Biography of John Jack, Hardin County, Illinois

From: The Portrait and Biographical Review of Johnson, Massac,
Pope and Hardin Counties, Illinois.
Chicago Biographical Publishing Company  1893
Transcribed by Ginger Hayes



John Jack, attorney-at-law at Cave in Rock, Hardin County, is a son of
William C. Jack, a native of Alabama, born in that State in April 1809,
and brought up on a farm. At an early day he removed to Gibson Co, TN,
settled on a farm, and remained there until October 1837, when he removed
to Illinois and entered land, covered with timber, in Williamson County.
The only improvement of any kind on this land was the log cabin erected
by Mr. Jack. He cleared up his farm and lived upon it until 1857, when he
removed to Johnson County, and bought a farm, upon which he lived the
rest of his life, dying in 1875. He was married in 1831 to Malinda
Glasscock,
of Tennessee, by whom he had eleven children, viz: John, the subject of 
this sketch; William, a farmer of Williamson County; Jasper and Carroll,
deceased; Noah N., a farmer of Johnson County; Marshall, deceased; 
Alonzo, a farmer of Johnson County; Melissa, deceased; Ellen, wife of 
Thomas Trowel; Amanda, wife of A. Futrel; and Emma, wife of Tine Boles,
a farmer of Williamson County.
John Jack was born in Gibson County, TN, October 27, 1832. he was 
reared on his father's farm, and obtained his education in a three-months
subscription school, taught in one of the pioneer log schoolhouses. In 
1837 he came with his father to Illinois, and started out in life for
himself
in 1849. He returned to Gibson County, TN, where he attended school six
months, working at hard labor in order to pay his tuition. In 1850 he
returned
to his home in Illinois, and became a clerk in a store at a salary of $4
per
month. Remaining in this store two years, he went to Anna, IL, and worked
in a saloon one month, when he went to work on the Illinois Central
Railroad as a brakeman, continuing thus engaged one year. He then went to
work in a sawmill, and remained in the mill and timber business until 1857,
after which he bought land in Johnson county, working his farm in the 
summers and teaching school in winters until 1862, when he enlisted in
Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Illinois Infantry, serving until
April 4, 1863, when he was discharged on account of ill-health. He removed
to Hardin County in 1864, and for some time followed farming. In 1865 he
was 
elected County Superintendent of Public Instruction, and held the office
two
terms for four years each. He served as Justice of the Peace for several
years, and from his court no appeal was ever taken. In 1880 he removed to
Cave in Rock, and was engaged in the drug business there one year. He then
engaged in general  merchandising, and in 1885 he was appointed 
Postmaster, serving four years. He had studied law several years when 
admitted to the Bar in 1889, and has continued in practice ever since,
winning quite a reputation as an attorney. He was married March 16, 1856,
to
Martha E. Harris, daughter of John Harris, of Tennessee, but has had no
children. He is a member of Lodge No. 444, A.F.&A.M., and is an Odd
Fellow. In politics he is a Democrat, and he and his wife are members of 
the Baptist Church.



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(© 1997 Ginger Hayes)