Finding Aid to the Mary Frances Watts Jones Papers
Text
JONES MEMORIAL LIBRARY
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 24501
(434) 846-0501
MARY FRANCES WATTS JONES (1829-1920) PAPERS
The collection includes the scrapbook of Mary Frances (WATTS) JONES, with letters
and newspaper clippings, many about the Jones Memorial Library. There are also
included loose letters, photographs, and resolutions from several organizations
concerning the Library.
FOLDER 1
Scrapbook
FOLDER 2
Miscellaneous Letters and Photograph:
Gabriel JORDAN to George M. JONES (1845);
Poetry (ca. 1842); Georgie JONES to Mrs. S.
I. WORSHAM; William Holmes DAVIS to Mrs. JONES (1905);
Will of Mary F. JONES;
Photograph
[FOLDER 3]
Resolution - Woman's Club (24 February 1905)
(Oversize) Resolution - City Council (April 1905)
Resolution - Teacher's Club (n.d.)
Photograph - Birthplace of George M. JONES
MARY FRANCES WATTS JONES (1829-1920)
Mary Frances WATTS, the daughter of Richard WATTS and Isabella NEWELL, was
born 18 December 1829, in Bedford County, Virginia. She married 14 September 1848,
in Bedford County, George Morgan JONES, son of Wharton JONES and Nancy WOOD,
of Page County, Virginia. George M. JONES, hardware merchant and philanthropist of
Lynchburg, had wanted to build and endow a public library for the city. Following his
death in 1903, Mary F. (WATTS) JONES conveyed a lot on Rivermont Avenue to the
Library Association, gave $50,000 for the construction of the building, gave an additional
$50,000 for the endowment of the Library, and later provided funding for the purchase of
books. She became President of the George M. Jones Library Association in 1904, and
the Library was opened to the public in 1908. Mrs. JONES died 15 October 1920 and was
buried in Spring Hill Cemetery.
[Burial Record, Diuguid Funeral Home, Lynchburg, VA, Book 19, p. 51; Obituary, Lynchburg News, 15
October 1920, p. 5 col. 2; Lyon G. Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Vol. IV (New York: Lewis
Historical Publ., 1915), pp. 107-109; Jones Memorial Library Papers, Jones Memorial Library, Lynchburg,
VA; R. A. Brock, Virginia and Virginians, Vol. II (Richmond: H. H. Hardesty, 1888), pp. 570-571.]
MS2066
2311 MEMORIAL AVENUE
LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA 24501
(434) 846-0501
MARY FRANCES WATTS JONES (1829-1920) PAPERS
The collection includes the scrapbook of Mary Frances (WATTS) JONES, with letters
and newspaper clippings, many about the Jones Memorial Library. There are also
included loose letters, photographs, and resolutions from several organizations
concerning the Library.
FOLDER 1
Scrapbook
FOLDER 2
Miscellaneous Letters and Photograph:
Gabriel JORDAN to George M. JONES (1845);
Poetry (ca. 1842); Georgie JONES to Mrs. S.
I. WORSHAM; William Holmes DAVIS to Mrs. JONES (1905);
Will of Mary F. JONES;
Photograph
[FOLDER 3]
Resolution - Woman's Club (24 February 1905)
(Oversize) Resolution - City Council (April 1905)
Resolution - Teacher's Club (n.d.)
Photograph - Birthplace of George M. JONES
MARY FRANCES WATTS JONES (1829-1920)
Mary Frances WATTS, the daughter of Richard WATTS and Isabella NEWELL, was
born 18 December 1829, in Bedford County, Virginia. She married 14 September 1848,
in Bedford County, George Morgan JONES, son of Wharton JONES and Nancy WOOD,
of Page County, Virginia. George M. JONES, hardware merchant and philanthropist of
Lynchburg, had wanted to build and endow a public library for the city. Following his
death in 1903, Mary F. (WATTS) JONES conveyed a lot on Rivermont Avenue to the
Library Association, gave $50,000 for the construction of the building, gave an additional
$50,000 for the endowment of the Library, and later provided funding for the purchase of
books. She became President of the George M. Jones Library Association in 1904, and
the Library was opened to the public in 1908. Mrs. JONES died 15 October 1920 and was
buried in Spring Hill Cemetery.
[Burial Record, Diuguid Funeral Home, Lynchburg, VA, Book 19, p. 51; Obituary, Lynchburg News, 15
October 1920, p. 5 col. 2; Lyon G. Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography, Vol. IV (New York: Lewis
Historical Publ., 1915), pp. 107-109; Jones Memorial Library Papers, Jones Memorial Library, Lynchburg,
VA; R. A. Brock, Virginia and Virginians, Vol. II (Richmond: H. H. Hardesty, 1888), pp. 570-571.]
MS2066
Dublin Core
Title
Finding Aid to the Mary Frances Watts Jones Papers
Subject
Finding aids
Watts, Mary Frances, 1829-1920
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.)
Description
Finding aid to the Mary Frances Watts Jones Papers held at Jones Memorial Library in Lynchburg, Virginia. The collection includes scrapbooks, letters, and resolutions related to Jones Memorial Library, which was founded by Watts.
Creator
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.)
Publisher
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.)
Date
2024
Rights
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.)
Format
pdf
Language
English
Identifier
JMLMS2066FA
Collection
Citation
George M. Jones Memorial Library (Lynchburg, Va.), “Finding Aid to the Mary Frances Watts Jones Papers,” Digital Collections, accessed April 27, 2024, https://digitaljones.omeka.net/items/show/791.