Surname: Jackson, Greenstreet, Blake, Lewis, Dudley, Cronk, Coon, McKee, Huston, Wilhoit Compendium of Biography Of Henry County, Indiana B. F. Bowen 1920 THOMAS BENTON JACKSON It is an axiom demonstrated by human experience that industry is the keynote to prosperity. Success comes not to the man who idly waits, but to the faithful toiler whose work is characterized by sleepless vigilance and cheerful celerity, and it was by such means that Thomas B. Jackson has forged to the front and won an honored place among the substantial citizens of Henry County. He is widely and favorably known as a man of high character, and for a number of years his influence in the community has been marked and salutary. Thomas Benton Jackson was born in Wayne Township, Henry County, Indiana, December 27, 1851, and is the son of Washington and Matilda J. (Greenstreet) Jackson. The emigrant ancestor of the Jackson family was William Jackson, a native of Ireland who crossed the ocean with his parents when he was but eight years old. They came to Indiana and settled in Wayne township, Henry County, where he was reared and there he entered land. On this land Washington Jackson, the father of the subject, was reared and learned the business of farming, in the meantime eceiving his education in the primitive log school house. He married Matilda J. Greenstreet, and in 1852 he located in Harrison Township, where he obtained possession of one hundred and sixty acres of land. It was almost entirely un- improved, but he was energetic and ambitious and at once started in to create for himself a comfortable home. It was swampy land and many of his friends thought he was making a mistake to select land of this character. However he thoroughly ditched the land and cleared out the brush and timber and in the course of time brought the place to a high standard of cultivation. At his death it was concede& to be one of the finest farms in Henry county. Besides this tract he owned forty acres elsewhere. To him and his wife there were born twelve children, of whom those living at present are Viretta, the wife of Ira Blake; Thomas Benton. The subject; Margaret J., the wife of Albert Lewis and Mary, the wife of Jackson Dudley, of Hancock County, this state. The subject of this notice was born in Wayne Township, but was reared in Harrison Township, being taken to that township when he was but six months old. Here he attended the district school, obtaining a fair education, and in the meantime was initiated into the mysteries of husbandry. He worked by the month for his father until he was twenty-four years old, at which time he had saved about four hundred dollars. He bought forty acres of land and lived upon this place until 1895. October 14, 1901, Mr. Jackson moved to Shirley, where he has since resided. He started in life with but forty acres of land and indebtedness of one thousand dollars, but as the result of his wise management and sound judgment he has now two hundred and forty acres of land and is worth probably fifteen thousand dollars. He is diversified in his farming operations, as every successful farmer should be, and his sound business policy and the honorable course he has pursued in all his relations with others has brought him the warm regard of all who are acquainted with him. Mr. Jackson has been twice married. His first marriage occurred August 27. 1876, the lady of his choice being Miss Lydia A. Cronk. She was born in Wayne County, this state, but when ten years of age was brought by her parents to Henry County, locating in Greensboro Township. She attended the common schools and also to some extent the high school. This union was blessed with the birth of three children, one deceased, Arminta M., born July 9, 1871, the wife of Lafe Coon, and Verlie F., born April 24, 1883, lives with his grandmother Cronk. Mrs. Lydia Jackson died on the 9th of January 1893,’ and on the 24th of August 1895, he married the widow of James McKee, and the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Huston) Wilhoit.Politically Mr. Jackson is an adherent of the Democratic Party, though in obedience to the dictates of his conscience he has recently cast his ballot in favor of the Prohibition Party. Religiously the families are all members of the Methodist Episcopal church at College Corners and hare been active in the work of the church, the subject having served as class-leader, secretary and superintendent of the Sunday school. He is a man who has been deeply interested in all that goes to the betterment of his community and has taken a part in the furtherance of several improvements, at present being a stockholder in two gas wells. The qualities which have made him one of the successful men of Henry county have also brought him the good will and esteem of his fellow citizens, for his career from the beginning has been one of well-directed energy, strong determination and honorable methods. Endowed by nature with strong powers of mind and possessing the energy to direct his faculties in the proper channels, he early became a man of resourceful capacity, as the able management of his affairs abundantly testifies. Socially he is a most agreeable gentleman, always genial and pleasant in manner and possessing the happy faculty not only of making friends but of binding them to him by his good qualities of head and heart.