John W. Jones

John W. Jones (June 21, 1817 – December 26, 1900), was born on a plantation in Leesburg, Virginia, he was enslaved by the Ellzey family. Jones is buried in Woodlawn National Cemetery, not far from Mark Twain. He was married to Rachel Jones (née Swails) in 1856, with whom he had three sons and one daughter. On June 3, 1844, fearing he would be sold to another plantation, as his owner grew old and near death, Jones and four others fled north. They survived a 300-mile trip and arrived in Elmira, New York in July 1844. In Elmira, Jones was an active agent in the Underground Railroad.

Slave life and escape As a youngster, Jones was the houseboy of William Ellzey's daughter, Miss Sally.

Each coffin was clearly marked with any information that the soldier had been willing to share; the information also was placed in a sealed bottle inside the coffin. Any valuables owned by the soldier at the time of his death were carefully cataloged and stored. The graves were identified with wooden markers and arranged in a pattern that suggested soldiers lined up for inspection. They were surrounded by the graves of Union soldiers, grouped as though they were still on guard.

Personal life John was married to Rachel Jones (née Swails), the sister of Stephen Atkins Swails, in 1856; they had three sons and one daughter together. One of his sons, George Henry Jones, died on October 20, 1864, at only three years of age.