Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-06-15
Tn. Early Life of Con stonewall Jackson,

From the Richmond. tva) Whig.l
The stock from which he descended
was that strong stock known as the
Scotch-Irish, which contributed an
other great man of the same name, An
drew Jackson, TO the New World. Indeed,
the memory of the two heroic men An.
drew and r. ]. jackson, have been traced
up to the same Parish, Londonderry;
although no proofs of relationship have
been addueed The founder of the
American (StonewaIl) )family was an emf
grant from London-John Jackson, who
crossed the Atlantic in 1913" spare
diminutive man; of plain mind, quiet
but determined character, sound Judg-
ment and excellent morals bis wife,
Elizabeth Cummins, from London, was
a woman of masculine stature, and her
understanding and energies cores
bonded 10 the vigor of her bodily frame.
il was from these two emlgrants that
the jackson family Of Virginia sprang
and the strong qualities that distln-
ruished them have been transmitted to
their posterity Elizabeth, the wife OF
John jackson, lived until 1925, reaching
the extreme age ofone hundred and five
wears. She was still living when Stone
wall jackson was born January II lS24
At the age of seven young Thomas
was an orphan, and found shelter under
the roof of his relatives. 1t seems ODD
to hear that "he was a pretty and engag
ing child, with rosy and almost feminine
cheeks" 1t appears much more consls-
tent with our present ideas Of his char
acter TO see him, while yet boy, enter
the house of relative in Clarkssurg,
and hear him say in a very quiet tome
"Uncle Brake and / don't agree have
quit him, and shall not go back any
more "a resolution he maintained IN
the face of the most earnest oxpostuia..
tions. We cannot restrain feeling OF
gratitude towards that big-limbed, strong
willed, halfbrother of his father, Cum
Minis jackson, his liberal batchelor
uncle, who now extended TO HIM the hos
pitalities of his home in which already
resided one of his brothers and two oi
his aunts. Here he remained, treated as
a son. and companion, attending the
country school in the neighborhood, until
he was induced by his elder brother to
accompany him TO the house OF mater
nal uncle, Mr.. Neale We next see them
seeking their fortunes in the Far West
living in a cabin on one OF the lonely
islands of the Mississippi, and employing
themselves in cutting firewood for the
furnaces of the steamers. We find our
hero returning in the fall, "travelsoiled,
ragged and emaciated by the ague, to
the hospitable roof of his uncle Gum
minis, from whom he received the
liberal treatment Of a son. Ii is pleas
ant TO see him invest his first pocket
money he ever earned in asilk dress for
his sister Laura, who was under the care
of relatives in Wood county. At school
his progress was slow, and the knowledge
he acqHired was by laborious application.
His greatest aptitude was for arithme-
tic. Ii is said that nothing could induce
him 10 leave a lesson unmastered. What
he learned was with difficulty. but never
forgotten. He was ever ready for the
romp or play, and excelled in Jumping
and climbing. he thus spent his liie
from nine to sixteen, between the labors
of the farm, the studies OF the sehool-
room and the pastimes OF the country
We are told that he was famous driver
Of oxen" and excelled in lifting and
toating. We next see him acting as
constable, and fillingihe Office with indus
try, frmness and fidelity. His uncle was
sort Of sporting gentleman. lie Kept
race-horses, made up country race
matches, and employed his nephew as
his favorite rider whenever he expected
a close contest" II was the gossip OF all
the countryside that If horse had any
winning qualities in him, Tom. jackson
would bring them out The severe
morality Of his later life makes il almost
pleasing TO us 10 hear from his own lips
that at the period here referred TO, he