Jacksons of Drogheda & Creggan

For those of you have been watching me stumble about trying to make sense of various Jackson families, you should know that I am still stumbling - especially when it comes to nailing down the probable links between the JACKSONs of late 1600s Drogheda, and those in southern Armagh in the mid-1700s. I suspect that I will soon have more to add, but in the meantime, here are the results of some recent baby-steps. 

In the graveyard at St. Peters - probably not JACKSONs (joke!)

According to the Parish Registers of St. Peters, Drogheda, Church of Ireland, a Richard JACKSON, described as a “carpenter”, was buried on September 4^th, 1683. I have written about him before, and will include links at the bottom of this post.There are a number of JACKSONs who are possibly children of this Richard JACKSON. They include:

1663 August 15 - Sarah JACKSON who married Hugh WHORNOCK

1670 Aug 14 Richard JACKSON & wife Alice’s daughter Joane christened.

1675 January 25 John JACKSON’s son Hans was baptised at St.Peters.

1679 April 22 Dorothy JACKSON married Joseph CLOUGH

1680 March 24 Samuel JACKSON’s daughter Susanna was christened

1684 August 3. Joseph JACKSON married Sarah MARTIN He was buried 1690 April 1. A daughter Sarah buried 1689 August 4. It may be that his widow remarried 1691 January 26 a John BLAND [The surname is unclear and looks like BLAZO or BLARO.]

The birth dates of these people likely predate the arrival of this JACKSON at Drogheda, hence the search is on for where they came from. The constellation of names may be a help. Or not. They could just as easily have come from England, France, or from elsewhere in Ireland. NOTE: One clue may be in the baptism of Jeain JACKSON daughter of Richard JACKSON 6 April 1629 in Dublin. It is in the  Church of Ireland Records that I have transcribed.

Richard JACKSON, the son of the “carpenter” Richard JACKSON, had a significant number of children christened at St. Peters, Church of Ireland, in Drogheda, and he may also have had other children born elsewhere. They may or may not have involved the same wife named Alice. This 2nd Richard JACKSON was a merchant involved in exporting, who then became an Alderman, and then Mayor of Drogheda. 

1670 Aug 14 Daughter Joane christened

1672 May 27 Daughter Anne christened

1673 March Son Hans christened

1674 February 8 son William christened

1676/7 son Richard christened. NOTE: This Richard JACKSON b. 1676 may have become an Alderman following in the shoes of his father, and may have married Eleanor CONLY alias PIPPARD mentioned in a marriage settlement 1699 August 23.

1678 Dec 12 daughter Jane Christened NOTE The father Richard is now referred to as both Mayor and Alderman – this was the year he became Mayor.

1679 Jan 1 son Francis christened

1682 November 26 son Thomas buried

1684 Jan 19 son Charles christened

1686 May 18 daughter Alice christened

1690 Aug 16 infant son buried

NOTE: There is also mention of a James JACKSONas  the son of Alderman JACKSON, in the Dublin Scuffle, and yet there is no record of such a christening. He seems to already be an adult in 1699.

The first Richard JACKSON is mentioned in 1657 in the Council Book of the Corporation of Drogheda.  The timing of this first mention is a rather neat fit with the story that the JACKSONs of Creggan, Co. Armagh came to Ireland (if not for the first time) with Cromwell. The records of St. Peters precede Cromwell’s time, and yet there is no earlier mention of JACKSONs. This is also telling. Just as significantly, it seems that the family moved to the Parish of St. Mary’s on the Co. Meath side of Drogheda in the late 1600s, early 1700s. Unfortunately, St. Mary’s records start in 1763, and no JACKSONs remain by then, so they had probably already moved on.

OTHER Links:

Council Book of the Corporation of Drogheda 1649 – 1734

JACKSONs of Creggan - Drogheda detective work