From the 1885 History of Steuben County, Indiana

pages 786-787

Theophilus Jackson has been a resident of Steuben County, Ind., since July 20, 1837. He was born Oct. 20, 1814, in Livonia, Livingston Co., N. Y., and was reared in his native town. When a young man he moved with his parents to Cattaraugus County. In June, 1837, he started for the then far West. He went to Petersburg, down the Alleghany River on a raft, and from there by the same conveyance to Cincinnati; thence by steamer to the mouth of the Ohio, up the Mississippi to the mouth of the Wisconsin, up that river to the mouth of Fox River, and from there to Chicago. He was accompanied as far as Fox River by Wilson Mudget. From Chicago he walked to Michigan City, where he remained a day or two; thence to LaPorte, White Pigeon, Lima and Steuben County, a journey of about six weeks from the time he left home. He went to work by the month, but was soon taken sick and for six months suffered with the prevailing disease of a new country, fever and ague. The first land he purchased was forty acres on section 19, Otsego Township, in 1840. Like many other settlers Mr. Jackson came to this county with but little means, his cash capital on his arrival being $3. He worked by the month a number of years, thus securing money to make his first purchase. He gradually increased his possessions till instead of forty acres his farm contained 237 acres, its present dimensions. In 1841 his parents, John L. and Hezadiah (McMillan) Jackson, followed him to Steuben County, and here passed the remainder of their lives. His father was a native of the Mohawk Valley, N. Y., and his mother of Vermont. They were married in Livonia, N. Y. In March, 1873, Mr. Jackson retired from active farm life and settled in Pleasant Lake, where he has a beautiful home. He was married in March, 1843, to Mary Ann Carter, who was born in December, 1817, daughter of Jonas Carter. They have four children--Edward lives on the old homestead; Leonora, wife of Henry Gaylord, of Otsego Township; Sarah, wife of James Stetler, of Steuben Township, and George, in Traverse County, Mich. Their youngest child, Frank, died at the age of four years.

Submitted by: Kim Davoli

E-Mail: davoli82@juno.com