Very little is written about Louisa Jones and her main claim to fame in the East Perth Cemeteries rests in the fact that her death date is the earliest date recorded on a tombstone in the cemeteries today. Her's is not an original monument, though, and even in 1930, P.E.C. de Mouncey wrote:

"A memorial in marble in the East Perth cemetery to the late Louisa Jones, and dated 1830, is to be seen, but it is too new in appearance to be over 100 years old. It has probably replaced an older tombstone."

Later accounts indicate that the tombstone Mr. de Mouncey was describing only survived until about the mid 1950s and after it disappeared descendants had a new one built incorporating both Louisa and her husband, Richard, on the headstone which stands in the family plot today.

Louisa Jones was born Louisa Goldsmith on October 29, 1801, in England, and married Richard Jones on August 26, 1821. They had five children in England - Richard Thomas (b.1822), William James (b.1823), Louisa (b.1824) and Mary Ann (b.1825) and Maria (b.1828) - and then migrated to Western Australia.

A sixth child was born soon after the family arrived in the Swan River Colony aboard the Lotus on October 9, 1829. He was called Joseph and his arrival appears to have marked Louisa's departure from this world as she was said to have died in childbirth. She was 29-years-old when she died in Perth on December 23, 1830, and baby Joseph died the next year on March 3, 1831, aged three months.

Richard Jones did not re-marry and in the 1850s, sold his Perth property. While in Perth, Richard had turned his hand to everything from goldsmithing and printing to intricate wording for the windows of the Anglican Cathedral. He was also an active member of the first Perth Town Trust.

By the 1860s, Richard had taken up land on the Blackwood River with his bachelor sons, Richard and William, and his widowed daughter, Mary McHard. The original family home on the Blackwood River was called 'Southampton House' and still stands today.

His youngest daughter, Maria, died in England in 1886, while his eldest daughter, Louisa, married Adam Armstrong. His family established 'Dalkieth Farm' in the area of the present Perth suburb of that name. Three grand-daughters married into the pioneering Dempster family of Buckland House; and descendants of Louisa Jones, such as the Pattons of Waddi Forest, the Armstrongs of Bridgetown, and the Yorks and Scotts of Watheroo, have pioneered farming properties throughout the state. They have also been active in the timber and mining industries.

JONES, Richard, b. 2.2.1796 (England), d. 15.11.1876 (Blackwood, buried E.Perth), son of Richard & Anne, arr. 9.10.1829 per Lotus with wife & family, m. (England) 26.8.1821 Louisa GOLDSMITH b. 29.10.1801 d. 23.12.1830 (Perth). Chd. Richard Thomas b. 1822, William James b. 1823, Louisa b. 1824 d. 1871, Mary Ann b. 1825 d. 1912, Maria b. 1828 d. 1886 (England), Joseph b. 1830 (Perth) d. 1831. Perth. Plumber 1860, glazier & painter, building contractor. Sold his Perth land in 1850s & then in 1860s with his sons Richard & William, & his widowed dtr. Mary McHard, bt. land on Blackwood River & pioneered "Southampton". Qualified as Juror 1860 with £150 real estate. Employed 7 T/L men 1868-1872 at "Southampton" & possibly 1 at Perth 1865.

[Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians: pre-1829-1888,
R. Erickson, 1988, vol.2, p.1672]

Cemetery Memorials.--Few memorials are to be seen marking the last resting places of early pioneers. Marble is little in evidence on the earlier graves in the older cemeteries, timber, slate, and limestone appear to have been mostly used. The timber panels, although much weather worn, ant eaten and burnt, have otherwise lasted nearly a century. A memorial in marble in the East Perth cemetery to the late Louisa Jones, and dated 1830, is to be seen, but it is too new in appearance to be over 100 years old. It has probably replaced an older tombstone.

[The Western Australian Historical Society
Journal & Proceedings, 1930, vol.I, part VIII, p.32]

Louisa Jones died on 23rd December 1830 giving birth to one of the first European children conceived in Western Australia. The infant son, Joseph, was to live only a few months, but Louisa left five other children to her husband Richard. Fortunately, Richard had confidence in himself and could turn his hand to everything from goldsmithing and printing and intricate wording for the windows of the Anglican Cathedral in Perth to being an active member of the first Perth Town Trust before venturing out to a pioneering life. The original family home on the Blackwood River was named Southampton House and still stands today.

Richard never remarried and his sons remained bachelors. Of the daughters, young Louisa married Adam Armstrong, whose family established Dalkieth Farm in the area of the present suburb of that name. Three grand-daughters married into the pioneering Dempster family of Buckland House. Descendants of Louisa Jones, such as the Pattons of Waddi Forest, the Armstrongs of Bridgetown, the Yorks and Scotts of Watheroo, have pioneered farming properties throughout the state, besides being active in the timber and mining industries.

It is unfortunate that the tombstone of Louisa Jones is no longer standing. Records show that it remained in the cemetery until about the mid 1950s and was the oldest surviving tombstone. When it disappeared descendants had a new one built incorporating both Louisa and Richard on the same headstone which now stands in a family plot.

[The Western Australian Historical Society
Newsletter, August 1992, vol.31, no.7, pp.11-2]