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The Joneses - Edward
Frenchman, his wife of the Perry family, and
possibly his son by his first wife Dora Jones Frenchman. This photograph,
circa 1906. The child would be a son of Ed's first wife and;
therefore, a grandson of William Stephens Jones, who was Dora Jones's
father.
A very old newspaper
clipping shows that this woman died in the same tragic way as Edward's
first wife, Dora (Doshia) Jones.
1880 roll: page 102,
#1073, Ed Frenchman, Coo-Weet-Scoo-Weet. 1896 roll: page 368, # 274,
Edward Frenchman.
As the accurate meaning
of many names of Ponca people has been lost through the passage of time so
too maybe the name Coo-Weet'-Scoo-Weet' (accent on both Weets). It is the
custom of the Cherokees to pass a name down from ancestor to descendant
just as the Ponca's do. This was the Indian name of chief John Ross, of
Scot descent.
Edward's handwriting on
the documents from the archives shows the script to be quite attractive,
with well-formed letters, properly spaced and placed on the line. There is
not a great flourish except on the F.
It is interesting to
note, Ed's second wife, Perry, died tragically in the same manner as his
first wife. Jerry Young, author, found the newspaper clippings on the
accident.
It is common for the
Jones children to be fair and blond, but when they grow up their hair is
almost black. This is probably Dennis, Ed's child by his first wife, Dora
(Doshia) Jones.
The following is from a
document dated October 9, 1900:
Q. How long have you lived in the Cherokee Nation?
A. All my life. Born here.
Q. What is the name of your father?
A. Frenchman is all he goes by.
Q. Is he dead or alive?
A. Alive
Q. What is the name of your mother?
A. I don't remember, she has an Indian name. She's been dead seven years.
Q. Do you remember her English name?
A. Didn't have any English name.
Q. What did you call her in Indian?
A. I couldn't speak it.
Q. How did you speak to your mother?
A. I never called her by name.
Q. Did you call her Mother?
A. Yes sir.
On another document dated October 31, 1902 is a question and answer
statement by Frank Frenchman, brother to Edward Frenchman telling that
Dora Jones and Edward Frenchman were married in 1888. At the time Frank
was forty-six. Through the questioning the two men keep bringing up the
fact that they are Delaware Indian as well as Cherokee.
Edward's first wife,
Dora (Doshia) is pictured earlier. |
