as guardian to are George W, Mary F, and John B.
As mentioned a number of times before, Alavina's estate was still making the rounds in court as late as 1854 when it was decided by the commissioner appointed to the case "James L. Jones & Others (plaintiff) Vs. Mary Whitlock & Others (defendants)", that Alavina's land would be sold to John Jeffrey for $150 and I suppose the money divided among the surviving heirs. At this point in time Alavina's only living heirs were: Elizabeth Adaline (Whitlock) Clark, Sarah A. (Whitlock) Jones, James A. Whitlock, George W. Whitlock, Mary F. Whitlock, John B. Whitlock, and the infamous George W. Jones.
As with her father and brothers before her, there is no known grave location for Alavina or her husband Bowen Whitlock. The most likely location would be the Jeffrey Cemetery though.
Surry County, NC Will Abstract~Thomas Bowen (1800)
Surry County, NC Will Abstract~Philip Howard (1808)
1835 Calloway County, KY Tax List ~ Bowen Whitlock
1839 Calloway County, KY Tax List ~ Bowen Whitlock
1841 Calloway County, KY Deed ~ Isaac & Thomas Jones to Bowen Whitlock (loan)
1844 Calloway County, KY Deed ~ Isaac Jones to Alavina Whitlock
1845 Calloway County, KY Tax List ~ Alavina Whitlock
1849 Calloway County, KY Court Record ~ Inventory of the Estate of Alavina Whitlock (page 1)
1849 Calloway County, KY Court Record ~ Inventory of the Estate of Alavina Whitlock (page 2)
1849 Calloway County, KY Court Record ~ Sale Bill for the Estate of Alavina Whitlock
1849 Calloway County, KY Tax List ~ Alavina Whitlock (deceased)
1852 Calloway County, KY Court Record ~ Report of John Jeffrey as Guardian of Bowen Whitlock heirs.
1854 Calloway County, KY Deed ~ Heirs of Alavina Whitlock to John Jeffrey (court based decision)
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