Doctor Jackson Ledbetter

Doctor Jackson Ledbetter was born on November 10, 1815, in Hardin County, Illinois, the son of Henry Ledbetter and Charity Edwards. “Doctor” is believed to have been his first name rather than a title.¹

Marriages and Family

On August 24, 1838, Doctor married Rebecca Ellen Lane in Hardin County. She died at the age of thirty-one. Their children were Charity Jane, Mary Ann (who married John Thornton), John Thomas, Sidney F., Doctor Jackson Jr., and Doctor Allan.¹

He later married Ellyn Lyons on September 24, 1840. They had no children together.¹

Pioneer of Hardin County

Doctor was a farmer all his life, having been “brought upon a farm which occupation he followed successfully.” The census records trace his household across four decades in southern Illinois:¹

• 1850 Census, Fayette County, IL — Doctor J. Ledbetter, Farmer, age 34, with Rebecca (26), Charity (10), Mary (7), John (5), and Sidny (2).
• 1860 Census, Cave in Rock, Hardin County, IL — D. J. Ledbetter, Farmer, age 45, with Nelly (39), John T. (15), Sidney (12), Allen (9), plus Alcy Gustin (16), Charles Lyons (20), and Ellen Lyons (2).
• 1870 Census, Elizabethtown, Rock Creek Township, Hardin County, IL — D. J. Ledbetter, Farmer, age 54, with Ellen (48), Allen (20), Mary (19), Cintha Trusley (domestic servant, 21), and Ellen Oxford (7).

Death

Doctor Jackson Ledbetter died on November 25, 1896, at the age of eighty-one years and fifteen days, at the house of his son Allen Ledbetter near Peters Creek. He had suffered a brief illness with pneumonia fever. His obituary described him as “Uncle Doc” — “one of the pioneer settlers of this county, having been born and raised here.” He was “a most worthy citizen, and a model Christian,” and “the father of eight children, only four of which survived him.” One of his children, John T., had died within less than forty-eight hours of his own death.¹

At the time of his death, only three of his children were still living: Allen, Mrs. John Thornton, and Mrs. J. A. Oxford. He was “a grandfather, a great grandfather and a great great grandfather, having had 50 grandchildren, 57 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.”¹

He was interred in Peters Creek cemetery on November 20, with burial services and short talks by the Revs. John Thornton, B. L. Ledbetter, and Elihu Oxford, and W. H. Blackman.¹