JACKSON, Thomas - Putnam

THOMAS JACKSON, of Marion Township, the oldest living pioneer of Putnam County, was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky, May 28, 1798, son of Thomas and Nancy Jackson. His maternal ancestors came from Ireland before the Revolutionary war. His mother's father, James Little, with several others, served in the American army during that war. His father served under General Wayne in his campaign against the Indians, and subsequent to the war settled in Bourbon County, Kentucky, where he married and reared a family of twelve children. Four of these children are living--Thomas, Elizabeth, Eliza and Mary. Thomas Jackson, the subject of this sketch, was reared to manhood in Kentucky and has always been a farmer. In the spring of 1821 he came to this county, and soon after entered eighty acres of land from the Government, in Greencastle Township, where he lived about three years. He subsequently entered a quarter-section of land in Marion Township, and has since resided in that township, with the exception of a few years spent in Greencastle Township. He invested all his money in land, and depended upon his daily labor for a living. His first crop of corn consisted of about ten acres. He split many thousands of rails for 25 cents per 100. He has assisted at many log-rollings and helped to build many log cabins. He has seen more of pioneer life than usually falls to the lot of the new-comer, and suffered hardships and privations. He was married in July, 1822, to Miss Sarah Woods, daughter of Bartholomew and Sarah Woods, the former a soldier in the Revolutionary war. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson have had three children, only one surviving--Thomas. He has been a hard working man all his life, and no, in his ninetieth year, is still inclined to vigorous exercise, doing considerable work. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and cast his first presidential vote for General Andrew Jackson. He is familiarly called "Uncle Tommy," and is widely and favorably known. He has twelve grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren, all living. Andrew Jackson, a son of the preceding, was born in this county April 12, 1823, and has always been a resident here. He owns 320 acres of well cultivated and well-improved land. He was married February 16, 1848, to Miss Harriet Browning, born June 27, 1830, in Mason County, Kentucky and daughter of John and Bulah Browning, who came to Putnam County about 1830. The parents were pioneers of Greencastle Township, and lived there until their decease. To this union have been born twelve children--Thomas, John; Mary E, wife of James L. Browning, of Greencastle; Bertha T., who married Alonzo Day, of Putnam County; Andrew, Marion M., Artemas, Hercules; Flora A., wife of Daniel S. Bowen, of this county; Eliza B., Willas M. and Nannie B. Mr. Jackson, his wife, his father, and four of their children weigh 160 pounds each. He is a Democrat in politics, has seen much of pioneer life, has been successful in life, and is considered one of the representative men of the county.

-- The first marriage was that of Thomas Jackson to Sarah Wood. The license was issued July 4, 1822, but the ceremony was not performed till the 15th of the month. The officiating clergyman was Reuben Clearwaters. The annual time elapsing between the date of the license and ceremony is probably account for in the following incident which was related by Mr. Jackson himself: "I had a good deal of trouble in getting my marriage license. The county clerk had no office and no headquarters and so I had to run around over the county in search of him. When I found him I found his office too, for it was in his hat. From inside the lining he produced a paper and made out the license. I got a preacher - Reuben Clearwaters - to marry us and we at once went to housekeeping in a log cabin. About two weeks afterward the preacher came to me in the woods, where I was making puncheons, and said that he had made a mistake and would have to marry us again. I was well satisfied with my wife and, without asking what was the matter, I willingly consented and went to the cabin with him where he repeated the ceremony and I went back to work." Mr. Jackson continued to reside in the county till his death, March 14, 1898. Had he lived 10 weeks longer he would have attained his hundredth year.

The first preacher in the County of whom we have any definite record was Reuben Clearwaters, a Methodist. As to his reputation and abihty in the pulpit we know but little and about the only information regarding him which we possess is that he solemnized the first marriage in the County, uniting Thomas Jackson and Sarah Wood. July 4, 1822; that, having discovered some defect or error in the marriage, he hunted up Jackson and his wife and performed the ceremony over again.