Jackson, Eli (aka Elias Howard) - 4th Tennessee Mounted Infantry

ELI JACKSON (ALSO KNOWN AS ELIAS HOWARD)
4 thTENNESSEE MOUNTED INFANTRY
USA

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Born: 3 June 1844 in White County, TN
Died: 19 December 1937 Morgan County, IL
Buried: Jacksonville Cemetery, Morgan County, IL
Parents: Newell and Anna (Grant) Jackson

1st Married: Nancy Madewell about 1867 in Putnam County, TN
Born: abt 1850 in White County, TN
Died: 1898 in Putnam County, TN
Buried: Probably buried in Rocky Point Cemetery, Putnam County, TN
Parents: John and Judith (Grant) Madewell
Additional: Upon Eli Jackson's disappearance, Nancy married John C. Whittaker. Eli and Nancy never divorced.

Children:

  1. Eliza A. Jackson
  2. George A. Jackson
  3. Charles "Charlie" Jackson
  4. Ann Jackson
  5. Pointer Jackson

2nd Married: Josephine Meeks about 1887 in Clinton County, KY (Eli married under the name of Elias Howard)
Born: 10 May 1867 in Clinton County, KY
Died: 17 April 1942 in Morgan County, IL
Buried: Jacksonville Cemetery, Morgan County, IL
Parents: John and Hester (Unknown) Meeks

Children:

  1. John P. Howard
  2. Mary Etta Howard
  3. Anna L. Howard
  4. Charles W. Howard
  5. Nettie R. Howard
  6. Cyrus B. Howard
  7. Ada B. Howard

RELATIVES WHO SERVED

  • Brother: J. Levi Jackson - 4th Tennessee Mounted Infantry - USA
  • Brother: James Alexander Jackson - 25th Tennessee Infantry - CSA
  • Brother-in-Law: Joseph Nelson Hyder - 8th Tennessee (Dibrell's) Cavalry - CSA
  • Brother-in-Law: Samuel W. Johnson - 25th Tennessee Infantry - CSA
  • Brother-in-Law: John C. Whitaker - 4th Tennessee Mounted Infantry - USA
  • Brother-in-Law: John A. Inman - 7th Tennessee Mounted Infantry - USA

MILITARY INFORMATION

4 thTennessee Mounted Infantry
Company K

ABSTRACT:

  • Entered the service as a Private and left the service as a Private
  • Enlisted 1 November 1864 in Carthage
  • Age: 18
  • Height: 5' 7"
  • Eyes: Gray
  • Hair: Light
  • Born: Putnam County
  • Muster In: 27 Feb 1865
  • Mar - June 1865: Present
  • Muster Out: 25 Aug 1865 at Nashville

US PENSION APPLICATION

  • Invalid Pension Filed 24 Apr 1924; Invalid-1499888 Certificate-1247183
  • Widow's Pension Filed 3 Apr 1889 Widow-392428 (Nancy Jackson filed thinking that Eli was dead.)

CENSUS DATA

  • 1850 Census: White County, TN, Page 121 (listed as Eli Jackson)
  • 1860 Census: Putnam County, TN, Page 27 (listed as Eli Jackson)
  • 1870 Census: Putnam County, TN, Page 125 (listed as Eli Jackson)
  • 1880 Census:
  • 1900 Census: Wayne County, KY, Page 239A (listed as Elias Howard)
  • 1910 Census: Morgan County, IL, Page 99A (listed as Elias Howard)
  • 1920 Census: Morgan County, TN, Page 7B (listed as Elias Howard)
  • 1930 Census: Morgan County, TN, Page 65A (listed as Elias Howard)

OBITUARY

  • ELIAS HOWARD, CIVIL WAR VETERAN DIES AT RESIDENCE HERE
    Member of Mounted Infantry of Tennessee
    Succumbs Sunday Night

    Elias Howard, 93, one of the few surviving veterans of the Civil War, died at his home here, 939 Mathers street, at 11:50 p. m. Sunday after an illness of a week. Mr. Howard served in the Civil War with Company K, Fourth Regiment, Tennessee Mounted Infantry Volunteers. He was born in Cookeville, Tenn., June 3, 1844. After being mustered out of the army, he went to Monticello, Kentucky, where he was married to Miss Josephine Meek. They came to Illinois where they have lived for many years. Mr. Howard is survived by the following children: J. P. Howard, of Centralia, Ill., Charles W. Howard, of Table Grove, Mrs. Ervin Hull, Miss Ann Howard, Mrs. Glen Sooy, and Cyrus B. Howard, all of this city, and Mrs. Earl Adamson, of Pocatello, Idaho. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2:30 at the Williamson Funeral home in charge of Rev. J. E. Boston. Burial will be in the East Jacksonville cemetery.

ADDITIONAL DATA

  • Death Certificate: Morgan County, IL (1937) - #594 - Elias Howard
  • Death Certificate: Morgan County, IL (1942) - #203 - Josephine Howard
  • Oral Family Tradition: The story has been passed down that Eli Jackson was having an affair with a neighbor (possiby a woman by the name of Whittaker) sometime in the mid 1880s. She became pregnant as a result of the affair. Eli left Putnam County for somewhere in Kentucky. The family never knew what became of him (until about 2005). His first wife, Nancy, applied for a US Civil War Widow's Pension in 1889. She was not granted a pension. Sometime after that, she married John C. Whittaker. In 2005, it was discovered that Eli had changed his name to Elias Howard (found through requesting US Pension Application for Civil War Service). Records indicate that he married Josephine Meeks without benefit of a divorce and lived out the remainder of his life as Elias Howard. His second family may have never known what his real name was. Upon his death, Josephine was asked to give information for his death certificate. She indicated that is father's name was Isaac Howard (false) and his mother was Anna Grant (true). It is speculated that Eli never returned to Putnam County except perhaps in 1924 when he applied for his US Pension. He would have had to have verification of his service to receive a pension and may have returned home to track down fellow veteran's who served with him. This researcher has been unable to obtain a copy of Eli Jackson/Elias Howard US Civil War Pension Application even after many letters to the National Archives and Veteran's Administration.