Notes for: Joseph JACKSON Jr.
Joseph Jackson was named for his father, who took him to Indiana at a fairly early age. His father had bought a farm in what was to become Putnam County, Indiana where Joseph and his siblings were raised. Little is known of Joseph's early years, but it is assumed that he helped to clear and develop the farm on what had been pre-emptive government land. (this was land that had been set aside for settlers after the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. The lands covered were surveyed and territorial governments were set up.)
He also was able to get some of the same land and at the age of 23, married on January 12, 1826 to Martha Heady whose parents, Thomas and Rebecca Goodwin Heady had come from Kentucky. In May of the same year, there is a report of the new jail signed by Joseph Jackson, foreman. Here also their first five children were born.
In 1826, Joseph's father, Joseph Sr., had packed up his family and moved to Jacksonville, Morgan Co., Illinois where in November of 1826, he claimed two eighth sections of land (totaling 160 acres) where he lived until his death. Joseph Sr. is buried in the East Jacksonville, Illinois cemetery.
In 1835, Joseph and Martha moved a bit further north to Boone County, Indiana where he bought a farm, which had also been government land, 6 miles northeast of Jamestown in Jackson Township near the Ward Post Office. The rest of their eleven children were born on this farm. Here they would remain, joining the Heady's who also had removed to this township. They joined the Old Union Christian Church after it had been founded in 1838 by a Benjamin Beeman, who served as its first pastor.
February of 1861 brought newly elected president, Abraham Lincoln to the Boone County Courthouse in Lebanon to make a speech while on his way to be inaugurated. A huge crowd was in evidence so we can wonder if Joseph, Martha, and the children were there as well.
Joseph died there on his beloved farm, the 1st of March, 1876, after a particularly cruel winter. His son Joseph took over the farm. His widow, Martha lived with her daughter, Amanda, until she too died, after a long illness, on January 20, 1885. Martha was buried next to Joseph under identical carved headstones about 200 yeards behind the Old Union Christian Church along with many of their sons, daughters, and other kinfolk who followed them.