Catesby ap Roger Jones
Catesby ap Roger Jones was born in Fredrick County Virginia (Now
Clarke Co).
His father, Roger Jones was the Adjutant General of the United
States from 1824 until his death in 1852. His uncle, Thomas ap
Catesby Jones was an influential USN Commodore. His maternal
uncle, Richard Page was a Captain in the USN and then General in
the CSA. Catesby's mother was a first cousin to Robert E. Lee.
Gatsby's family can be traced through several knights to Sir
William Catesby who served in the court of King Henry VI of
England.
Gatsby's Naval career started early when he was a midshipman
aboard the Macedonian by age 15. He had a promising career in
the U.S. Navy before the beginning of the civil War and had
attained the rank of commissioned lieutenant. As a US Navy
Officer, he sailed around the world several times and served on
several ships including the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides).
While assigned to the Navy Yard at Washington, D.C. As ordinance
officer he worked with John Dahlgren to introduce the Dahlgren
gun. The Dehlgren was a heavily reinforced smooth bore cannon
capable of firing a 170-pound solid shot. It proved to be
effective against the new ironclad ships of the Civil War.
Catesby resigned his commission from the U.S. Navy April 17,
1861. He was appointed Captain of the Virginia Navy the
following day. On June 11, 1861 he transferred with the Virginia
Navy to the Confederate States Navy.
Catesby was in commanded the CSS Virginia (a rebuilt USS
Merrimack) in the famous battle of the first Ironclads against
the USS Monitor on March 9, 1862 at Hampton Roads. He also
served on the CSS Chattahoochee and at the Naval Works at
Charlotte South Carolina.
On April 9, 1863 Catesby was appointed to command the Naval
Foundry and Ordnance Works at Selma Alabama. In March of 1865 he
disassembled the machinery of the foundry and took it away just
days before Selma was captured. Along with his wife of less than
one month he left Selma aboard the Black Diamond. At the end of
the war he surrendered and was paroled on May 9.
Catesby settled in Selma with his wife Gertrude Thomas Tartt who
he married on March 23, 1865.
Catesby ap Roger Jones was shot down on the streets of Selma,
Alabama, June 29th, 1877, as a result of a feud among his and
other children.
Note: "ap" is a Welsh indication for "son of". Catesby ap Rogers
Jones is Catesby, son of Roger Jones.
bibliography:
Mabry Tyson's Genealogy Collection
http://cssvirginia.org/tyson/jones/carjcar.htm
Selma times Journal
Sons of the Confederate Veterans