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James Jackson (Alabama politician)

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James Jackson - Tennessee and Alabama - 1782–1840 - Oil on canvas by unknown artist. (Courtesy of Charles P. Jackson, The Papers of Andrew Jackson, Vol. V)

James Jackson (1782–1840) was an Irish-American immigrant merchant, land speculator, plantation owner, racehorse owner, and Alabama politician.

Biography

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He had a business relationship with Andrew Jackson, future U.S. president, in the first decades of the 19th century. To the best knowledge of historians, there is no family tie between James and Andrew Jackson.[1] Andrew Jackson and James Jackson engaged in land speculations.[1]

When he lived in Nashville, James together with his brother Washington Jackson had a "large dry-goods store on the square."[2] In a list of expenses accrued by Aaron Burr in account with Andrew Jackson at the time of the Burr expedition, one of the line items was $44 paid to "W. & J. Jackson bill do."[3]

According to The Papers of Andrew Jackson (1984), James Jackson served as a "private banker for Andrew, extending large sums of money on promissory notes. They were later partners in numerous land ventures, including the Chickasaw Purchase speculation."[1]

James Jackson left Nashville for Florence, Alabama where he "bought a stock-farm.[2] According to the American Guide for Alabama published by the New Deal Federal Writers' Project, the farm was located off of Alabama State Highway 34. Construction on Forks of Cypress began in 1820, and the main house was "encircled by a peristyle of20 large Ionic columns of brick covered with plaster made from sand and molasses. This unorthodox treatment was apparently effective, for the columns are well-preserved. The house is a solidly built frame structure with a rear cross-hall intersecting the wide, full-length central hall...Thoroughbred horses were raised on the 3,000-acre estate. Of the several horses which were sent into competition for rich stakes in the East, Glencoe and Peyton, were the best known."[4]

In 1822 Jackson was elected to the Alabama legislature.[5] In 1824, Jesse Benton alleged that Andrew Jackson, John Eaton, and James Jackson had been investors in a criminal land speculation in 1818, buying up lots in Pensacola just before General Jackson invaded, which is called the First Seminole War, and which pushed the Spanish to sell Florida to the United States under the terms of the Adams–Onís Treaty.[6] In 1828, William Berkeley Lewis wrote John Coffee to ask if he thought "Jimmy" Jackson had been involved in reports to the newspapers about possibly corrupt actions on the part of Andrew Jackson in the Colbert Reservations of the 1818 Chickasaw treaty.[7]

Jackson's brother-in-law T. Kirkman with a business opportunity involving the racehorse Glencoe (Republican Banner, Nashville, May 29, 1844)

Jackson served as president of the Alabama State Senate in 1831–1832.[5] Jackson was famous as a racehorse breeder in later life.[5] Along with Andrew Jackson, George Elliott, the Barrys, Eli Odom, the Kirkmans, the Polks, Dr. John Shelby, Dr. Sappington, Mr. Robert Smith, General Desha, Newton Cannon, the McGavocks, William G. Harding, and Balie Peyton, James Jackson was an associate of legendary turfman "Uncle" Green Berry Williams.[8]

In November 1847 the trustees of Jackson's estate listed for sale almost 1400 acres of land included "fresh cleared" plantation land, town lots, and a forested island.[9] In January 1848 the trustees of Jackson's estate listed for sale 75 slaves, which were "the portion of the Negroes, which, on division are reserved in trust for the benefit of his daughters. Mrs. Martha Andrews, Mrs. Ellen Hunt and Mrs. Sarah Polk, on a credit of One and Two years, for drafts on New Orleans."[10] In 1850 his widow Sarah Jackson owned 65 slaves.[11] In 1860 his widow Sarah Jackson owned 80 slaves.[12]

Ancestors of Alex Haley, author of Roots and Queen, were enslaved by the Jacksons at the Forks of Cypress.[13]

Siblings

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During the 1828 presidential election, opponents of Andrew Jackson published a document said to have been found in the papers of Harman Blennerhassett, showing "Aaron Burr in account with Andrew Jackson" during the Burr conspiracy of 1805–1807; W. P. Anderson was Jackson's aide-de-camp, Donelson Caffery was his Louisiana-based nephew, and W. & J. Jackson were Washington Jackson and James Jackson, merchants of Nashville and Natchez

Jackson was business partners with his brothers John Jackson (1773–1832), and Washington Jackson (1784–1865). Their sister married a Tennessee man named Thomas Kirkman.[2]

When the brothers lived in Nashville, James and Washington had a "large dry-goods store on the square."[2] G. M. Deaderick, W. M. Tait, Washington Jackson, John P. Smith, George Poyzer, William Eastin, Alexander Porter, Senator Jos. Park and William Wright met in 1808 at Talbot's Tavern to organize the Bank of Nashville, of which they were to be the directors. The bank sold shares of stock in 1814 at the office of Hynes & Fletcher, and James Jackson was agent, and Luke Lea cashier.[2]

Washington Jackson moved to Natchez, Mississippi, and in 1809 had a store in Natchez, where he had an extensive inventory, including a "first rate new keel boat, 25 tons burden, with poles and oars" advertised for sale in September,[14] and where he sold a slave woman prone to "fits" to a "free French" woman of color on behalf of Andrew Jackson in December.[15] In 1809, Washington Jackson had a store in Natchez, where he had an extensive inventory, including a "first rate new keel boat, 25 tons burden, with poles and oars" advertised for sale in September,[16] and where he sold a slave woman prone to "fits" to a "free French" woman of color on behalf of Andrew Jackson in December.[15] W. Jackson then moved to Philadelphia, and from there he moved to England.[2] His company was called Washington Jackson & Co. He became a cotton factor, and as of 1855 one of his clients was Alabama and Louisiana cotton and sugar plantation owner Meredith Calhoun.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Papers of A. Jackson, Vol. 2 (1984), p. 22.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Nashville Memories: The Old-Fashioned Dress and Manners of the Methodists—The First Newspaper". Nashville Banner. 1884-12-09. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  3. ^ "Jackson and Burr". Delaware State Journal, Advertiser and Star. 1828-09-09. p. 1. Retrieved 2025-02-23.
  4. ^ "Alabama; a guide to the deep South, compiled by workers of the Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Alabama". HathiTrust. p. 348. Retrieved 2025-03-01.
  5. ^ a b c "Jackson, James". Encyclopedia of Alabama. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  6. ^ "Feb 24, 1825, page 5 - Lancaster Intelligencer at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  7. ^ "Page 4". teva.contentdm.oclc.org. Retrieved 2025-02-14.
  8. ^ "Wallace's monthly v.3 1877". HathiTrust. p. 1080. Retrieved 2025-02-17.
  9. ^ "Sale of Plantations and Land". The Democrat. 1847-11-10. p. 4. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  10. ^ "Trustee's Sale of 75 Negroes on a credit of one and two years". The Democrat. 1848-02-09. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  11. ^ "Sarah Jackson". United States, Census (Slave Schedule), 1850. FamilySearch.
  12. ^ "Entry for Sarah Jackson". United States, Census (Slave Schedule), 1860. FamilySearch.
  13. ^ "Forks of Cypress Plantation Site - Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area". 2018-08-15. Retrieved 2025-03-27.
  14. ^ "Cheap Cash Store. Washington Jackson & Co". The Weekly Democrat. 1809-09-30. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  15. ^ a b Papers of A. Jackson, Vol. 2 (1984), pp. 22, 225–226.
  16. ^ "Cheap Cash Store. Washington Jackson & Co". The Weekly Democrat. 1809-09-30. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
  17. ^ "Large Cotton Invoice". Fayetteville Weekly Observer. 1855-02-05. p. 2. Retrieved 2025-01-24.

Sources

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