Catesby ap Roger Jones
1821-1877

Commodore, CSN

See his genealogy [Sorry, this is password-protected and only available to family members. Contact Mabry Tyson if you need access.]

BIRTH: 15 APR 1821, Frederick Co.,Virginia,(Now Clarke Co.),"Fairfield"
DEATH: 21 JUN 1877, Selma,Alabama
BURIAL: 1877, ,Selma,Alabama

Father: Roger JONES
Mother: Mary Ann Mason PAGE

Family 1: Gertrude Thomas TARTT
MARRIAGE: 23 MAR 1865, Selma,Alabama

1. Roger ap_Catesby JONES
2. Catesby ap_Catesby JONES
3. Tartt ap_Catesby JONES
4. Gertrude Letitia JONES
5. Mary Page JONES
6. Mattie Moran JONES

As a lieutenant he was the executive and ordinance officer on the first Confederate Ironclad, "The Virginia," fomerly the U.S.S. steam frigate, "Merrimac." She was engaged in a spirited battle off the mouth of the James River, first, against the "Cumerland" and the "Congress," lying at anchor. Later, while engaged with the "Minnesota," Flag Officer Franklin Buchanan was wounded and Catesby took over command. The fighting continued against the ironclad, "Monitor," who retreated into shallow water where the "Virginia" could not pursue her on account of the ship's greater draft.

This was the first naval battle between ironclad ships, and it changed naval warfare forever. There are a number of descendants living in Selma, Alabama.

He was shot down on the streets of Selma, Alabama, June 29th, 1877, by a man whose child had had a fight with one of his children (Catesby) when Captain Jones was wholly unexpecting and unprepared for such a catastrophe.

---Jones (1891), p. 78.

See W.S. Mabry's book, A Brief Sketch of the Career of Captain Catesby ap Roger Jones, published privately in Selma, Alabama, 1912.

• His career (detailed time line)
• As a US Navy Officer, he sailed around the world several times and served on the Old Ironsides (USS Constitution).
• He served in the Depot of Charts under Matthew Fontaine Maury and helped chart the eastern Gulf Coast.
• He worked on ordnance at the Navy Yard in Washington DC with Dahlgren to develop the Dahlgren gun.
• As a Confederate State Navy officer, he was the Executive officer of the C.S.S. Virginia (formerly U.S.S. Merrimack) and was in command of the ironclad when it fought the U.S.S. Monitor.
• He was in command of the Naval Works at Charlotte, NC.
• He was Chief of Ordnance Works at Selma, AL.
• His personal journal covers the years from 1836 (age 15) to 1845 when he was at sea most of the time.
• Confederate Navy record of Catesby ap Roger Jones
  From entry at Library of Virginia Digital Library
• Confederate Naval Museum
  Catesby ap Roger Jones's uniform is on display in Columbus, GA. The (burned-out) hull of the C.S.S. Chattahoochee, commanded by Jones is there. Also has the hull of the C.S.S. Jackson, an Ironclad. Another ironclad, C.S.S. Neuse is preserved at Kingston, NC. The Cairo, and Ironclad riverboat, is at Vicksburg National Mark, MS.
• Southern Historical Papers: " A Correction, by Catesby ap Roger Jones"
• George Washington Gift's papers are held by the Southern Historical Collections at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. These include letters from aboard the Chatahoochee and talk about life on board and refer to Catesby ap Roger Jones. There are also two letters from Jones.
• The Navy Department Library has a list of officers who resigned in the early days of the Civil War.

Jones Page

Last modified: May 6, 1998Mabry Tyson