Mary Cloyd Ernest1

b. 7 January 1851, d. 9 July 1937
FatherJohn Henry Ernest2,1 b. 7 May 1825, d. 3 Mar 1868
MotherAmanda Jane Byars2,1 b. 25 Mar 1823, d. 6 Jul 1904
Birth7 Jan 1851 Mary Cloyd Ernest was born in Washington County, Virginia, probably on 7 Jan 1851. A transcription of her headstone reports the year as 1850 but she was not enumerated with her parents on the 1850 census and other sources report the year as 1851.3,4,5 
Childhood1854 Mary's childhood was spent in the comfort of her maternal grandfather's large estate known as Brook Hall. 
Legatee6 May 1858  Col. William Byar's will, written in 1858, left Mary a slave. He also left Mary and her siblings stock in the Virginia and Tennessee Rail Road which was to be used for their education.2 
  When Col. Byars died in 1866, Mary's mother, Amanda, inherited Brook Hall. Mary's father died two years later, leaving Amanda responsible for not only her children, but also for an estate valued at over $34,000, a substantial amount for the time.6 
Marriage5 Sep 1876 Mary married Stephen Alonzo Jackson, son of Minter Jackson and Mary Katherine Fell, on 5 Sep 1876 at Brook Hall.7,8 
 Following their marriage Mary and Stephen traveled to Philadelphia, accompanied by Bettie Ernest and William B. Ernest, Mary's younger siblings.9 
Cens-188023 Jun 1880 The couple settled in Abingdon in Washington County where Stephen was a merchant.10 
Widowed4 Mar 1892  Mary was widowed when Stephen died in 1892. 
Marriage12 Nov 1898 She married second Thomas D. Davidson on 12 Nov 1898 in Washington County, Virginia.11 
Cens-19009 Jun 1900  Mary and Thomas lived in Abingdon in 1900. Mary's youngest son, Minter, was recorded as a member of the household although he was "at school."5 
  Mary's older son, Rev. Ernest Alonzo Jackson, was a missionary in Brazil. He, along with his wife and youngest son, died in Nov. 1928 when the ship Vestris sank while sailing from the east coast to Brazil.12 
Death9 Jul 1937 Mary died on 9 Jul 1937 in Radford, Virginia, at age 86.3 
Burial She was buried at Sinking Spring Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.3 

Related Links and Images:

. Click on the camera icon, then "mouse over" the faces13
Mary grew up at Brook Hall, the home her mother inherited from Mary's grandfather, Col. William Byars
Mary on the porch of her home at 102 E. Main St. in Abingdon (1919). Click on first camera icon for full vertical image; second icon is a current view of home14

Family

Stephen Alonzo Jackson b. 22 Sep 1851, d. 4 Mar 1892
Children
Last Edited10 Jun 2013

Citations

  1. [S1198] Virgil Lewis, "Residents of Washington County," in Virginia and Virginians, p. 733.
  2. [S852] William Byars will (1866), Washington Co., Virginia Will Book 16: 406. The will was written 6 May 1858 with a codicil added March 31, 1862. It was recorded 26 March 1866.
  3. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 85. Stone reported to read: Mary Ernest Jackson w/o S. Alonzo Jackson, b. Brook Hall, 7 Jan. 1850, d. Radford VA, 9 Jul 1937.
  4. [S1526] Jane Jackson Kimble (transcriber), "Jackson Ledger - 1887 by P.A. Jackson", Jackson Family Genealogy (http://www.jacksonfamilygenealogy.com/pages/… : viewed Jul. 2006). Data from p. 53; lists date as Jan. 7, 1851.
  5. [S574] T.D. Davidson household, 1900 U.S. cens., Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Abingdon, ED 107, sheet 8A (p. 54 stamped), dwelling 143, family 152, viewed online at Genealogy.com, Jan. 2005, image 105 of 117. Enumeration includes: T.D. Davidson, b. Nov. 1826, 73 marr 1 yr, b. VA, father b. Scotland, mother b. NC; Mary E., wife, b. Jan. 1851, 49, marr 1 yr, mother 2 children, both living, parents b. VA; Minter Jackson, son, __, b. Dec. 1880 VA, sgl, at school.
  6. [S635] A.J. Ernest household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glade Spring Township, p. 69b (stamped), dwelling 225, family 232, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Jul 2005, image 32 of 49. Enumeration includes: A.J. Ernest, (f), 45, keeping house, owns land: $34,000, pers. prop. $1,000; Mary 19; William 17; James 15; Bettie 13; L. Lu, 8; _ Johnston, 21, black, laborer; Adelin Johnston, 16, black, laborer; M. Carter, 14, (f), black, laborer; James Carter, 12, (m), black, laborer; all b. VA.
  7. [S6] Thomas Colley, Washington Co. VA Marriages 1853-1880, p. 181. Transcription reads: S.A. Jackson (source adds that a Stephen A. Jackson and a Mary C. E. Jackson were enum in 1880), 25y, sgl, b. "Gilmore Co., VA", res. WCV, merchant, s/o Minter & M.K. Jackson AND Mary C. Earnest, 25y, sgl, b. & resid WCV, d/o John H. & Amanda Earnest; marr 5 Sept 1876.
  8. [S3014] Family data, Minter Jackson and wives, The Holy Bible, original held in 2012 by Smyth Co. Virginia Genealogical Society, digitized online at http://smythcountygs.org/Family_Bibles.html. Marriage page includes: Stephen A. Jackson to Miss Mary Cloyd Ernest of Washington Co. Va Sept 5th 1876 Centennial Year.
  9. [S1526] Jane Jackson Kimble (transcriber), "Jackson Ledger - 1887 by P.A. Jackson", Jackson Family Genealogy (http://www.jacksonfamilygenealogy.com/pages/… : viewed Jul. 2006). Data from p. 53.
  10. [S156] Stephen A. Jackson household, 1880 U.S. Cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Abingdon, ED 92, p. 23A (stamped), dwelling 303, family 337. Jan. 2005, image 45 of 47. Enumeration includes: Stephen A. Jackson, 27, "general merchandise", b. VA; May _ E., 28, wife, keeping house, b. VA; Ernest A., son, 2, b. VA; also a boarder and 2 servants.
  11. [S8] Hockett and Hunt, 1891-1902 Marriages of Washington Co. VA, p. 26. Thos D. Davidson, 71, wid and Mary E. Jackson, 47, wid, 12 Nov. 1898 (no further info provided).
  12. [S2636] "Jackson Vestris Papers", Ramon Jackson, Ships and Places (http://patriot.net/~eastlnd2/rj/vestris/jpvi.htm : Apr 2011).
  13. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Ramon Jackson.
  14. [S1376] Photo courtesy Ramon Jackson.