The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-02-08

the Dola Coal and Coke Company
was organized. Financial reverses
took this fortune in black diamonds
from him, but his progressive spirit
did not waver and he set out as a
Trojan to recoup his finances and
was well on the road to success,
when the death messenger suddenly
called.
At the time of his death Col. Jack
son was engaged in building the
Clarksburg Northern, a New Mar
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
burg electric railway line with pros
pect of being converted into a steam
railway line some time in the fu-
ture. The grading had been done
between New Martinsyille and Mid
dlebourne and Col. Jackson an
nounced few days ago that that
part of the line would be in oper-
alton by May /. Along with the
Short Line railroad, the clarksburg
Northern is looked upon as future
great developer and Col. Jackson
conceived the idea and was putting
it into successful execution.
Soon after surveying a proposed
railroad from this city to Pittsburg,
which was a part of the first work
he did after his graduation, he con-
ceived the idea that the Pennsyl-
vania and New York oil belt ex-
tended into West Virginia and with
the assistance Of tDr. 1. C. White,
of Morgantown, state geologist, he
discovered the Warrington oil field,
which marked the beginning of that
marvellous industry In the state. At
ter that he became Identified with
ia number of independent oil and
gas companies, which developed
much territory in the state. For
many years he was the only mining
engineer in this part of the state and
he did invaluable work in that
way
Col. Jackson received his title as
ia member of Governor "a. B. Elem
.ing's staff 1SS9-1893. He was a
member of the American Society of
Engineers and a fellow of the
Geological Society of America.
Washington and Lee University be-
slowed upon him the degrees of
civil engineer, mining engineer and
doctor of sciences.
In politncs he was Democrat, al
though not partisan. The only po-
litical Office he ever held was that
of county surveyor from 1888 to
1857. He never sought political
office and he declined the nomination
by his party for congressman in this
distrinct in 1900.
Col. Jackson and Miss Emma
Lewis, daughter of Judge and Mrs.
Charles S. Lewis, the former of
whom is now deceased, were mar
ried in 1884. Mrs. jackson was
born in Clarksburg and educated in
Stanton, Va, in an Episcopal
school. She is a finely educated and
intelligent woman and was a fit
.helpmate for such a progressive and
polished man as Col. Jackson. She
and their daughter, Miss Florence,
one of clarksburg's most accom-.
plished and popular young ladies',
survive of the immediate family.
Col. Jackson's grandfather, John
C. Jackson, became lawyer of
note and succeeded his father, John
Jackson, in Congress. John G. jack
son first married Miss Payne,
daughter of the wife of President
James Madison, by former hus-
band, and later he married daugh-
terrier of Governor Meigs, of Ohio,
afterward postmaster general of the
United States. The second wife
was the grandmother Of the subject
of this sketch. Col. Jackson'a
grandfather. John g., was the first
federal Judge of the Western dis
trict of Virginia, now West Virginia
and he died as such in 1925. The
grandfather like Col. jackson, was
very public-spirfted and progreS
sive man and he sought to build up
this country by erecting furnaces,
FORCES, mills, wool factories, salt
works and the like,
James M. Jackson, father of Col.
jackson, was the only son of his
fathers second marriage, his mother
being a daughter of Governor
Meigs. He was born January 10,
i1S17. and educated at Uplontown
and in the University of Virginia,
from which he was graduated in
1885. He practiced law successfully
until his death in 1870. His widow.
Mrs. Caroline M. Jackson, one of