STEPHEN ALONZO JACKSON
About 1762 Edward and John Jackson, brothers, left England for
America. They lived for a few years near New Castle, Delaware, but
having been with a scouting party to the little Kanawha, in Virginia,
and being deeply impressed with the fertility of the soil and the abundance
of game there, they concluded to remove to that region with their
families. Consequently they came to Virginia just prior to the revolution,
the families expecting to settle as neighbors. But upon arriving
at the "Old Field," in Hampshire (now Hardy) county, Elizabeth Cummings,
the wife of John Jackson, was for stopping there, and did stop,
her superior size being a sufficient reason with her much smaller husband.
She endeavored to pursuade Edward, and his wife Martha, to
remain there with their families, but Edward asserted his right to decide
for himself and those with him, and decided he was going on to Harrison
county, unless scalped in the attempt, and went on, settling about four
miles west of Clarksburg, where some of his descendants live to this day.
John Jackson, after a short residence near the present site of Moorefield,
moved his family to the Buckhannon river, in what is now Upshur
county, West Virginia, and only about a day's journey from where his
brother Edward had settled.
Both Edward and John Jackson served in the Revolutionary war,
and each had three sons in service, distinguished for bravery. One of
these was Capt. Stephen Jackson, wounded in battle of Yorktown. The
renowned and still lamented Confederate general, "Stonewall" Jackson,
third cousin to Stephen Alonzo, was of this stock, inheriting the gentleness
of his great grandfather, John, and the fire and bravery in time of
danger of his great grandfather's brother, Edward.
The line of descent of Stephen Alonzo Jackson from this Edward Jackson
is thus traced. Edward Jackson was the father of Captain Stephen
Jackson, who was born July 31, 1764, and married, February 14, 1787,
Elizabeth Pomeroy. Their son, Col. Stephen Pomeroy Jackson, was
born in January, 1789. He married Hannah Bailey (born November
7, 1793, died February 25, 1854), daughter of Minter and Nancy (Norris)
Bailey. Their son, Hon. Minter Jackson, was born September 20,
1824, and was twice married. His first wife was Mary K. Fell, born
August 28, 1830, died March 4, 1856. They had one son, Stephen
Alonzo, subject of this sketch, born September 22, 1851, in Glenville,
Gilmer county, (then) Virginia; and one daughter, Mary Scott, now
Mrs. Dunn, born September 25, 1855. The Hon. Minter Jackson married
secondly, August 10, 1864, Isabella Holt Beattie, a grand daughter
of Gen. John Beattie, who was a Comissary general under Gen. Washington
in the Revolutionary war. By this marriage were born two children:
Walter Beattie and Hannah Belle.
Minter Jackson espousing the cause of the South in the late war,
refugeed to Virginia with his parents and children, Stephen A. being
then about ten years old. The father, uncles and a host of the cousins
of Stephen A. were Confederate soldiers, while many of his maternal
relatives were in the Northern army.
At Brook Hall, Washington county, September 5, 1876, Rev. J. O.
Sullivan officiating, Stephen A. Jackson married Mary Cloyd Earnest,
who was born near Glade Spring, August 7, 1852. They have two children:
Earnest Alonzo, born August 13, 1877; Minter, jr., born December
25, 1880.
Mrs. Jackson is a daughter of Col. J. Henry Earnest and Amanda J.
Earnest, nee Byars. Her maternal grandmother was Elizabeth, daughter
of William Beattie, whose father was the Gen. John Beattie before
mentioned.
Mr. Jackson is a 32d-degree Mason and a Knight Templar, and past
W. G. M. of the Kappa-Sigma Fraternity.
