Coker Cemetery Association, San Antonio, Texas

Coker Cemetery History #13

by Bob Battaglia


The following was written by Amos Dickens Jones in his diary in 1847 – 158 years ago.

"Amos D. Jones this the 25th day of January. Myself and brother Joseph is a going to make a crop together. We have rented land of the wider Horn. "

Feb 5.

We are know (now) reddy for work. this day we planted some corn.

Feb 6.

We stacked (stocked?) our plows.

Feb 7.

Sunday. We at home. Butiful weather.

Feb 8.

We this day broak up corn ground.

Feb 9.

Today we plowed.

Feb 10.

We this day planted some irish potatoes and plowed.

Feb 11.

We this day plowed.

Feb 12.

this day we went to Nash's mill.

Feb 13.

this day we plowed.

Feb 14.

Today we stayed at home and Mr. Schockley came to See us

Feb 15.

Today we finished brakeing up 20 acres of our ground. this night is raining a little and Joseph and wife is gon to Mr. Shockley's.

Feb 16.

We this day cut sprouts.

Feb 17.

Joseph and His wife is at Mr. Shockley's and it is still raining hard.

Feb 18.

This day cut some wood and Joseph went to see Mr. Schockley start to move into Nacogdoches Co.

Feb 19.

Today I went to Augusteen to see if there was eny letters fore us. A wet day.

Feb 20.

Today we went ahunting but did knot kill eny thing atall.

Feb 21.

We went this day to the singing, a cool day.

Feb 22.

We this day made a stock rake and got some wood and we have some corn up at this time.

Feb 23.

We this day layed off corn ground and it is varey wet.

Feb 24.

We this day layed off till twelve and then we raked stalks and sprouted (assume this means putting sprouts in ground).

Feb 25.

We this day finished rakeing stalks, varey wet weather.

Feb 26.

We this day went to Mr. Polks and got some pork.

Feb 27.

We this day worked the old St Antone (?) Road. (Note - could have been Stanton Road or San Antonio road). A cool windy day.

Feb 28.

Sunday, this has been a fair day and we have bin at home.

The Mr. Shockley that Amos is mentioning was the father-in-law of Joseph. Joseph F. Jones married Nancy M. Shockley in Talladega Aug 5, 1846. Her father, Levi Shockley, was married to Elizabeth Brown, a sister of Joseph Coker’s wife, Malinda Brown. The Shockleys were living in Bowie County by 1870 census. All three of Joseph F. Jones’s children were living with Shockleys in Bowie. Joseph is missing in the 1870 census and his wife had disappeared by 1860 census.


Continuation of the 1880 Bexar Co. census from issue #12 Coker Cem. History:
(page 251b)
Leopold and Johanna Schulmeyer
Joseph P. and Olive A. Devine
Gabriel and Thuna Kotuna
Frank and Mary Kanitzki
Alex and Mary F. Maltsberger
Aaron and Nancy Maltsberger (Both buried at Coker Cem)
George V. and Eva V. Tomasini (Both buried at Coker Cem)
Archy and Anna Forbes
(page 252c)
James & Solony Jeffries
Jame & Maniettie Jeffers
William & Louisa Jeffers
Carl Emil & Mary L. Weiss
Huortt & Elizabeth Johnson
Tresley & Milted Ford (Mother of Tresley, Rebecca Ford, buried at Coker Cem)
Ranson & Eliza Jane Capps (Ransom and Eliza Jane buried at Coker Cem)
William Jones with son (William a son of Samuel C. Jones Sr; wife - Melinda Ringold)
Vinson & Rachel Ford
Mathew & Margaret Ford
(page 252d)
Robert & Rebecca Smith
Matthew & Poitine Williams
Henry & Mary Hilt
Elise Vollker w/children
William & Fanny Locke
Benjamine E. & Fanny Smith
(page 253a)
William & Kissar Burnett
William & Augusta Geifers (Is that Gerfers?)
Thomas & Katharina Webb (plus five other adults w/different names)
This will end the census review.

Samuel C. Jones Notes:
Samuel C. Jones (1793-1889) who is buried at Coker, and wife Jane can be found in 1880 Medina County Census living with Allen and Nancy Tomerlin; Nancy is Samuel’s daughter. Also the Broadnax surname is in the same household. Next door to Allen is Bennett & Miranda Tomerlin. Further down is William J. and Elizabeth Tomerlin; then a son of Samuel C., Samuel C.(b1845) & Elizabeth (Arnold) Jones and next Hiram & Ophelia Tomerlin. There are seven Tomerlin burials at Coker Cemetery.