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Harriett Newell Keyes Jones papers

1    COLLECTION SUMMARY

 

1.1      Introduction/Abstract

Harriet Newell Keyes Jones was a writer, missionary, and pioneer of Kansas Territory. Her husband Harvey Jones was the first pastor of the Beecher Bible and Rifle Church in Wabaunsee, Kansas. This collection includes personal writings by Harriet and letters written by Harriet and Harvey Jones to various family members.

1.2      Dates

     1840s-1890s

1.3      Quantity

      Two 5-inch document cases

1.4      Creator

      Harriet Newell Keyes Jones, Harvey Jones, and Connie Jones Pillsbury  

1.5      Title

                         Harriet Newell Keyes Jones papers

1.6      UID and/or Call #

      UID: 528234

1.7      Language

                         English

      1.8     Notes

This finding aid describes materials held by the Kansas State Historical Society. Materials may be used in the Research Room in the society’s Center for Historical Research during regular research hours.

This collection contains original material from Harriet Newel Keyes Jones and family, in addition to contemporary research materials from the donor of the collection.

In a continuing effort to improve the completeness and accuracy of finding aids, revisions are made as more or new information becomes available. Consequently, this finding aid may differ slightly from what appears on the microfilm or on the Kansas State Historical Society’s web site.

      1.9   Repository

              Kansas Historical Society State Archives (Topeka)

2    BIOGRAPHY

Harriet Newell Keyes Jones was born on January 1, 1825, in Ohio to Phineas Clapp Keyes (1799-1865) and Mary Alden Gould (1794-1856).[1] She attended Big Bottom school house for her early education and later attended Marietta Female Seminary. In April of 1844, she earned a teaching certificate issued by the Board of School Examiners of Athens County.[2] Harriet taught at Iyanubbe Female Seminary at Stockbridge Mission, a Choctaw Nation school located in Eagleton, Arkansas, from 1844 – 1849.[3]

In the early 1850s, Harriet returned to Ohio to attended Oberlin College. While there she met Harvey Jones. They married in October 1853 after he finished seminary schooling.[4] Together they had five children: Anne Mary Jones (1854-1856), Caroline Leila “Carrie” Jones (1857-1884), Henry Martyn Jones (1859-1936), Horace Bushnell Jones (1861-1934), and Emeline “Emma” Jones (1863-1915).[5]

In October 1854, Harriet and infant Anne Mary traveled to meet Harvey Jones in Kanas territory, where he had been serving as a pastor and a home missionary. The young family built a home about two miles west of Wabaunsee on Emmons Creek. Their home served multiple purposes, including Sunday school and post office.[6] Reverand Harvey Jones was chosen as the first pastor of The First Church of Christ, known colloquially as the Beecher Bible and Rifle Church because of its connection to the infamous “Beecher bible” rifles.[7] Their infant daughter, Anne succumbed to illness on April 22, 1856. She is interred in Wabaunsee Cemetery.[8] In 1860, Reverand Jones resigned as pastor before the church building was completed and they returned to Ohio for a few years.[9] The Jones’ returned to Kansas and Harvey Jones resumed preaching at various churches in the southern part of the state, eventually landing at Valley Falls.[10] Their daughter Carrie died of consumption on July 10, 1884 and is buried in Wabaunsee.[11]

In 1887, Harriet and Harvey moved to Pasadena, California.[12] Harvey Jones died on April 1, 1901. Harriet died March 10, 1903. They are interred, along with their daughter Emeline, at Mountain View Cemetery and Mausoleum in Altadena, California.[13] Horace and Henry Jones died in 1934 and 1936 respectively and are interred in San Jacinto Valley Cemetery in California.[14]

 

3    SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The collection was primarily created by Harriet Newell Keyes Jones, whose writings include journal entries, personal poetry, letters, and correspondence. Part of Harriet Jones writings were created before her marriage to Harvey Jones when she was a teacher at Iyanubbe Female Seminary at Stockbridge Mission, a Choctaw Nation school located in Eagleton, Arkansas, from 1844 – 1849. The other part of Harriet’s writing is from after her marriage, when she moved to Kansas Territory with her husband. A lesser part of the material was written toward the end of her life as a personal memoir for her grandchildren. A small part of the collection includes letters written by other family members including Harriet’s siblings, parents, and husband Harvey.

Connie Jones Pillsbury, descendant of Harriet and Harvey Jones and doner of the material, also created some of the collection. Pillsbury transcribed Harriet Jones’ journals and hand wrote notes related to research done on the collection. Additionally, Pillsbury included research and ephemera related to the 150th anniversary of the Beecher Bible and Rifle Church.

 

4    CONTENTS LIST

Box 1: Box one contains items written by Harriet Newell Keyes before her 1853 marriage to Harvey Jones. The documents in this box pertain to her teaching at Iyanubbe Female Seminary in Stockbridge, Eageltown, Arkansas Territory. Each document is paired with its respective transcription. 

Folder 1: For Harriet’s Choctaw students at Mission

            Three volumes of Merry’s Museum and Parley’s Magazine

                        -July 1856, volume 32

-March 1858, volume 35

                        -August 1853, volume 26

Newspaper clipping of “A Sermon to Women on Broken Promises of Marriage by Rev. T. DeWitt Talmage” (1888)

Folder 2: Copies of research documents

This folder has copies of original documents held at other institutions related to Harvey Jones and other family members.

Folder 3: Harriet Newell Keyes Journal # 1, 1846-1851

           -Original and transcriptions made by Connie Jones Pillsbury

Folder 4: Harriet Newell Keyes Journal # 2, 1847-1851

           -Original and transcriptions made by Connie Jones Pillsbury

Folder 5: Harriet Newell Keyes letters while at Choctaw Mission, 1844-1849

This folder includes letters and essays by Harriet during her time teaching at Iyanubbe Female Seminary.

 -Originals and transcriptions made by Connie Jones Pillsbury

Folder 6: Harriet Newell Keyes letters and other material about Choctaw Mission

-Originals, transcriptions, and research material by Connie Jones Pillsbury

Folder 7: Research on Oberlin College

-Originals, transcriptions, and research material by Connie Jones Pillsbury

                  

Box 2: Box two contains material written by Harriet Jones during her time at Oberlin College and after her marriage during her time traveling to and living in Kansas Territory. There are personal writings, letters to various family members, and some letters written by Harvey Jones. Each document is paired with its respective transcription. 

            Folder 1: Family photographs

Folder includes 12 family photographs. People pictured include Harriet Jones, Harvey Jones, Juliette “Julie” Keyes Barker, Henry Barker, Phineas Keyes, George Keyes, Martha White, Mary Benedict, Emily Cheadle, Maude and Hattie Barker, and Emeline Jones.

Photograph 1: Henry Barker, photographer: G.W. Chase (Newark, Ohio)

Photograph 2: Emeline Jones, photographer: Schumacher (Los Angeles, California)

Photograph 3: Harvey Jones, photographer: Schumacher (Los Angeles, California)

Photograph 4: Mari and Hattie Barker, photographer: Boyee (Washington, D.C.) January 31, 1906 (?)

Photograph 5: Keyes Cheadle, Mary Keyes Benedict, Juliette Keyes Barker, George E. Keyes, Martha B Keyes White, photographer: Reese (Mankato, Kansas)

Photograph 6: Harvey Jones

Photograph 7: Harriet Jones

Photograph 8: Phineas C. Keyes and Eliza Mann

Photograph 9: Henry Barker, photographer: G.W. Chase (Newark, Ohio)

Photograph 10: Juliette Keyes Barker, photographer: Sedgwick’s (Zanesville, Ohio)

Photograph 11: Juliette Keyes Barker, photographer: Sedgwick’s (Zanesville, Ohio)

Photograph 12: Harriet Newell Keyes Jones, photographer: Geo. Burgoyne (Manhattan, Kansas)

            Folder 2: Oberlin College essays and memoirs of Harriet Jones

This folder is a mix of contemporary research materials and original documents from Harriet Jones.

            Folder 3: Personal letters and memoirs of Harriet Jones and family

This folder is a mix of original documents, transcriptions, and drafts of the transcriptions with handwritten notes.

            Folder 4: Research on Beecher Bible Church history & 150th Anniversary (1)

The bulk of this folder includes research materials with one original document.

            Folder 5: Research on Beecher Bible Church history & 150th Anniversary (2)

The bulk of this folder includes material on the 150th anniversary of the Beecher Bible Church celebration (circa 2007) and newspaper clippings related to the church (circa 1932 and 1907). Copies of the newspaper clippings were made by staff during processing for preservation purposes.

            Folder 6: Kansas journals and letters: arrival in Kansas

Original documents with transcriptions and newspaper clippings related to Harriet Jones’ travels to Kansas. Also contains a photograph of the headstone of Carrie Jones.

            Folder 7: Kansas journals and letters: Oct-Nov 1859 buffalo hunt

This folder contains Harriet Jones’ journal pages and letters from her husband while he was away on a hunting trip. Original documents and transcripts.

 

5    RELATED MATERIALS

 

“New England Emigrant Aid Company/Dr. Samuel J. Cabot III collection.” 1855-1857. Kansas State Archives. Unit ID 510855. Call# 008-07-01-08.   /archives/510855.

“Records of the First Church of Christ in Wabaunsee,” between 1857-1917. Kansas State Archives. Unit ID 213525. Call# 2009—025.01. /archives/213525.

“Record of the First Church of Christ in Wabaunsee,” between 1854-1917. Unit ID 47312. Call# 029-15-02-14. /archives/47312.

 

6    BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Ancestry. “Harriet Newell Keyes.” Ancesty.com. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/family-tree/person/tree/5656946/person/-1421423936/facts.

 

Find a Grave. “Anne Mary Jones.” FindaGrave.com. Accessed October 28, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19178429/anne_mary_jones.

 

Find a Grave. “Carolina Leila ‘Carrie’ Jones.” FindaGrave.com. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19073556/carolina_leila_jones.

 

Find a Grave. “Harriet Newell Keyes Jones.” FindaGrave.com. Accessed October 30, 2024. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/53075685/harriet-newell-jones?_gl=1*ju22si*_gcl_au*NTk5Mjk1MDQ0LjE3Mjc3OTE2MzI.

 

Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie. “Beecher Bible and Rifle Church” Mount Mitchell Prairie Guards. Accessed October 28, 2024. https://mountmitchellprairie.org/kansas-heritage-history-mount-mitchell/beecher-bible-and-rifle-church/.

 

 “Auld Lang Syne. The Memorial Meeting for Rev. Harvey Jones and Wife an Interesting One.” The Alma Enterprise. May 8, 1903.https://kshsonsite.newspapers.com/image/99944077/.

 

7    INDEX TERMS/SUBJECT HEADINGS/ACCESS POINTS

 

Personal Names

Harriet Newell Keyes Jones (1825 – 1903)

Harvey Jones (1821 – 1901)

Anne Mary Jones (1854 – 1856)

Caroline Leila “Carrie” Jones (1857 – 1884)

Henry Martyn Jones (1859 – 1936)

Horace Bushnell Jones (1861 – 1934)

Emeline “Emma” Jones (1863 – 1915)

Henry Ward Beecher (1813 – 1887)

 

Geographic Locations

Kansas – Wabaunsee

Arkansas – Stockbridge, Eagletown

Oberlin, Ohio – Oberlin College

Territorial Kansas – Arkansas Territory

Connecticut - New Haven

 

Subjects

Missionary – Home missionaries

Bleeding Kansas – Beecher Bible and Rifle Church

Territorial Kansas – Arkansas Territory

New England Emigrant Aid Company

Connecticut Kansas Colony

 

8    ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

 

8.1      Restrictions on access

      Not restricted.

8.2      Restrictions on use

      Not restricted.

8.3      Custodial History/ Provenance

The items in this collection were kept by the Jones family until the items came to the Kansas State Archives by donation from Connie Jones Pillsbury.

8.4      Alternate forms

       None.

8.5      Preferred citation

Note: Harriet Jones, Harriet Newell Keyes Jones papers, 1844-1901, Kansas State Historical Society, Unit ID 528234.

Bibliography: Jones, Harriet. Harriet Newell Keyes Jones papers. 1844-1901. Kansas State Historical Society. Unit ID 528234.

8.6      Acquisition information

Donated by Connie Jones Pillsbury on February 13, 2024. Accession # 2024-107.

8.7      Processing information

Collection processed by Rebekah L. Stewart, acquisitions assistant, 2024.


[1] Ancestry, “Harriet Newell Keyes” accessed October 17, 2024, https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/family-tree/person/tree/5656946/person/-1421423936/facts.

[2] Ancestry, “Harriet Newell Keyes” accessed October 17, 2024. See also Harriet Newell Keyes Jones collection, box 2: Personal letters and memoirs of Harriet Jones and family.  

[3] Ancestry, “Harriet Newell Keyes” accessed October 17, 2024.

[4] Ancestry, “Harriet N. Keyes in the Ohio, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1774-1993,” accessed October 15, 2024, https://www.ancestryinstitution.com/discoveryui-content/view/903936294:61378?tid=&pid=&queryid=330bb6ac-00b7-4a20-8d9a-bb9c30ac8051&_phsrc=mEt22&_phstart=successSource.

[6] “The Memorial Meeting for Rev. Harvey Jones and Wife an Interesting One,” The Alma Enterprise. May 8, 1903, https://kshsonsite.newspapers.com/image/99944077/.

[7] After the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, a group from New Haven, Connecticut, called the Connecticut Kansas Colony, set out to settle in Wabaunsee, Kansas in 1856. Inspired by and partly funded by prominent Reverand Henry Ward Beecher’s congregation, 27 Sharp rifles and bibles were purchased to send to anti-slavery fighters in Kansas. New Haven group trekked West with the rifles in wooden crates labeled “bibles” to avoid suspicions and arm the anti-slavery movement in Kansas. These controversial events eventually lead to coining the term for Sharps rifles as a “Beecher Bible”.  In June of 1857, the community of Wabaunsee came together to organize the first church named The First Church of Christ. The church building was completed in 1862.Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie, “Beecher Bible and Rifle Church” Mount Mitchell Prairie Guards, accessed October 28, 2024. https://mountmitchellprairie.org/kansas-heritage-history-mount-mitchell/beecher-bible-and-rifle-church/.  See also: Mount Mitchell Heritage Prairie, “Underground railroad – Wabaunsee” accessed December 9, 2024,  https://mountmitchellprairie.org/underground-railroad/wabaunsee/.

[8] Find a Grave, “Anne Mary Jones” accessed October 28, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19178429/anne_mary_jones. See also, Harriet Newell Keyes Jones collection, “She Was our Only Child” box 2: folder 6, Kansas journals and letters April 1856.

[9] “The Memorial Meeting for Rev. Harvey Jones and Wife an Interesting One,” The Alma Enterprise. May 8, 1903, https://kshsonsite.newspapers.com/image/99944077/.

[10] “The Memorial Meeting for Rev. Harvey Jones and Wife an Interesting One,” The Alma Enterprise. May 8, 1903, https://kshsonsite.newspapers.com/image/99944077/.

[11] Find a Grave, “Carolina Leila ‘Carrie’ Jones” accessed October 30, 2024, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/19073556/carolina_leila_jones. See also, Harriet Newell Keyes Jones collection, box 2: folder 6, Kansas journals and letters, Oct-Nov 1859 buffalo hunt, July 10, 1884.

[12] “The Memorial Meeting for Rev. Harvey Jones and Wife an Interesting One,” The Alma Enterprise. May 8, 1903, https://kshsonsite.newspapers.com/image/99944077/.

[14] Find a Grave, “Horrace Bushnell Jones” accessed November 5, 2024,  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/109506665/horace_bushnell_jones.