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Jackson Mill, located near Weston in Lewis County, West Virginia, was originally constructed by Col. Edward Jackson prior to 1800. The center of the Jackson estate stood in the peninsula formed by the confluence of Freeman’s Creek and the West Fork River. Edward Jackson built a home on a prominent knoll 100 yards from the West Fork, a two-story frontier-style log structure 40 feet by 20. On the other (east) side of the river, he built a sawmill and grist mill in 1808.
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After Edward Jackson’s death, Jackson’s Mill was operated by his son, Cummins Jackson, a paternal uncle of the future Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. By 1826, Cummins’ brother, Jonathan Jackson, who was an attorney in nearby Clarksburg, had died of typhoid fever. After his death, Jonathan Jackson’s wife, Julia Neale Jackson, struggled to raise two children and after four years sent them to live with their uncle, Cummins. The mother died the following year leaving 6-year old Thomas and his younger sister, Laura, orphaned.
Young Thomas helped around his uncle’s farm, tending sheep with the assistance of a sheep dog, driving teams of oxen and helping to harvest the fields of wheat and corn. Formal education was not easily obtained, but he attended school when and where he could. Much of Thomas Jackson’s education was self-taught. He would often sit up at night reading by the flickering light of burning pine knots.
The story is told that Thomas once made a deal with one of his uncle’s slaves to provide him with pine knots in exchange for reading lessons. This was in violation of a law in Virginia at that time that forbade teaching a slave to read or write, but nevertheless, Jackson taught the man as promised. In his later years at Jackson’s Mill, Thomas served as a schoolteacher, living on the Jackson Estate until leaving for West Point in 1842.
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Jackson’s Mill boasted saw and grist mills, a carpenter shop, blacksmith forge, quarters for twelve slaves, numerous barns/outbuildings, and a general store on 1500 acres of prime forest and pasture land.
We will look at some of the other buildings on the site in Part 2.
Click here to learn more about Stonewall Jackson including his early life
Twitter: maxmanian
| April 16, 2012
Very nice images, Mark. I really like the first shot as it gives a real sense of the environment. Your historical info is a nice addition to your images.
Twitter: twitter (username)
| April 16, 2012
I like the composition in the first two shots. The third has lots of detail in the wood structure. Nice set Mark.
Twitter: ToadHollowPhoto
| April 16, 2012
Oooo, this is a great post! Love the history you’ve shared here, it really fills in a whole new dimension to the images. Can’t wait for the next installment!
Twitter: jameshowephoto
| April 16, 2012
Terrific collection of images with some great background information. Nice job with all of the images!
Twitter: catchthejiffy
| April 17, 2012
That third shot is timeless. Nice work. Always an interesting history lesson here!
Twitter: richmcpeek
| April 17, 2012
Terrific set Mark! Great shots and history here!
Twitter: mgarbowski
| April 17, 2012
Nice short collection with interesting info. Both combine to create a strong sense of the place.
Twitter: twitter (username)
| April 17, 2012
Nice set Mark. The 3rd one is terrific. Love the detail.
Twitter: JimiJones
| April 18, 2012
Another lovely set of images with a wonderful write-up. Love that Blacksmith shop. 🙂