Quaker missionary and Nebraska homesteader.

Asenath Painter, the twelfth and last child of Mary (née Williams) and Thomas Painter, was born on 10 May 1842 near Paintersville, Caesarscreek Township, Greene County, Ohio.* Her paternal grandparents had settled in the township in 1802. Asenath's family moved in 1852-53 to New London, Howard County, Indiana, and in 1856 to Hesper, Winneshick County, Iowa. She was enumerated in 1860 and 1870 in her parents' household in Hesper Township.

As a Quaker missionary, Asenath Painter traveled to Tennessee. "Acenith" Painter and Wm. M. (William Moore) Jones were married on 27 March 1872 in Loudon County, East Tennessee. (He was a widower with several children, and farmed in adjoining Blount County.) The couple were the parents of a son, William Johnson Jones, born in February 1874. William Moore Jones died about 6 months later, a few days before his 46th birthday.†

"Cena" Jones and her son William were enumerated in 1880 in Blount County. She later moved to Nebraska, and homesteaded near Somerset, Lincoln County, filing a claim in 1891. "Asenath P. Jones of Lincoln County, Nebraska," also received on 11 January 1892 a patent for 160 acres of Federal land in Lincoln County: Township 9 North, Range 29 West; Section 6 (certificate number 6799).

Mrs. Asenath P. Jones and James Chittick were married on 15 June 1895 in Hayes Center, Hayes County, Nebraska. The bride, age 52, was resident in Lincoln County; daughter of Thomas Painter and Mary Williams. The groom, also age 52, was a native of Ireland, resident in Hayes County. He reportedly abandoned her. Her suicide on 26 April 1898 was attributed to "despondency."

After her death, her son William, stating that he was her sole heir, applied to patent the land she had homesteaded. Homestead certificate number 5604 was issued on 13 October 1898 to "the Heirs of Asenath P. Chittick, deceased formerly Asenath P. Jones" for the SW quarter of Section 5; Township 10 North, Range 31 West.

Notes

* Parents, date of birth from: William Wade Hinshaw, Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, vol. 5 (Ohio), p. 521. (Records of the Center Monthly Meeting, near Wilmington, Clinton Co., Ohio; there was a Caesars Creek Preparative Meeting.)

† Isaac Painter, Biography of the Painter Family (aka Painter Rhyme) (Marshalltown, Iowa: 1907), p. 42.
• Isaac Painter was the brother of Asenath. He related that, after her husband's death, she had moved to Watseka, Iroquois County, Illinois, where her son, Willie Jones, was born. This appears to be incorrect. The son was born in Tennessee, and Asenath Jones may have gone to Watseka to visit or live with her sister Martha Mote who resided there. Isaac Painter also related that she had: "bought wild prairie land south of Summerset [sic]." He seems to have been evasive regarding her death: "there is a mystery, / To be revealed in that great eternity."

On 8 Jan 1853, the New London Monthly Meeting (formerly Honey Creek Monthly Meeting) received on certificate (dated 11 Nov 1852) from Center Monthly Meeting: "PAINTER, Francis [sic ] & w. Mary & ch Mary, Rebecca, Louisa & Asenath." On 12 Apr 1856, "Painter, Thomas & w Mary & chi Rebecca, Louisa & Asenath" received a certificate to transfer to Winneshiek Monthly Meeting.

1856 Iowa state census, Burr Oak Twp., Winneshiek Co.

1870 U.S. Census, Hesper Twp., Winneshiek Co., Iowa; dwelling 32, family 33, lines 1-4, p. 186 (printed), p. 5 (written), 6 Jul 1870. (Post Office: Hesper)
1. Painter, Thomas, 73, retired farmer ($2,800; $900), Virginia.
2. ----- Mary, 69, keeping house, North Carolina.
3. ----- Louisa, 29, school teacher, Ohio.
4. ----- Asenath, 27, at home, Ohio.

"Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKH3-XH37 : 16 March 2020), Wm M Jones and Acenith Painter, 27 Mar 1872; citing Loudon, Tennessee, United States, Marriage, p. , Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville and county clerk offices from various counties; FHL microfilm 565,002.

1880 U.S. Census, E.D. 191, Dist. 2, Blount Co., Tennessee; dwelling 58, family 58, lines 8-9, p. 8 (written), 6 Jun 1880.
8. Jones, Cena, 37, widow; born in Ohio, father in Virginia, mother in N. Carol.
9. ----- Wm. J., 6, son, Tennessee.

"Mrs. Asenath P. Jones of Buchanan, Lincoln Co." [Nebraska] on 6 May 1891 applied to enter land under the Homestead Act.

"Nebraska Marriages, 1855-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5ZJ-NYF : 18 January 2020), Asenath P. Jones in entry for James Chittick, 15 Jun 1895; citing Marriage, Hayes, Nebraska, United States, Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln; FHL microfilm 2,027,590.

"Mrs. A. P. Chittick came up from Hayes Center last week to look after her claim in this vicinity." ("Somerset Snap Shots," The North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune, North Platte, Nebraska, 3 Jan 1896, p. 1, col. 3.)

"Mrs. A. P. Jones has completed her well and therefore has quit hauling water." ("Kem Precinct," The North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune, North Platte, Nebraska, 24 Aug 1897, p. 1, col. 3.)

"Mrs. Chittick Commits Suicide," The North Platte Semi-Weekly Tribune, North Platte, Nebraska, 29 Apr 1898, p. 4, col. 4.

"William J. Jones heir of Asenath P. Chittick nee Jones, deceased of Somerset Neb" on 2 May 1898 applied for the patent for 160 acres of Federal land: the southwest quarter of Section 5; Township 10 North, Range 31 West. Witnesses testified that improvements to the land included a sod house, well and wind mill, stable, corral, hog pen—all fenced—and that she had cultivated 14 to 17 acres for 6 seasons. The "Homestead Proof—Testimony of Claimant" filed by "William J. Jones, age 24 years old Somerset Neb" (undated) stated that she was a native-born citizen of the United States, born in Iowa, and that he was born in Tennessee. Regarding her family: "She was my mother and was deserted by her 2d husband and I am her only heir. She died Apl 26 1898."

Asenath is a Biblical name of Egyptian origin meaning belonging to the goddess Neith; wife of Joseph.

Reviewed 4 October 2023.