Marshall McClung
Soon after I began writing local history columns for The Graham Star, I made a special effort to see that our local Cherokees were included – as they are a major part of Graham County history.
I contacted Lou Jackson for assistance in getting some of the older Cherokees together, for information straight from them – in order to be sure that the columns could be as accurate as possible.
In May of 1995, I met with several of the older Cherokees at Lou’s home. Present were Mose Wachacha, Iva Rattler, Ned Long, Clarence Jackson, Ella Jackson and Betty Jackson.
We started the session by me asking a question in the English language and Lou repeating the question in Cherokee, even though everyone there could speak English – probably better than me. They would answer Lou in Cherokee and then she would tell me in English what they had said.
This went on for some time, until everyone got more at ease and then the conversation switched to all English.
One of the local Cherokees discussed was Caroline Jackson, which I remembered seeing when I was a small child. Caroline was born on April 30, 1875. She married Robert “Bob” Jackson, who was born on Oct. 24, 1875.
Bob was a noted photographer and had his own darkroom. His camera was the type that used flash powder. In addition, he repaired watches and the family sold cloth.
Bob died while some of the children were small. Caroline now had the responsibility of raising the children by herself. She began cleaning homes, and washing clothes for people on Atoah, Massey Branch, Moose Branch and other areas, walking to wherever the day’s work was, sometime miles away.
When she worked at a neighbor’s home on Atoah, her son Clarence and I would get together and play in the woods. Clarence’s nickname for me was “Paleface” – even after we were grown men years later.
Caroline spoke excellent English, mostly self-taught. She was a member of New Hope Baptist Church until near her death, later becoming a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church. During the years I was growing up, it seemed as though she was at many church services that I attended. This made an impression on me, because I knew that she had probably walked several miles to get there – aside from the miles she had walked during the week to do household chores for others.
How many of today’s generation is equal to the legacy she has left?
Marshall McClung writes a historical column for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, mcclungs@email.com.