Joseph Davis Jones

Joseph Davis Jones was born to Charles H. Jones and Sarah Fracker December 13, 1797 on North Street in Boston. Joseph had four sisters and three brothers. One of them was Thomas Kilby Jones who was born in 1820 and was a resident of Portland, Maine. At four years of age, Joseph was sent to a little private school on Hanover Street taught by Miss Anna Howe, and he continued here until he was fitted for grammer school. He then entered the Mayhew School, where his masters were Benjamin Holt and Dr. Mulliken. From this school he graduated at the age of fifteen years, among his classmates being William Alline, afterwards Registrar of Deeds; and Andrew T. Hall who became president of a Boston bank. 

When about sixteen years old he began to learn the trade of a manufacturer of tinware, but soon afterwards went into the dry-goods business, working for his father who kept a store on Union Street.

Mr. Jones married Miss Hannah L. Bates of Boston, by whm he had seven children. They were Mrs. Annie L. McLean, Mrs. Mary Q. Hunt, Mrs. Mattie A. Dill, and Charles H., and Joseph L. Jones. Tow other sons were James W. Jones who died in Charlestowon March 1, 1892 and George W. Jones who died Sept 16, 1893.

In 1817 Mr. Jones commenced the study of music, in which he had a deeply interest in and to which he was given much time and attention during his long life, having belonged to many singing societies and musical clubs of the days gone by. He has also been connected to he Baptist Church since 1817 and was residing at 133 West Springfield Street. 

Deaconess Kate Newell

Sister Kate Newell was a mystery to our family for quite sometime. She was buried in our Weed family plot in Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York, but she wasn't a Weed. Sister Kate was actually the first buried in the plot. So we knew she meant some significance to the family but we didn't know why.
She was born about 1843 according to the age she died ( 80 yrs old ). She died February 21, 1914 at the Hotel Chelsea. Sister Kate was buried 2 days later.
Sister Kate made up the first graduating class of the New York Training School for Deaconesses. In a New York paper was the only obituary that I had found:
"Deaconess Kate Newell of the staff of the Grace Episcopal Church died yesterday at the Hotel Chelsea. She was 80 years old and had been in ill health for some time. She was a Deaconess at the church for 20 years."
Then just yesterday I was looking through some New York historical newspaper archives and found this:
"Deaconess Kate Newell, affectionately known on the East side as Sister Kate, who for 20 years was connected to the Grace Church, died yesterday in the apartments of her sister, Mrs. Samuel R. Weed, at the Hotel Chelsea. She retired from active work for Grace Church a year ago."
We had always thought Newell was her last name. It turns out it was her middle name. Her surname was Jones. We now know who she is!
I have found several other articles on her work for the church and how much a part of it she was:

In the parish year book of the Grace Church, New York:


1897
Treasurer was Deaconess Newell
Mrs Brownings advent as House-mother not only gives delight to us all who loves the Mission House also sets Deaconess Newell free to visit her district, which could not but suffer in the year she took temporary charge of the Mission.Things are now as they should be, and cheerful as was the House under Sister Kate's oversight, her time is needed for district visiting.