Stephen Alonzo Jackson1,2

b. 22 September 1851, d. 4 March 1892
FatherMinter Jackson1,3 b. 20 Sep 1824, d. 13 May 1907
MotherMary Katherine Fell1,3 b. 28 Aug 1830, d. 4 Mar 1856
Birth22 Sep 1851 Stephen Alonzo Jackson was born on 22 Sep 1851 in Glenville, Gilmer County, Virginia (now West Virginia).4 
Childhood Stephen's mother died when he was about 5 years old. For several years Stephen's father, Minter Jackson, remained in Gilmer County, but as the Civil War approached and the western counties of Virginia broke away to form West Virginia, Minter moved his family further east, where he married for a second time in Smyth County, Virginia in 1864.5,6,7 
Education  Stephen entered Henry and Emory College in 1869. He attended the University of Virginia from 1871 to 1874.8 
Frat-Soc  While attending the University of Virginia Stephen became deeply involved in Kappa Sigma Fraternity, founded at the university in 1869. The organization's website notes that through his efforts a local fraternity became a national organization. He wrote the group's constitution, created it's ritual and was it's first Worthy Grand Master. Under his leadership Kappa Sigma became the first southern fraternity to establish a chapter in a northern state.9 
Marriage5 Sep 1876 He married Mary Cloyd Ernest, daughter of John Henry Ernest and Amanda Jane Byars, on 5 Sep 1876 at Brook Hall in Washington County, Virginia.1,10 
 Following their marriage Stephen and Mary traveled to Philadelphia, accompanied by Bettie Ernest and William B. Ernest, Mary's younger siblings.8 
Cens-188023 Jun 1880 The couple settled in Abingdon in Washington County where Stephen was a merchant.11 
20 May 1880  Although Stephen was a respected member of the community, his life in Abingdon was not without controversy. On May 20, 1880 Stephen shot and killed a man by the name of Gordon Rife in the square outside the train depot. Various versions of the events leading up to the shooting exist in Washington Co. oral history. The most accurate account may be the one published in the Richmond Dispatch on Tuesday, May 25, 1880, a few days after the shooting. It appears to have originally been published in a Lynchburg newspaper:

Fatal Shooting Affair at Abingdon [Lynchburg Virginian] - We learn from parties who passed through Abingdon Saturday that a serious shooting affair occurred at the depot at that place, resulting in the death of a Mr. Rife, a citizen of that county. It seems that he had some time since sold to Mr. S.A. Jackson, a merchant of that place, a large number of walnut logs, and in the settlement between them at the time a disagreement occurred. Both parties have been embittered against each other since, and on one occasion a fist-fight took place. On Thursday they met at the depot, and the quarrel was resumed. Rife signified his intention to chastise Jackson, and taking his stand in front of him, remarked, putting his hand in his pocket, that he was ready for him; whereupon Jackson drew his pistol and fired four times, each shot taking effect. The difficulty occurred about 3 o'clock, and Rife died at 7. Rife is said to have been a desperate character and a great bully. Jackson was arrested, and bailed for a further hearing on a bond of $1,000.12
 
Court Record11 Oct 1880  Stephen was indicted for the murder and tried in Oct. 1880. He plead "not guilty". The jurors were Hugh H.P. Mast, S.P. Edmondson, S.T. Caldwell, Aaron Rosenbalm, J.W. Mock, A.F. Rambo, Wm Preston, T.M. Widener, J.K. Sutherland, M.R. Edmondson and J.M. Widener. The trial began on Oct. 11th. On Oct. 22nd the jury returned a "Not guilty" verdict.13 
Death4 Mar 1892 Stephen died of fever on 4 Mar 1892 in Abingdon, Washington County, Virginia, at age 40. He had visited relatives in Laurel Co., Kentucky a few weeks prior and had not been well since his return to Abingdon.14,2,15 
Burial He was buried at Sinking Spring Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.2 
Frat-Soc  Stephen, though a young man at the time of his death, was a 32nd degree Mason. He was also a Knight Templar.3 

Related Links and Images:

Stephen's widow Mary with their sons and grandchildren on the steps of the Jackson family home at 102 E. Main St. in Abingdon (1923). Click on the camera icon, then "mouse over" the faces16
Stephen's widow Mary on the porch of their home at Abingdon (1919). Click on first camera icon for full vertical image; second icon is a current view of home17

Family

Mary Cloyd Ernest b. 7 Jan 1851, d. 9 Jul 1937
Children
Last Edited3 Nov 2012

Citations

  1. [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.
  2. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 85. Stone reported to read: S. Alonzo Jackson, b. 22 Sept. 1851 in Glenville, W. VA; d. 4 March 1892 in Abingdon, Virginia (Kappa Sigma embl).
  3. [S1198] Virgil Lewis, "Residents of Washington County," in Virginia and Virginians, p. 733.
  4. [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. Birth page includes (first entry): Stephen Alonzo Jackson September 22 1851 Glenville Gilmer Co Va.
  5. [S1139] Minter Jackson household, 1860 U.S. cens, Gilmer Co., Virginia, pop. sched., Glenville Post Office, p. 39 (963 added script), dwelling 272, family 259, viewed online at Genealogy.com, Jan. 2005, image 13 of 34. Enumeration reports: Minter Jackson, 35, farmer, owns land valued at $15,000 and personal property of same amt, b. Harrison Co., VA; Stepen [sic] A., 8, b. Gilmer Co., VA; Mary Scott [Jackson], 4, b. same.
  6. [S1198] Virgil Lewis, "Residents of Washington County," in Virginia and Virginians, p. 733. The book claims that Stephen was a third cousin of General Stonewall Jackson but other sources feel this is an inaccurate statement.
  7. [S1526] Jane Jackson Kimble (transcriber), "Jackson Ledger - 1887 by P.A. Jackson", Jackson Family Genealogy (http://www.jacksonfamilygenealogy.com/pages/… : viewed Jul. 2006). Ms Kimble includes a transcription and analysis (by Ramon Jackson) of the article on Stephen Alonzo Jackson found in Brock's Virginia and Virginians. Mr. R. Jackson states that the first two paragraphs of the article are almost completely in error including the reference to Stonewall Jackson. He provides insight as to the possible reasons behind the confusion.
  8. [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.
  9. [S2644] "Kappa Sigma History", Kappa Sigma Fraternity (http://www.kappasigma.org/fraternity/history : viewed Apr 2011).
  10. [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.
  11. [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.
  12. [S2661] "Fatal Shooting Affair at Abingdon", Daily Dispatch, (Richmond, Virginia), May 25, 1880, page 3, column 2; digital image, The Library of Congress, Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers, (http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/newspapers/: viewed May 2011).
  13. [S2668] Research of "Justin", co-founder of the Hauntmaster's Club; Justin provided the author with copies of Washington Co. Order Bk _.
  14. [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. Death records page (1st entry in right column) reads: Stephen Alonzo Jackson March 4, 1892 Buried at Abingdon, Va.
  15. [S2667] "Excerpts from the Mountain Echo", database - abstracts, US Genweb - Laurel Co., Kentucky (http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kylaurel/mtecho/… : viewed May 2011), The article, dated March 11, 1892 and found under the heading "Local Items", was abstracted as: Mr. Stephen A. Jackson, of Abingdon, Va. who a few weeks ago was in Laurel county, visiting his cousin, Mrs. W.T. Moren, died on Friday last, at his home in Virginia, of fever. We are informed by Judge Moren that Mr. Jackson was complaining while here and had not been well from the time of his return home.
  16. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Ramon Jackson.
  17. [S1376] Photo courtesy Ramon Jackson.
  18. [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.