Johnnie Jackson was born to John and Elizabeth Diana (Coward) Jackson in March, 1864, in southwestern North Carolina, near Rutherfordton. She had two older sisters, Eliza A. and Lou. But something happened to their father. Was it the Civil War? Was it because he was half Cherokee? Fatherless, she and her sisters moved with their mother to her aunt's house near Morristown, Tennessee before she was 6 years old. Living next door was a little boy five years her elder who would later become her husband and father to her children.
Her mother remarried in 1871, to Henry Biddy (one of the first marriages recorded in the newly-formed Hamblen County), and Johnnie found herself working as a servant in the household of William Robertson by the age of 16. She married David Josiah Purkey when she was 17 1/2.
Johnnie and Josiah had seven children: James Robert, b. 1882; Nellie, b. 1883; Dave, b. 1886; Charlie, b. 1889; Ada, b. 1894; Eula, b. 1900; and Shields, b. 1905. Six of these seven are buried in Morelock Cemetery -- Nellie (Epperson) is buried in nearby Liberty Hill Cemetery.
Johnnie's mother moved back to North Carolina with her second husband and their family, but Johnnie and her sisters had made their lives in Tennessee.
Johnnie passed away in August, 1938, 20 years after her husband had passed. She was buried alongside members of the family she had married into, in the Morelock Cemetery.
Bio © Carole Thomason
Her mother remarried in 1871, to Henry Biddy (one of the first marriages recorded in the newly-formed Hamblen County), and Johnnie found herself working as a servant in the household of William Robertson by the age of 16. She married David Josiah Purkey when she was 17 1/2.
Johnnie and Josiah had seven children: James Robert, b. 1882; Nellie, b. 1883; Dave, b. 1886; Charlie, b. 1889; Ada, b. 1894; Eula, b. 1900; and Shields, b. 1905. Six of these seven are buried in Morelock Cemetery -- Nellie (Epperson) is buried in nearby Liberty Hill Cemetery.
Johnnie's mother moved back to North Carolina with her second husband and their family, but Johnnie and her sisters had made their lives in Tennessee.
Johnnie passed away in August, 1938, 20 years after her husband had passed. She was buried alongside members of the family she had married into, in the Morelock Cemetery.
Bio © Carole Thomason
Johnnie Jackson was born to John and Elizabeth Diana (Coward) Jackson in March, 1864, in southwestern North Carolina, near Rutherfordton. She had two older sisters, Eliza A. and Lou. But something happened to their father. Was it the Civil War? Was it because he was half Cherokee? Fatherless, she and her sisters moved with their mother to her aunt's house near Morristown, Tennessee before she was 6 years old. Living next door was a little boy five years her elder who would later become her husband and father to her children.
Her mother remarried in 1871, to Henry Biddy (one of the first marriages recorded in the newly-formed Hamblen County), and Johnnie found herself working as a servant in the household of William Robertson by the age of 16. She married David Josiah Purkey when she was 17 1/2.
Johnnie and Josiah had seven children: James Robert, b. 1882; Nellie, b. 1883; Dave, b. 1886; Charlie, b. 1889; Ada, b. 1894; Eula, b. 1900; and Shields, b. 1905. Six of these seven are buried in Morelock Cemetery -- Nellie (Epperson) is buried in nearby Liberty Hill Cemetery.
Johnnie's mother moved back to North Carolina with her second husband and their family, but Johnnie and her sisters had made their lives in Tennessee.
Johnnie passed away in August, 1938, 20 years after her husband had passed. She was buried alongside members of the family she had married into, in the Morelock Cemetery.
Bio © Carole Thomason
Her mother remarried in 1871, to Henry Biddy (one of the first marriages recorded in the newly-formed Hamblen County), and Johnnie found herself working as a servant in the household of William Robertson by the age of 16. She married David Josiah Purkey when she was 17 1/2.
Johnnie and Josiah had seven children: James Robert, b. 1882; Nellie, b. 1883; Dave, b. 1886; Charlie, b. 1889; Ada, b. 1894; Eula, b. 1900; and Shields, b. 1905. Six of these seven are buried in Morelock Cemetery -- Nellie (Epperson) is buried in nearby Liberty Hill Cemetery.
Johnnie's mother moved back to North Carolina with her second husband and their family, but Johnnie and her sisters had made their lives in Tennessee.
Johnnie passed away in August, 1938, 20 years after her husband had passed. She was buried alongside members of the family she had married into, in the Morelock Cemetery.
Bio © Carole Thomason
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