Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Jackson, Arthur D 
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Author: Past & Present Will County, 1907

Arthur D. Jackson, an extensive farmer and stock-breeder, owns and operates a 
well improved tract of three hundred and fifty-six acres, and in his pastures 
are seen high grades of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs, this constituting a 
very important branch of his business. He is a native son of Will county, his 
birth having occurred in Florence township, November 2, 1857. His paternal 
grandparents, Isaac and Hannah Jackson, were both natives of Nova Scotia, but 
were married in New York. Their union was blessed with six children but all 
are now deceased. They settled in Will county in the early '30s, where the 
grandfather took up a government claim, which he improved and in November, 
1845, divided among his children. In addition to carrying on general farming 
he was also a pioneer minister of his locality. He gave his political support 
to the whig party and was a very prominent man in his day, taking an active 
and helpful part in the agricultural as well as moral development of this 
section of the state, and Jackson township was named in honor of him. After a 
residence of almost a half century in this county, his death occurred August 
12, 1875, when he had reached the venerable age of ninety years, four months 
and twenty-four days. His wife died February 2, 1856, when she had reached the 
age of sixty-six years. Delancy M. Jackson, son of Isaac and Hannah Jackson, 
was born at Cornwallis, Nova Scotia, September 3, 1824, and was only a small 
boy when he accompanied his parents on their removal to Will county. He 
remained with his father during the period of his boyhood and youth, and in 
the division of the latter's landed possessions, a farm on section 8, Florence 
township, fell to the lot of the son Delaney. He built a home on the farm and 
made many valuable and substantial improvements, hewing the lumber and shaving 
the shingles used in the construction of his house from timber which was cut 
on his land. This place now constitutes a portion of the farm occupied by his 
son, whose name introduces this review. Mr. Jackson was one of the pioneers of 
Florence township, aiding in the development and progress of his home 
locality. He prospered in his work, for he followed practical methods in the 
cultivation of his crops. There were many inconveniences to be borne, for 
Chicago was his nearest market and he had to haul his wheat and other farm 
products to that city, for this was prior to the era of railroad development. 
He became one of the large land-owners of Will county, having at the time of 
his death four hundred acres, which he divided among his five sons, giving to 
each an eighty-acre tract. He was married February 4, 1849, to Miss Harriet 
Gould, who was born in Syracuse, New York, December 18, 1830, and in early 
life removed with her parents to Ohio, whence in 1845 they removed to Will 
county, settling in Wesley township. Their family numbered six children, of 
whom three are deceased: Andrew M. and Aaron E., both of whom have passed 
away; Albert J., who wedded Electa Emery and makes his home in Coloma, 
Michigan; Arthur D., of this review; James L., who wedded Laura O. Wegnall, 
and resides in Grand Junction, Colorado; and Delia, who died in infancy. The 
father of this family passed away July 19, 1879, at the age of fifty-six 
years, while his wife survived for many years, and died November, 1903, at the 
age of seventy-three. The father gave his political support to the whig party 
and served continuously as school director from the time of the building of 
the first schoolhouse until the time of his death. Arthur D. Jackson, the 
fourth son and fourth child born of the marriage of Delaney M. and Harriet 
(Gould) Jackson, was reared in the usual manner of farm lads, early becoming 
familiar with the tasks and duties connected with agricultural pursuits. He 
acquired his education in the public schools near his father's home. He worked 
with his father until twenty-three years of age, when he started out upon an 
independent business venture, following the pursuits to which he had been 
reared. In 1885 he made a trip to South Dakota, where he entered a claim of 
government land, which comprised one hundred and sixty acres. After two years 
he again returned to Will county and conducted a meat market in Wilmington 
during the succeeding two years, when he returned to the old homestead in 
Florence township and again resumed farm work. As above stated, his father 
deeded him eighty acres of land on section 5, and he has since continued to 
make this his home. He has, however, added to his original holdings until 
today he is the owner of three hundred and fifty-six acres of well improved 
land, the greater part of which is under cultivation, while a portion is 
devoted to pasturage, for he is an extensive breeder and raiser of cattle, 
horses, sheep and hogs. He makes a specialty of Shropshire sheep, breeding 
from one to two hundred head each year, while at the present time he has a 
drove of seven hundred. He also feeds from one to two carloads of cattle and 
the same number of hogs annually, which he ships to the Chicago markets. In 
connection with his brother-in-law, R. D. Corbin, he breeds high-grade Norman 
horses, and his stock-raising interests claim much of his time and attention. 
In addition to his holdings in Will county and in South Dakota, he also made a 
trip in the spring of 1906 to Saskatchewan county, Canada, near Quill lakes, 
and purchased a half section of land, well adapted to the raising of wheat. He 
is a man of good business ability, capably managing his extensive farming and 
stock-raising interests, so that his labors are bringing to him very desirable 
and gratifying returns, thus placing him in the front ranks of the leading 
citizens of this part of the state. In 1897 Mr. Jackson established a home of 
his own by his marriage on the 12th of October of that year, to Miss Bernice 
Corbin, who was born in Florence township, July 24, 1875, a daughter of Royal 
S. and Elizabeth (Jukes) Corbin, one of the prominent pioneer couples of Will 
county, further mention of whom is made in connection with the sketch of Royal 
D. Corbin on another page of this work. The only child of the marriage of Mr. 
and Mrs. Jackson, Gladys Bernice, who was born November 30, 1899, died May 23, 
1903. Mr. Jackson's study of the current events of the day has led him to give 
stalwart support to the republican party, while his fraternal relations are 
with the Modern Woodmen of America, belonging to camp No. 3318, at Elwood. The 
name of Jackson has been associated with the history of Will county through 
more than three-quarters of a century and is therefore a familiar as well as 
an honored one in this part of the state. Both Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were born 
and reared in Florence township, where they have spent their entire lives, so 
that they are widely and favorably known, while the hospitality of their 
pleasant home is freely extended to their many friends.

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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