DeSoto Parish, Louisiana; Biography: A. F. Jackson - j250

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           A. F. Jackson has been in business in the town
         of Mansfield since 1883, but by birth is an Alaba-
         mian, having been born in Perry County, December
         10, 1844, his father being Rev. A. W. Jackson, who
         came to De Soto Parish, La., in December, 1847,
         locating near Mansfield.  He was a Missionary
         Baptist minister, and organized a great many
         churches throughout this section.  He was an elo-
         quent expounder of the gospel, was a worthy gen-
         tleman and true Christian, and in 1880 passed from
         this life to his long home, in Coryelle, Tex.  He
         was married three times, became the father of a
         ]arge family of children, the subject of this sketch
         being the son of his second marriage.  The latter
         was reared in Louisiana, having come to this State
         with his parents in 1847, but upon the opening of
         the Rebellion, at the early age of fifteen years, he
         joined Company F, Nineteenth Louisiana Infantry,
         and in l864 was made ensign of his regiment, and
         served until wounded in battle at Jonesboro, near
         Atlanta, Ga., August 31, 1864.  Regardless of this,
         the following night he crawled away, and made his
         escape, being picked up by some of Ross' Texas
         cavalry, who took him in a buggy to Lovejoy Sta-
         tion; from there was carried to Columbus, Ga. ,where
         he remained until able to walk on crutches.  He
         then received a furlough, went to Alabama, and
         there remained for some time. He received another
         slight wound from a bursting shell while in the
         breastworks at Atlanta.  After the war he entered
         business in Mansfield as a clerk, also attending
         three terms of school, and later taught one term of
         school in Indian Village, Jackson Parish, after
         which he became associated in business with M.
         W.   Stamper & Son, at Trenton, Ouachita Parish.
         After remaining with them two years, he entered a
         business college at New Orleans, and in the month
         of June, 1860, graduated in the commercial course.
 
         He then began keeping books for the successors of
         his old firm at Trenton, but at the end of three
         years his health had become so impaired he was
         compelled to give up this work, shortly after enter-
         ing the employ of Head & McLain, of Trenton,
         with whom he remained four years.  About this
         time his health again began failing him, and
         thinking that an out-door life would be beneficial
         to him, he took a trip west.  After his return he
         embarked in the mercantile business at Vienna, La.,
         continuing from January, 1876, to January 1, 1883,
         under the firm name of Jackson & Kidd, when he
         came to Mansfield, and opened a store with Mr.
         Gullatt (the firm being Jackson & Gullatt), until
         March, 1888, when Mr. Jackson purchased his
         partner's interest, and has since continued alone.
         His stock of goods is exceptionally well selected,
         and in connection with this work he also handles
         considerable cotton.  He is a prosperous business
         man of the parish, is courteous and genial to all,
         and the income he derives from his mercantile
         establishment is sufficient to make him satisfied to
         remain here.  He is at present filling the duties of
         secretary and treasurer of the Mansfield Female
         College.  He was married in 1870 to Miss Ella
         E.   Kidd, daughter of Gen. Mandriel W. Kidd, a
         native of Alabama, by whom he has two children:
         Minnie D. and A. W.  Mr. Jackson and his family
         are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church
         South, and he belongs to the Masonic fraternity.
         In addition to his establishment at Mansfield, he is
         interested in a general store at Pelican, La., and
         also owns a lumber establishment (the Pelican
         Lumber Mills) at Pelican, La, besides various
         other enterprises.  He is the owner of several
         thousand acres of land, and, in fact, is the founder
         of Pelican, having laid out the town, which now has
         a population of about 350 people, and is supplied 
         with a good church and educational advantages.
         A fine agricultural region surrounds the place, a
         considerable portion of which belongs to Mr. Jack-
         son.