U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Jackson, John G. (d. 1825) ------------------------------------------------------------------- History of Harrison County, West Virginia, From the Early Days of Northwestern Virginia to the Present. by Henry Haymond Acme Publishing Company, Morgantown, W.Va., 1910 Pages 386-388, Judge John G. Jackson. John George Jackson, the son of George Jackson was born at or near the present town of Buckhannon in the year 17__ and came when a small boy to Clarksburg with his father. He received a liberal education for the times, studied law and entered early into public life, being a member of the Virginia Legislature as early as 1797 serving several sessions. Was Surveyor of government lands west of the Ohio, a representative in the 8th., 9th., 10th., 11th., 13th., and 14th. Congresses, commencing his first term in 1803, and a Brigadier General of Militia. In 1819 was appointed United States Judge for the Western District of Virginia and held that office until his death March 29, 1825. He was twice married, first to a Miss Mary Payne, a sister of Mrs. Madison whose husband was subsequently President, and who as Dolly Madison was famous for her beauty and social qualities, and whose gracious reign at the White House still lingers among the traditions of that famous historic building as having never been surpassed by any of her successors. This marriage was the first one celebrated in the White House. Judge Jackson's second wife was Mary, the daughter of Governor Return Jonathan Meigs of Ohio and Post Master General under the administration of Madison and Monroe. The subject of this sketch was the most remarkable man West of the mountains and besides filling many public positions with marked ability he established many enterprises and developed the resources of the country to a surprising degree to the great benefit of the inhabitants. At Miles End, East of Clarksburg for many years known as the "Factory" he built quite a town and had in operation a flour mill, carding machines, a furnace, foundry, fulling mill, tan yard and other factories. The pits he dug for ore can still be seen in many places around Clarksburg. In addition to the above he had a forge at the Hugill Ford on Elk three miles from Clarksburg, Salt Works on the river and a saw mill on Davisson's Run. He contemplated turning the waters of the Buckhannon River into those of the West Fork to give him more water power and procured an Act of the Legislature for that purpose, but this was never accomplished. He ran flat boats down to the neighborhood of Pittsburgh loaded with flax, tobacco, ginseng, woolen cloth, salt, maple sugar, leather, iron, nails, horse shoes, pots, skillets and other products and wares. He built dams on the West Fork River to improve the navigation, but they were all swept out by a great flood and the enterprise was abandoned. No man who preceded Judge Jackson or succeeded him seemed to have possessed the energy and ability to carry on the works that he had established. Water was the only power known in his day. and had he lived in the days of steam and electricity what he would have accomplished with the resources at his command is beyond the bounds of conjecture. Judge Jackson while a member of Congress fought a duel with Congressman Pearson of South Carolina and received a wound in the hip which caused a lameness for the rest of his life. This wound caused him to go on horseback a great deal. Many of the old surveys made by him, have the line and corner trees marked with the tomahawk, high up from the root of the tree, showing them to have been made by a horseman. The following is a copy of the inscription on the tombstone of the first Mrs. Jackson in the old Jackson Grave Yard, where her mother, Mrs. Payne is also buried: "Here lies interred Mary, the beloved wife of John G. Jackson. It requires not this marble slab to perpetuate her memory. It is embalmed in the heart of a husband who adored her and of many relatives and friends who loved her sincerely, but that when the stranger shall tread this hallowed place, he may with reverential awe approach the spot, where lies the form which once contained the noblest spirit, that ever adorned her sex, in all the endearing attributes of wife, mother and friend, and contemplate the destiny of all in her, whom virtue, love and youth could not exempt from death. She expired in the arms of her husband on the 13th. of February, 1808 in the 27th. year of her age." ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Harrison County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/harrison/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------