Smyrna times., 1929-10-30

LOCAL LEGION POST GET DATA
COMMODORE JACOB JONES
SEA FIGHTER WAS BORN ON
SPRUANCE FARM NEAR TOWN
Chas. III. LeFevre, Former School
Principal of Smyrna, Now an At
torney, Cleans Hostory
David G. Harrison Post, No. Ia,
American Legion of Smyrna, has
received a copy of letter which
Charles H. LeFevre, an attorney of
Washington, D. c., has written to
U. S. S. Jacob Jones Post, No. 2,
American Legion, of Washington,
d. c., concerning Smyrna, the
birthplace of the famous Commo-
Gore for whom the Washington
Post is named Mr.. LeFevre is a
former principal of the Smyrna
Public Schools and a son-in-law of
Mrs. Hester A Lank, of Smyrna
After giving up teaching in Smyr-
ma, Mr.. LeF'evre became a lawyer
Of the Kent County Bar at Dover
and later moved to Washington, D.
c., where he is now a member of
the law firm of LeFevre and Le-
Roy, attorneys, and counsellors at
law. Mr.. LeFevre's letter to U.
S. S. Jacob Jones Post is as fol-
lows:
Commodore Jacob Jones Born 1770
For many months I have had in
mind calling your attention to the
fact that Commodore Jacob Jones
was born in ITO, on a farm situ-
ated in Kent County, Delaware,
about midway between the towns
of Clayton and Smyrna. As you
bear his name, I feel that you
might be interested in knowing the
location of his birth place, and,
perhaps, to place a suitable mark
er some time at tie place of his
birth. I became principal of the
public schools at Smyrna Delaware
in 1895, and while I lived there 7
became interested in the history of
tie community. Smyrna was the
birthplace also of the Honorable
John Bassett Moore, recently the
American Justice on the World
Court, and of Benjamin and Louis
McLane, sons of the Revolutionary
soldier, Captain Allen McLane,
whose fighting game roosters were
responsible for Delawareans being
called the Blue Hens Chickens.
Both Benjamin and Louis McLane
were cabinet officers. Louis Nc
Lane was Minister to England in
1829-1S31, and Secretary of the
Treasury in Jackson's Cabinet,
from 1831-1833, when he became
Secretary of State. He became
Minister to England again from
1845 to 1916. Smyrna was also
/ the home of both the Revolution
ary and Civil War Governors of
the State of Delaware. It was the
first capitol of the State.
Search of Farm Title Tells Story
For about seventeen years prior
to the World war, practiced law
at Dover, Delaware, where in the
State House hangs an original pic
ture OF Commodore Jacob Jones.
In 1913, l was called upon to
search the title to farm contain
ing about 227 acres, known as the
'Spruance' farm, then owned by
Mr.. Alfred L. Hudson, of Smyrna.
I believe that the farm is now own
ed by Mr.. w. t. Bryan, a shoe
merchant of Philadelphia. 1t is a
part of the farm on which lived the
parents of Commodore Jacob
Jones. and which the latter inher-
tied as a minor in 1878. Orphans
Court Record in and for Kent
County, Volume /, at Pages 231,
etc, shows that on December Is,
1873, came Samuel West, by Rich
ard Bassett, Esquire, his attorney,
and prayed the Court to appoint
some proper person guardian to
Jacob Jones, a minor under the age
of fourteen years, son of Jacob
Jones, late of the County, deceas
ed, and that James Sykes, Esquire,
was then appointed Guardian for
the said Jacob Jones, the minor,
and gave bond in the penal sum Of
FL, 900, lawful money of the gov
ernment, with William Rhodes and
John Cook, Esquires, for security,
for the faithful discharge of his
duties. Jacob Jones and Janet, his
wife, by their Indenture of Bar
gain and Sale, dated December z,
1896, and recorded in the office for
recording deeds, ETC., at Dover, Del
aware, in Deed Record Book r,
Vol. 2, pages 254 ETC., for a consid-
Grafton of FL $50, granted and con-
veyed by special warranty, and by
metes and bounds, courses and dis
tances, said farm, then consisting
of 256 acres and 81 So. perches, to
prasJexy Sprt1anee in fee simple