The Shemwell Family

From The Randolph Leader June 22, 1898 AN AGED CITIZEN DIES This community has again lost one of its oldest and best known citizens in the death of Elder John C. Jackson which occurred at his home in east Roanoke last Saturday night. The following afternoon the funeral services were conducted at the Baptist church by Elder J.T. Satterwhite and the interment was in the city cemetery. The deceased was in his 78th year and had lived in this section of the county for many years. He was a prominent minister of the Primitive Baptist church and was noted for his strict honesty and industry. After a long and laborious life, whose last days were full of suffering, may he rest in peace. http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/newspape549gnw.txt

From The Randolph Leader July 6,1898 RESOLUTIONS OF RESPECT FOR JOHN C. JACKSON Died, on the 19th day of June, 1898, John C. Jackson, age 78 years. Whereas it pleased almighty god to remove from our midst our much esteemed brother and elder, J.C. Jackson, therefore be it resolved, 1st, that in the death of Bro. Jackson the church has lost a zealous worker in the Gospel and a most efficient member, and the community a model citizen. Resolved 2nd, that the church at Mt. Carmel extends to the widow of our departed brother, our bereaved sister, our prayers and sympathies in this hour of bereavement and commend her and her bereaved family to god and the great shepherd who will console them and prepared them to meet the loved one beyond this world of troubles, where parting will be no more and the weary will be at rest. Resolved 3rd, that these resolutions be published in the Gospel Messenger; spread on the minutes of the church and a copy of them be presented the family of our departed brother. By order of the church conference, July 16, 1898. Elder T.J. Parrish, and T.J. East, Clerk. http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/randolph/newspapers/newspape550gnw.txt

Biography*: John Coleman Jackson married Sarah Hill Smith about 1840. His nephew, Brooks Jackson, told the following story of their courtship: "John and Sarah were playing Handy-over at somebody's house. When you play Handy- over, a person stands on one side of the house and throws a ball over the house to the person on the other side of the house. Then the person catching the ball runs around the house to tag whoever is there. John threw the ball over the house and ran around to tag Sarah. They were both running fast and somehow knocked each other down. John Helped Sarah up and decided he wanted to marry her. He asked her and she agreed. John told her to set the date, and Sarah said a year from that day. They lived ten miles apart and did not see each other until a year rolled around. John went to Sarah's house one year later and they were married. They went to keeping house with a straw mattress. They had a long and happy life together." John joined the Baptist church when he was 14 years old. He was frequently seen pretending to preach while doing his farm work. Later he was ordained to the ministry. He preached regularly at several churches in Alabama and Georgia, and on his visit to Texas in 1889. John preached at Wehadkee, near Rock Mills, AL (Goldsmith's deserted city); Mount Pisgah, near Stroud; Zion's Rest near Roanoke; Mount Hickory near LaFayette; Concord, near Wadley; Hillabahatchee; Beulah; Salem, near Bacon Level; Pleasant Grove in Randolph County, and at other churches. He never allowed a collection to be taken for him as he was independent, but never wealthy. His home was one of Christian influence, and the Sabbath was kept as a day of rest and worship. No cooking was done on Sunday, only hot coffee was made. All other foods were cooked on Saturday. John bought a home near Hickory Flat in Chambers County, AL and lived there for several years. For $1000 he bought "Red John," a fifteen year old slave who was part Indian. John served in the Civil War, but since he was older, and a minister with a large family of small children, he did not enlist until September 10, 1863. He served as a guard at Demopolis, AL. He was a member of the Ninth Alabama Cavalry and later a member of the Aiken Smith Camp, No.293, at Roanoke, AL. A granddaughter, Belle McDonald Fletcher, remembered hearing about life during the Civil War. She said Sarah, John's wife, was left at home on the farm with eight children, the youngest of which was five years old. All at home were girls, with the exceptions of the youngest child, and the slave, Red John, who by then was about 17. Red John was all the protection the family had during the three years John was away at war. Every night Sarah made Red John sleep on the floor in front of the fireplace in her room with an axe by his side. It was the only weapon they had. One night strangers came and tore all the family clothing into strings. The clothes were stored in a small room at the end of the gallery, and included daughter Martha's new calico dress. Material for the dress had cost $10 a yard during and after the war. Shoes cost $40 a pair. Sarah had made plans to hide her possessions in case the Union Army did come to their home. One day when the noise of the approaching army was heard in the distance, Red John sacked up most of the flour meal and sugar and hid it in the attic, which had a secret door. Red John then took the best horses, mules, and cows deep into the tall, thick timbers, and stayed there with them so the high-spirited ones would not neigh. Some of the old broken down horses and mules were left on the lot to fool the soldiers; however, not even one of them was taken. A large hole had been dug under the smokehouse floor to hide the meat and lard. A side of meat was left hanging so that the soldiers would not become suspicious and start searching the place. Sarah greeted the soldiers kindly and prepared a meal for the officers from the meager store of meat and flour in sight. The commanding officer said, "Well, a widow and her small children live in this house, so we will move on." However the soldiers then kicked the almost empty barrels, and they took all of the flour and sugar that was in the barrels. The children were broken hearted when the soldiers took the sacks of peanuts which they had forgotten to hide. They also took away a crib full of corn. This all happened just after John had left for the army in 1863. Belle Fletcher also recalled her mother Emily telling her that she and her sister Martha had helped Sarah tie Red John to a tree so Sarah could whip him, as he was getting out of hand and would not obey her. Belle's mother was about thirteen and Martha was fifteen at the time. A few years later, after the Civil War, John bought a farm in Heard County near the Troup County line (and partly in Troup County) which included the house which his father Samuel Jackson had built before the Civil War. John moved to Roanoke, AL in 1880, and died there in 1898. At the time of his death, he owned a one and a half story home, well furnished and situated on twenty acres of land in Roanoke, AL. He also owned a brick store building in Roanoke and part of the land in Heard County which had been his father's land. He deeded the home place to his youngest daughter, Susan. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~lewgriffin/g0/p211.htm#i6744

Since there is confusion about John C. Jackson's middle name, Lew Griffin would like to suggest that it might have been Coleby. In this case, he would have been named for his two grandfathers, John Malone, and Coleby Jackson. June Hanna's research, 1979 and earlier think his middle name was Calhoun. She was June M. Lanier, wife of Lewis Crutchley Hanna. Others have thought it was Coleman.