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Jackson was a lawyer, soldier, and politician from near Parkersburg. He came from a political family and was educated at Washington College and West Point. He served in the Seminole War and later was a Virginia state lawmaker for many years.
In 1861, Jackson voted against Virginia leaving the U.S. and helped lead efforts to keep the western part loyal. He later supported West Virginia becoming a state but opposed attempts to end slavery. He helped deal with the state’s share of Virginia’s debt and was the father of Gov. Jacob Beeson Jackson and Judge John Jay Jackson Jr.