HISTORY

JACKSON-MARTIN FAMILY TREE

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JACKSON FAMILY HISTORY

Lucy Sunday was born in 1837. Her father, Bill (William) Sunday, was a white slave owner who fought on the side of the Confederacy during the Civil War. Her mother was a slave, (Charity) Bill purchased Lucy’s mother from the same Virginia auction block that sold William to an area family by the name of Jackson.

Lucy, her mother and sister Lucinda were separated as a family when Lucy was sold to another Virginia family who needed help on their plantation. To ease the trauma of the separation, her white slave owner put her on a white horse which she adored, gave her a shiny red apple and sent her forth to her new owners.

It was at this plantation that Lucy met William. They fell in love and were later married at an early age. As was the custom during those times, they simply had to jump backwards over a broomstick to solidify the Union.

They were eventually sold to the Strickland plantation at Meriwether County, GA. Their plight did not change.

They were ushered into service as “house niggers”. Lucy functioned in the role of cook and William became both a handyman and carriage driver. They continued to plant the seeds that would eventually germinate into a wide spectrum of people who ultimately diversified to many cultural, economic, and religious ideologies.

Though both Lucy and William were born into slavery, it was also true of four of their nine children: Six sons, Mosley, Samuel, Smith, Mitchell, Jimmy and William; three daughters, Lula, Augusta and Mary. They lived to see slavery abolished and see their off springs rise and progress as free people able to pursue the American dream. As we all know, that was the right to vote, buy property and attend schools which would afford them an education which would serve to let them compete for jobs.

As evidence of their property ownership, records from the U.S. Census obtained from the National Archives, only five years after slavery, reveal the following information concerning William, Lucy and their children: On August 4, 1870, in Meriwether County, GA William (age 35) was a “farmhand” with a personal property value of $100.00. Lucy (age 31) was a “housekeeper”. Smith, Samuel and Jimmy bought land, married and raised families in the Meriwether County area of Georgia as farmers. The sisters, Lula, Augusta, and Mary married landowners and raised children in the same area.

Mitchell moved to Arkansas, married, had children and became the owner of one of the most successful farms in his area. Mosley relocated from Meriwether County to Memphis, TN where he married a teacher. They had no children, upon his retirement from his career as a Brick Mason, he and his wife moved to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma City, where his wife owned oil wells. As a contractor in Oklahoma City, he was builder and owner of a Five & Dime store and a medical building which housed a physician, dentist and optometrist.

William opted to move east to Virginia and accepted the lifestyle of a city dweller. Although his occupation is not known, we do know that he married and had two sons.

Branch Hebron yesterday

As the church was constructed in Greenville, GA in the 1800s.

Branch Hebron today

As the church appears today in Greenville, GA

Even though neither William nor Lucy could read or write, they instilled in their children, values, at a very early age. Although the family is now splintered into many religious persuasions, William, Lucy and their children were active participants and some of the founders of Branch Hebron Baptist Church which was organized in 1868 (see above). The Jackson family was proud to attend Branch Hebron Baptist Church for over one hundred and twenty years. Every 2nd Sunday in August the decendants of William and Lucy Jackson would come to church have a meal and family members would break out to other family members home for a second meal and conversation in the Greenville / LaGrange, GA area.

William left Lucy in 1887, when she reached the age of fifty. In 1890, the last Census report available, Lucy Jackson was shown without her husband or children, as a servant in a household in Meriwether County, GA. At this time, she was 61 years. Her marital status was “divorced”. The report further showed that she was married for 18 years, had nine children, was born in Virginia and “could not read or write”.

Family members at that time reported that “Grandma Lucy” was one of the best “midwives” in the county for several years. She took up residence with her son, Smith and remained in his house until she died at the age of 93.

In the meanwhile, William left Odessadale, GA to unknown parts. After his travels, he returned to the home of one of his youngest sons, Jimmy. There he remained until the day he died. Neither his age nor the year is known.

We must remember our roots, of William and Lucy. We must come together and move forward as one, to maximize the ideals of love, unity and family togetherness. It is necessary for us to identify our family and extended family members, to instill in our youth their heritage, and to strengthen and bond a family. Above all we must remember that our roots are steeped in the bowels of Meriwether County, GA. Our success and our dreams are all entwined in the hopes and dreams of two very grand and glorious people, William and Lucy Jackson.

Resources:

Georgia State Archives

Other Research vehicles

Researchers:

Alvin B. "Jackie" Jackson

Gwendolyn Elmore

The Late Judia Ferrell

NOTE: Minor updates have been made.

Children of Lucy and William Jackson: