an unrelated jones, james jones, had come to own walnut valley by 1704. the house was built by james' son or grandson, both named richard jones, around 1770. in 1806, richard jones, jr. died without heir, and instead left the plantation to his unrelated overseer, william jones. william, by a strange coincidence, was a distant relative of william batte, and would own walnut valley for the next three decades.