Family historian solves important riddles about the life of Thomas’ father, John Jackson
For years, Friends of Thomas Jackson struggled to unearth any information on John Jackson apart from the anecdotes peppered here and there in his son’s writings. Above all we wanted to know what truth, if any, there was behind Thomas Jackson’s claim that his father was thrice pilloried for his anti-monarchical agitation. Thanks to family historian Celia Renshaw’s expert ability to comb through dense archival materials, we now have confirmation that John Jackson did indeed engage in the sort of political subterfuge that, in King George III’s England, could get one jailed and pilloried.
In this meticulously researched article, Celia dives deep into the life of John Jackson, revealing how matters of faith could turn an English ropemaker of modest means into something of an “evangelist” for grandiose ideas about religious and civil liberties. Along the way, we acquire an understanding of the environment that Thomas Jackson grew up in, and how this upbringing lent itself to a lifetime of unyielding support for the abolition of slavery in America.
To read Celia’s article in full, CLICK HERE.