Abel Jackson & Patsey Jackson

 Abel was around three years old when his father Hezekiah suddenly became ill and died. Hezekiah didn’t have a Will so the estate went into probate to sort out who got what according to the court and how the estate was to be divided.  Later, Abel’s mother, Elizabeth ended up marrying the executor John Mitchell when his wife passed away leaving him with small children. Abel, his brother’s and sister grew up with these step-children and step-father until tragedy struck again and John Mitchell passed away in 1783 leaving Elizabeth husbandless for a second time.  John Mitchell left Elizabeth with the means to live comfortably and take care of his children on one of his plantations until she passed away. John Mitchell left the three black slaves that Elizabeth brought into the marriage to Abel and his siblings in his Will.

Abel married Patsey in 1793, Prince Edward, Virginia. It was recorded, Patsey’s father, Matthew Jackson was in attendance that day and it’s possible that Abel’s mother, Elizabeth could have been there too. Abel bought some property in Prince Edward and farmed it for a time. In the year 1799 Abel sold his property in Prince Edward, Virginia and moved the family to Abbeville, South Carolina.   He purchased 250 acres to farm with his wife Patsey. We don’t know what happened to Patsey but she passed before Abel (possibly from sickness or childbirth).  At the age of 38 years old Abel Jackson being very sick, left his children orphans in 1806.  In his Will he provided a young black child for each one of his children to keep. They would grow-up with Abel’s children and one day work for each child. The rest of his property was to be sold at auction and the money put in a savings account until his young children came of age.

Mathew Jackson our gr..gr….grandfather was the oldest of the four children. Later we learn that Robert his younger brother had some intellectual disabilities that would leave him in the care of Mathew by court order. Mathew was married and had a son William. We don’t know who his first wife was or the circumstances of her death. That would be a great family history project.   Mathew took care of his younger brother until his younger brother passed away in 1839, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  By this time he fell in love with Jane Aiken while living in Tuscaloosa and received permission to marry her in 1824.  We don’t know what happened to Abel’s children, Hezekiah and Patsey.  Mathew ended up moving to Scooba, Kemper Co., Mississippi in 1837 and becoming a successful cotton farmer.  He took what his father left him and whatever Robert left and built a successful cotton plantation in Mississippi.