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Jackson Tree Fractured Branch
©2010-2024 Doug Wilson

The Jackson family of Long Island, whose immigrant ancestor arrived there in 1643 as one of the first inhabitants of Hempstead, is also known to a been part of the earliest colonial communities in northern and central New Jersey. (Jackson Family Genealogy) Three of the sons of James Jackson and Elizabeth Hallett are fairly well documented. A fourth son, James Jr, moved to Woodbridge and started a three generation proprietorship of The Elm Tree Tavern of Woodbridge, NJ, 1739-1820. Historical evidence paints a picture of these generations and their activities. Pieces of Eight, a pirate story on this site, also helps define the family of James Jackson Jr and Mary Fitz Randolph.

Public and private records document likely descendents of this family that continued to live in New Jersey after the sale of the tavern. However, these records are not clear which members of the second generation begot the third generation or if this line continues. In 2013, a record trail came to light from two histories of Rockaway, NJ, that suggest James Jr's son Benjamin had a son John in Essex County and who had a daughter Phebe and a son Charles in that county who subsequently removed to Morris County. DNA evidence is yet needed to prove the records are referring to this particular Benjamin and John. This same year, DNA evidence, in combination with available records, firmly connects one documented line of descent from Thomas of the third generation to keep the tavern.

If you are a male with surname Jackson and believe your Jackson paternal line traces back to these Jacksons in New Jersey, please consider participation in the Jackson Surname Y-DNA Project.

evolution of the county system in New JerseyNew Jersey was first established as a province in the possession of King James of England and proportioned out as East and West Jersey to proprietors as favors for their loyal service. Over the years it evolved as diagrammed on the map series at left. (Rootsweb)

There are numerous records of Jacksons (from Long Island) living north of Middlesex & Essex/Union Counties and Jacksons (from Ireland) living in southern New Jersey. The bulk of these records belong to either of these immigrant family lines.

There are, however, a number of records that are not readily associated with either line mostly because the record contains limited or no mention of familial relations, like tax, land and petition documents that contribute to the early New Jersey substitute for missing US Census records. These create "orphans" that may or may not be affiliated with the known families from Long Island and Ireland.

In early years of the settlement of Jersey, I find few Jackson references in the archives and genealogical records. In 1685, Thomas, William, and Annabel Jackson from Scotland were put aboard the exile ship, Henry and Francis, bound for Perth Amboy. Thomas died on the voyage and William moved on to New York after arrival. Annabel may have been wife to either of them and could have accompanied William to New York. There is no other record in New Jersey for her. (Whitehead, p28) Also in nearby Perth Amboy, a 1727 probate record cites the death of a Joseph Jackson and includes no reference to his family or origins. (NJA s1v23, p256)

The NJ Archives also includes references to Jackson among its records of marriages in areas bordering on Pennsylvania, known for its population of Quakers. (NJ Archives s1 v22) They are

Click on a section title below to learn more about the next events in this adventure or open all sections and browse.

Northern New Jersey Counties

Middle New Jersey Counties

Southern New Jersey Counties

Conclusion

The descendents of James Jackson,, Jr., of Woodbridge, NJ, continue after the tavern keeper genrations to live in the area to this day. DNA evidence now confirms their descent from James Jr's. immigrant great grandfather, Robert Jackson of Hempstead. This Y-DNA results chart from the Family Tree DNA Jackson Surname Project shows the results of the test taken by descendents of James Jr. They are grouped together as the Hempstead line (about the eighth group in the chart below)

One line (#263179) has the value of 13 for marker DYS456, while everyone else in the group has a 14 in that position. As he is a descendent of James Jr. and the Elm Tree branch, this indicates a marker mutation in DYS456 occurred somewhere in this line of descent. That could be James Jr, his son Charles, grandsons Thomas, James and Charles, or any generation below on the line of the test taker. Locating where that mutation actually occurred would require more representatives of the Elm Tree line to define that "magic" moment.

 

A descendent of Jesse Jackson helps us understand the descent beyond the three generations of tavern keepers. She recalls with confidence that her father, a great grandson of Jesse's son Moses, had recorded that Jesse was the son of Thomas. Above, the records timeline of all Jacksons in the Middle Jersey section makes it clear there are just three Thomas Jacksons in the Woodbridge area records.

Of these three, the tavern keeper, would seem to be the only one of the right age. The second Thomas L's family are known from church records and do not include a Jesse. And a third Thomas married a Mary Ann Cheesman in 1780, when "our" Thomas, father of Jesse, was but 15 years old — not impossible, but not likely.

As of February 2013, Y-DNA results prove that Jesse and his offspring descend from James Jackson, Jr., the first Elm Tree Tavern keeper. So, it seems likely that Thomas, the tavern keeper, is that same Thomas, grandson of James, Jr., who joined with his brothers, James and Charles, to keep the tavern in the family a third generation.

 

References

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