Matilda and Nathaniel Jackson facts for kids

Matilda Hicks (born around 1801) and Nathaniel Jackson (1798–1865) were a couple who helped people escape slavery. They offered a safe place to stay and a boat ride across the Rio Grande river into Mexico. They believed strongly in their religion and that slavery was wrong. They were known for helping anyone who needed it.

It's not clear if Matilda was ever officially freed from slavery. But she and Nathaniel had seven children together while living in Alabama. In 1859, they moved to Texas. They faced unfair treatment because of their race. The 1860 Census shows Matilda as a 59-year-old "House Servant" from Georgia. She lived with Nathaniel Jackson in Hidalgo County, Texas.

In 1859, the Jacksons planned to go to Mexico. But they decided to live on the Texas side of the Rio Grande instead. They ran a ranch where they raised cattle, sheep, and goats. They also grew cotton, sugar cane, and vegetables. Nathaniel sold goods at a market in Rio Grande City, Texas. He also traded across the river in Mexico.

Two of their sons, Martin and Eli, started the Jackson Ranch Church. They also created two cemeteries. These places are now recognized for their important history.

Nathaniel's Early Life

Nathaniel Jackson was born in Georgia in 1798. His father, Joseph Jackson, was a Quaker. Quakers are a religious group who often opposed slavery. Nathaniel's father owned a large farm where enslaved people worked. Nathaniel grew up in Alabama.

Nathaniel started a relationship with Matilda Hicks. She was an enslaved woman on his family's farm. Matilda was born around 1801. Their first child was born around 1829. In the 1840s, Nathaniel lived in Wilcox, Alabama. He owned many enslaved people.

Nathaniel inherited land in Georgia. He also owned 720 acres in Alabama. On February 13, 1857, he sold his Alabama property. By this time, he and Matilda had adult children. Their children were Lucinda, Eli, Bryant, Columbus, Matilda, Martin, and John. They also had grandchildren. Nathaniel also had three step-daughters.

New laws, like the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, made life dangerous for free Black people. They could be captured by slave hunters and forced into slavery. Because of this danger, the Jacksons left Alabama. They planned to move to Mexico, where slavery was against the law.

Starting a New Life in Texas

In 1859, Matilda, Nathaniel, and their adult children traveled to Texas. They went to the Rio Grande Valley in covered wagons. They wanted to live freely as a mixed-race family. Five other families traveled with them. These families included eleven Black people who were no longer enslaved. Their daughter Lucinda and her husband did not move to Texas.

When they reached the Rio Grande Valley, they settled near another mixed-race couple, Silvia and John Webber. The Jacksons decided to stay in Texas. The border area had many different kinds of people. This included African Americans, Native Americans, and people of Spanish and Mexican descent.

In South Texas, they bought a large piece of land. It was 5,535 acres from a former Spanish land grant. This land had a long riverfront. It became known as the Jackson Rancho.

The ranch was located between Fort Brown and Fort Ringgold. These were military forts. When they first lived on the ranch, the Jacksons sometimes had to seek safety in Brownsville. This was because of attacks by Native Americans.

In 1860, Nathaniel and Matilda lived on the ranch with their sons Eli, Columbus, and John. Other Jackson family members lived nearby. These included the families of Emily, Martin, Brant, Matilda, and Nancy Jackson. Louis Hicks and his wife also lived with them. There were seven Jackson-Hicks families in total, with 39 adults and children. They lived surrounded by empty land.

The Jacksons ran a cattle ranch and farm. They grew sugar cane, cotton, and vegetables. They also raised sheep and goats. Nathaniel used "NJ" as his brand for cattle. Nathaniel had a market in what is now Rio Grande City, Texas. This was about 50 miles west of the ranch. The Jacksons also traded goods across the Rio Grande. They used their own ferry boat to transport goods and people across the river.

Every year, Nathaniel and Matilda Hicks Jackson held a "Revival" after the harvest. This was a religious gathering. Temporary homes were built for visitors. It sometimes lasted for two weeks. Nathaniel was a very religious man. He read the Bible and prayed every morning.

Helping People Escape Slavery

The Jacksons offered a safe place for Black people and Native Americans seeking freedom. Their ranch also became a settlement for African Americans.

They are believed to have been part of the Underground Railroad in the South. This was called the Slave Pathways in Texas. They offered food, shelter, and safe passage into Mexico. Not everyone who came to the Jackson Ranch crossed the Rio Grande. Some stayed with the Jacksons to work on the ranch. Others settled in the Rio Grande Valley.

The Jacksons lived near Silvia and John Webber. The Webbers also helped people escape slavery from the Deep South and Texas. Like the Webbers, the Jacksons had their own official ferry across the Rio Grande.

More enslaved people tried to escape during the American Civil War.

Later Years

During the Civil War, Nathaniel supported the Union. Union and Confederate soldiers fought battles in the valley in 1863 and 1864.

Nathaniel died in 1865. He was buried in the family cemetery. His son Eli started this cemetery that same year. The ranch was then divided among six of his children, Lucinda's husband, and his wife Matilda.