Aunt Henrietta Jackson Research Paper

Aunt Henrietta Jackson daughter of Fielding W Jackson and Elvira Ellis was born in January of 1878. Henrietta was about 11 or 12 when her father passed away leaving her mother to raise 7 children the 6 boys and Henrietta. She was charged with assisting her mom with the children as well as household chores, also learning how to work in the fields. Education was paramount in the Ellis-Jackson home and like her mother she too began a career as a school teacher at Poplar Hill School. During breaks from teaching (planting and harvesting season) Henrietta found work in Harriston, Fayette, and at one time thought of going to Memphis. Henrietta did marry a man from Franklin County whose name was Robert Jackson. “Nanch”, as the children called her, returned to Jefferson County to continue her teaching career after the death of Robert. Henrietta was a tough taskmaster and believed in a strict adherence to the

One story of “Nanch” was from one of the teacher trainees. She was staying with the Horace Jackson family at the time when for the first time she witnessed Nanch and her peculiar behavior. She was sitting on the front porch after dinner and night had fallen. As she looked back across the road she saw a faint light coming toward the road from the cemetery. A bit frightened by the sight of someone in the night even being in the cemetery, she jumped up, ran into the house and said someone is in the cemetery! Martha Perkins Jackson said, oh that is Horace’s sister Nanch. She walks the back woods behind the school and stops by for coffee in the evening. She appeared at the door just as Martha said, dress wet with the evening due up to her knees and seemingly unfazed by the wetness laying on her legs just wanting her evening cup of coffee. It was also habit for her to stop by the Willie Jackson’s farm about three miles from Horace’s home for leftovers of their