Samuel JONES was a boot maker. He was born in about 1780 in Belfast (according to the 1851 Census).
He married Jane BROOKER in Hanover Square, London in 1807. This baptized their first child Mary in London in 1808 before moving to Birmingham where they had a further 9 children. Initially they lived on Swallow Street which would have been demolished when New Street Station was built in 1851, but by 1825 they had moved to 15 Colmore Row, which at that time would have been mostly fields.
In February 1833, he contributed £1 to the restoration of St Peter's Church and in 1835 £1 1s for the improvement and fencing of St Philip's burial ground. In March 1841 Samuel was elected a Ward Assessor of Hampton Ward, being described as a Boot and Shoemaker. In 1844 he gave 10s in support of the Anti-Corn Law League and the promotion of free trade.
In later life they moved to Yardley, Worcestershire where Samuel retired. His daughter Jane was living at 15 Colmore Row in 1868 when she married Edward PARKER.
Samuel died in Yardley on 26 May 1864 aged about 83.
Other information:
The only identified baptismal record is one in a Catholic church in Dublin in 1781 to parents John and Anna JONES. However the fact that this was in Dublin (not Belfast) and was in a Catholic church (and Samuel later used non-conformist and Protestant churches in England) suggests that this is not right.
There was a Samuel JONES, a weaver born in Lisburn, Antrim (10 miles to Belfast), aged 24 years 6 months, who enlisted in the 64th Regiment of Foot or 2nd Staffs on 25/2/1800. He was 5' 6" of fair complexion, with a long face, brown hair and eyes. He was recruited via the Down Militia in Belfast with whom he had spent his 3 years of previous service, which would have included the putting down of the 1798 rebellion. The 64th had been in Ireland at this time and left in 1800, before leaving for the West Indies and Surinam in South America. The regiment didn't return for 13 years. Samuel was discharged from the 64th after 17 years 233 days including 12 years in the West Indies making it impossible that this is the right Samuel JONES.
There was another couple called Samuel and Jane JONES living in Birmingham during this period. He was a tailor of Dudley Street and they baptized Henry and Samuel in 1830.
