Near Weston in Lewis County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Jackson’s Mill
Stonewall Jackson’s Boyhood Home
In 1831, this became the home of six-year-old Thomas Jonathan Jackson (1824-1863) and his four-year old sister, Laura Ann Jackson (1826-1911). Their mother, Julia Beckwith Neale Jackson Woodson, sent them here to live with relatives. Their father, Jonathan Jackson, had died in poverty in 1826. In 1830, their mother married Blake G. Woodson, who was likewise mired in poverty and resented his stepchildren. Julia Woodson died late in 1831.
Thomas Jackson left in 1842 to attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. After graduating in 1846, Jackson served in the Mexican War and later taught at the Virginia Military Institute. He joined the Confederate army when the Civil War began, commanding a brigade at Harpers Ferry. On July 21, 1861, Jackson led his unit at the First Battle of Manassas, where he received his famous nickname, “Stonewall.” His illustrious military career ended with his death on May 10, 1863, after being wounded during the Battle of Chancellorsville.
Jackson and his sister remained close until, like so many other siblings, they found themselves on opposite sides during the Civil War. Laura Jackson, who married Jonathan Arnold in 1844, opened their house in Beverly to Federal troops as a hospital and nursed them herself. Her outspoken Unionism estranged her from her brother.
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The Jackson's Mill farmstead has been subdivided and passed through several hands. In 1921, the State of West Virginia acquired the remaining property and entrusted it to the Extension Service of West Virginia University for a youth camp. The property became the nation's first state 4-H camp. Most of the early structures as well as the slave cemetery have been lost; the gristmill and Jackson family cemetery remain.
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Jackson Mill - Courtesy West Virignia University Archives
Thomas J. Jackson Courtesy Library of Congress
Laura Ann Jackson Arnold Courtesy Virignia Military Institute
Erected by West Virginia Civil War Trails.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Settlements & Settlers • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the West Virginia Civil War Trails series list.
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 39° 5.837′ N, 80° 28.048′ W. Marker was near Weston, West Virginia, in Lewis County. Marker could be reached from Jacksons Mill Road (County Route 10) 0.2 miles west of Sycamore Lick Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 160 Jacksons Mill Road, Weston WV 26452, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Blaker's Mill Pond (a few steps from this marker); Welcome (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named Jackson’s Mill (within shouting distance of this marker); Mary Conrad Cabin (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Heritage Garden (about 300 feet away); McWhorter Cabin (about 300 feet away); Blaker's Mill (about 300 feet away); Blacksmith Shop (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Weston.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. New Marker Near This Location also titled "Jackson's Mill".
Also see . . . WVU Jackson’s Mill. (Submitted on May 12, 2022.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 12, 2022. It was originally submitted on August 24, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 856 times since then and 22 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on August 24, 2012, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.