Woody Jones was born in 1823 when his family lived in Lawrence Co., Mississippi, being the 8th of 12 children born to parents Woody Jones and Elizabeth Magee. By 1830, when Woody was about 7 years old, his family had moved to Rankin Co., Mississippi - two counties north of Lawrence. His father died in Rankin Co. when Woody was about 11 or 12. His mother later died there in 1865. His parents are said to be buried in Rankin Co. but locations are unknown.

Woody married Mary Jane Mangum Dec. 21, 1845 in Rankin Co. By 1850 they had moved to Texas. On the 1850 US Census, they were listed in Houston Co., Texas, and on the 1860, 1870 and 1880 censuses, they were listed in Trinity Co., Texas. They had 11 children (per the 1900 census for Mary Jones in Trinity Co.):

1) Amanda Jane Jones (#6720162)
2) Maranda Elizabeth Jones (#124864061)
3) Ann Eliza Jones (burial unknown)
4) Willis D. Jones (burial unknown; died young)
5) Anslum Helm Jones (#157796804)
6) Winburn B. Jones (#23360717)
7) Bryant Martin Jones (#50313235)
8) Martha Angeline "Mattie" Jones (#6720180)
9) Mary L. "Mollie" Jones (#28309981)
10) Lucy Caroline Jones (#48948807)
11) Woody Solomon Jones (#56624416)
Woody Solomon's middle name almost certainly came from his maternal grandfather, Solomon Mangum.

Woody was a farmer.

This memorial lists three generations of Woodys. To keep them straight, family researchers often refer to the first generation as Woody Sr., and the second generation as Woody Jr. Woody Jr. named the third generation Woody Solomon Jones (linked below). Woody Sr. and Woody Jr. are often shown on genealogy websites with a middle name of Solomon or Soloman, but there is no contemporaneous evidence that Woody Sr. or Woody Jr. had a middle name. Woody Jr. did have an older brother named Solomon.

(Masonic headstone.)

[Memorial updated 10/5/2023. Research is ongoing. Jennifer McBride]