Who was John Jackson Jnr?

Summary

John Jackson Jnr was the father of Thomas Jackson. He was a rope maker as was his family for many generations prior [referenced in article Reading Times Sept 09 1870].

On August 4, 1794 he married Anne Coates in Ripon, York, England.

As a young man, John Jackson Jnr belonged to the Liberal Party and faced consequences of supporting the resistance of the American Revolution.

“[He] suffered persecution of a years’ imprisonment and three times in the pillory for what he spoke and published in the cause of the revolted colonies.” -Thomas Jackson on his father in a Letter to the Editor of Reading Times March 1, 1859.

In 1825 John Jackson Jnr was legally declared bankrupt.

On September 21, 1833 at 64 years old, John Jackson Jnr landed in New York on Ship Silvanus Jenkins according to New York, Passenger and Immigration Lists, 1820-1850.

John Jackson Jnr died at 75 years old in June of 1844 in Reading, Berks, Pennsylvania where he lived for many years prior to his death.

Charles Evans Cemetery Reading, Pennsylvania

The grave stone of John Jackson Jnr (b. 1769 – d June 1844) and his wife Ann (1776-1857) who we know to be the father of the author of this collection of letters. John Jackson Jnr was a rope maker whose two oldest sons, Thomas and Henry, left England in 1829 to make a new life in America. They started a small rope making business in Reading on only £100 and 7 years later they dissolved the partnership but Thomas carried on to grow the business into a very successful concern. It lasted for over 125 years and for a long time was the biggest employer in the city of Reading, Pennsylvania