Col. Samuel McCartney Jackson
Samuel McCartney Jackson, who has attained considerable prominence, both
civil and military, was born upon a farm near Apollo, Armstrong county,
Pennsylvania, September 24, 1833, and was the son of John and Elizabeth
(McCartney) Jackson, both of whom were of Scotch-Irish descent. As boy and
youth he shared the toils of the farm, and when sixteen years of age was sent
to the Jacksonville Academy, in Indiana county. It was his intention to obtain
there a good academic education, but the death of his father at the close of
his first year in the school compelled him to abandon his cherished design. He
was naturally studious and had early exhibited a marked liking for history and
biography, and had became quite well versed in those branches of literature.
That he had some inherent taste for martial affairs is shown by the fact that
at the age of thirteen he joined the local militia organization, and his
subsequent promotions show that he was regarded as possessing good qualities
for an officer. He rose successively to the rank of lieutenant and captain.
When the war of the rebellion broke out his military spirit and patriotism
were brought promptly into action. He recruited for the Union service in the
vicinity of his home a company of infantry which was mustered in as Co. G of
the 11th regt. Pa. Reserves of which he was chosen captain. He commanded his
company, known as the Apollo Independent Blues, until July, 1861, when he was
promoted to the rank of major. In October of the same year he was promoted to
lieutenant-colonel, and in April, 1863, to colonel of the regiment. He served
gallantly through his three years’ term of service, and on two occasions was
slightly wounded. The principal engagements in which he participated were
Gaines’ Hill, the second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg,
Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spottsylvania, and Bethesda Church. He particularly
distinguished himself at South Mountain, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the
Wilderness, where the conflicts were of such a nature as to try officers and
men to their utmost, and especially to test the bravery, decision and skill of
the former. At Spottsylvania he commanded a brigade and was brevetted
brigadier-general for gallant conduct. At Gettysburg he was thrown forward on
the bloody ground where 3rd corps had been driven back, and supports from
several corps which had been sent to the relief of the 3rd had been terribly
broken. The position there taken was held, and the entire field was
subsequently regained. At the battle of the Wilderness, while in command of
his own 2nd regiment, he was cut off from the balance of the division by a
strong force of the enemy, but rallying his men about him, he charged the
hostile lines, and by a circuitous route reached the Union front, where he had
for several hours been given up for lost. The appreciative regard of the
officers and men of the 11th regiment for their colonel was indicated by their
presenting him with a superb gold-encased and jeweled sword, together with
sash and spurs, the accompanying speech being made on behalf of the regiment
by Capt. Timblin. At the close of his term of service Col. Jackson was
mustered out and returned to his home and to private life. He was engaged for
a time in the oil business in Venango county, but returning to Armstrong
county was elected to the legislature of the state upon the republican ticket
in 1869. He was re-elected the following year and during both terms maintained
the character of a wise and faithful legislator. In 1871 he was the leading
spirit in organizing the Apollo Savings Bank, which he was elected cashier. He
served satisfactorily in that position until 1882. In the meantime he was
again called from private to public life, being nominated and elected to the
state senate in 1874. He represented the forty-first district, composed of
Armstrong and Butler counties, so acceptably that he was tendered a
renomination, which however, he saw fit to decline. He was chairman of the
committee on banks, and a member of several others, among them the centennial
committee. In April, 1882, Col. Jackson was appointed by President Arthur
collector of internal revenue in the twenty-third district, composed of the
counties of Beaver, North Allegheny, Butler, Armstrong, Indiana, Jefferson and
Clearfield. He entered upon his duties in this office July 1, 1882.Col. Jackson has taken an active and prominent part in local affairs in
Apollo, of which town he has been burgess for two terms and school director
for many years. He was instrumental in securing the act authorizing the
building of the free bridge at Apollo and has been interested in almost every
measure of public improvement.He is a member of the Presbyterian church, a trustee and a member of the
session.He has been twice married. His first wife was Miss Martha J. Byerly, of
Westmoreland county. They were married in 1860, and she died in 1864, leaving
two children, Mary Gertude (Townsend) and Lizzie Virginia. In December, 1869,
Col. Jackson was united in marriage with his present wife, who was Miss Mary
E. Wilson, of Clarion county. Five children were the offspring of this
marriage, namely; Frank Wilson, John Howard, Bessie, Mamie and Emily Louise.Source: Page(s)
232-246,
History of Armstrong County, Pennsylvania by Robert Walker Smith, Esq.
Chicago: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883.
Transcribed November 1998 by Rodney G.
Rosborough for the Armstrong County Smith Project.
Contributed by Rodney G. Rosborough for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy
Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format, for any
presentation, without prior written permission.
Return to the Biographical Index
Return to the Smith Project
About Author
