This research guide provides information on the descendants of Nathaniel Jackson in the Rio Grande Valley. The purpose of this research guide is to introduce researchers and students to Jackson family primary and secondary sources within UTRGV Special Collections and Archives.
The Jackson family established their roots in the Rio Grande in the 1850s when Nathaniel Jackson along with his African-American wife, Matilda Hicks, son Eli, and other adult children left Alabama. The family was also accompanied by 11 African-American freedmen.
The Jackson Ranch (est. 1857) and Eli Jackson Cemetery (est. 1865) are located along the Rio Grande River in Hidalgo County, Texas. The Jackson Ranch is located near the Military Highway in an area between Fort Ringgold and Fort Brown. The ranch not only represents one of Hidalgo County's earliest agricultural communities, but also one of the earliest African-American and mix race communities in the region. Its historical significance predates the U.S. Civil War and remains relevant today.
Jackson Ranch, undated
From Hidalgo County Historical Commission Collection, Series I, Historical Markers I, 1964-2013, consists of applications and research pertaining to historical markers and historical cemeteries.
Eli Jackson Cemetery Pharr, Texas 108, 2004-2006
Diana Cardenas. From Hidalgo County Historical Commission Collection, Series II, Historical Markers II, 1964-2016, consists of applications and research pertaining to historical markers and historical cemeteries.
Jackson Ranch Church, 1982-1986
David Mycue. From Hidalgo County Historical Commission Collection, Series II, Historical Markers II, 1964-2016, consists of applications and research pertaining to historical markers and historical cemeteries.
Eli Jackson Cemetery Pharr, Texas, 1973-2009
Frances W. Isbell. From Hidalgo County Historical Commission Collection, Series IV, Historical Research, 1969-2013, consists of research for historical marker applications.
Jackson Ranch Church 35, 1982
Frances W. Isbell. From the Hidalgo County Historical Commission Collection, Series I, Historical Markers I, 1964-2013, consists of applications and research pertaining to historical markers and historical cemeteries.
Jackson Ranch Church, 1982-2008 (Folder 1.2)
Anne L. Magee and Hidalgo County Historical Museum. From Hidalgo County Historical Commission Collection, Series IV, Historical Research, 1969-2013, consists of research for historical marker applications.
Page from Hidalgo County Marks and Brands - Book C, showing registration for Nathaniel Jackson and his cattle brand on July 27, 1857,
Members of the Jackson Family appear in the 1860 U.S. Census (available online via FamilySearch.org). Note: Matilda Hicks is listed as a "House Servant".
From the John Closner and Family Collection, folder contains 1) envelope and 2) handwritten document detailing the Warranty Deed from Eli and Martin Jackson to John Closner, including official recording with Hidalgo County Court signature and embossed seal.
Blue line print of survey map of Hidalgo County, Texas, showing rivers, creeks, original land grants or surveys, cities, towns, and railroads.
Article about Nathaniel Jackson written by Mary Alice Ramirez for the Daily Review [Centennial Edition]: 100 Years of History Hidalgo County, published December 7, 1952.
Location: (From Cemeteries of Texas): Drive south of Pharr on U.S. 281 to Fay’s Corners, where 281 turns east. Stay on 281 and go east .8 mile, then turn south and cross the canal levee; go .4 mile, turn east toward church spire .2 mile. Cemetery is 500 feet northeast of the church, against the canal embankment.
Cemetery is also known as Jackson Methodist Church. Text from the Texas Historical Commission Marker reads:
"This fellowship was founded in 1874 by the Rev. Alexander H. Sutherland (1848-1911), an early Methodist missionary, on Juan Manuel de La Vina's El Capote Ranch. In 1883 the congregation began meeting near this site on the Jackson Ranch when owner Martin Jackson donated the land. He later built a small chapel for their use. In 1910 most of the church members moved to the new city of McAllen, and only a few families continued to worship here. As one of the first Protestant congregations in Hidalgo County, this church has continued to serve area residents. (1983)"
Manny Rodriguez is a Library Associate with UTRGV Special Collections & Archives. He joined the University Library in 2015 as a student worker and later as a full-time member of the team. Manny earned a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology & History from UTRGV (2016) and a Master of Library Science from Texas Woman’s University (2023).
The research guides compiled by UTRGV staff and students are intended to assist patrons who are embarking upon new research endeavors. Our goal is to expand their knowledge of the types of resources available on a given topic, including books, archival materials, and websites. In so doing, our compilers have taken care to include collections, digital items, and resources that may be accessed not only through UTRGV but also via other institutions, repositories, and websites.
We wholeheartedly respect the research interests of others. Therefore, please contact us if you wish to submit a resource for consideration, or if you have a question about or an issue with a specific cited resource.
Hidalgo County Ranch Histories by 
The Civil War on the Rio Grande, 1846-1876 by
2020, Texas Historical Commission's Governor's Award for Historic Preservation was awarded to the Community Historical Archaeology Project with Schools (CHAPS) at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. This book grew out of the CHAPS program. Runner-up, 2019 Texas Old Missions and Forts Restoration Book Award, sponsored by the Texas Old Missions and Forts Restoration Association (TOMFRA) Long known as a place of cross-border intrigue, the Rio Grande's unique role in the history of the American Civil War has been largely forgotten or overlooked. Few know of the dramatic events that took place here or the complex history of ethnic tensions and international intrigue and the clash of colorful characters that marked the unfolding and aftermath of the Civil War in the Lone Star State. To understand the American Civil War in Texas also requires an understanding of the history of Mexico. The Civil War on the Rio Grande focuses on the region's forced annexation from Mexico in 1848 through the Civil War and Reconstruction. In a very real sense, the Lower Rio Grande Valley was a microcosm not only of the United States but also of increasing globalization as revealed by the intersections of races, cultures, economic forces, historical dynamics, and individual destinies. As a companion to Blue and Gray on the Border: The Rio Grande Valley Civil War Trail, this volume provides the scholarly backbone to a larger public history project exploring three decades of ethnic conflict, shifting international alliances, and competing economic proxies at the border. The Civil War on the Rio Grande, 1846-1876 makes a groundbreaking contribution not only to the history of a Texas region in transition but also to the larger history of a nation at war with itself.
Blue and Gray on the Border by
Runner-up, 2019 Texas Old Missions and Forts Restoration Book Award, sponsored by the Texas Old Missions and Forts Restoration Association (TOMFRA) Most general histories of the Civil War pay scant attention to the many important military events that took place in the Lower Rio Grande Valley along the Texas-Mexico border. It was here, for example, that many of the South's cotton exports, all-important to its funding for the war effort, were shuttled across the Rio Grande into Mexico for shipment to markets across the Atlantic. It was here that the Union blockade was felt perhaps most keenly. And it was here where longstanding cross-border rivalries and shifting political fortunes on both sides of the river made for a constant undercurrent of intrigue. And yet, most accounts of this long and bloody conflict give short shrift to the complexities of the ethnic tensions, political maneuvering, and international diplomacy that vividly colored the Civil War in this region. Now, Christopher L. Miller, Russell K. Skowronek, and Roseann Bacha-Garza have woven together the history and archaeology of the Lower Rio Grande Valley into a densely illustrated travel guide featuring important historical and military sites of the Civil War period. Blue and Gray on the Border integrates the sites, colorful personalities, cross-border conflicts, and intriguing historical vignettes that outline the story of the Civil War along the Texas-Mexico border. This resource-packed book will aid heritage travelers, students, and history buffs in their discovery of the rich history of the Civil War in the Rio Grande Valley.
New guide to Spanish and Mexican land grants in south Texas by
Featuring 363 expanded entries about Spanish and Mexican land grants in South Texas, this work is the new standard for this intriguing and sometimes controversial subject. The Guide includes a synoptic history of the issuance and confirmation of these grants, four appendices on related topics of interest, and details on mineral rights, patents, and other legal aspects of the tracts.
Nathaniel Jackson (1800-1865): Patriarch of the Jackson family, made his way to the Rio Grande Valley with his wife Matilda, and their children Lucinda, Columbus, Eli, Matilda, Bryant, Martin, and John. Nathaniel purchased Porcion 71 from E.D. Smith, which consisted of 5,535 acres located between Pharr and San Juan. He constructed his ranch home and a chapel (Methodist minister). His ranch was a haven for people in need, and as a result he was liked by all.
Matilda Hicks Jackson (c. 1801 ~1870): As an African-American born into slavery, Matilda, was not legally married to Nathaniel despite living in the same household and bearing his children.
Martin Jackson: Son of Nathaniel Jackson who is known for giving a portion of land to build the first Methodist Episcopal Church. He died in 1913.
Columbus Jackson: Son of Nathaniel Jackson, is recorded as being the first to be buried in Jackson Methodist Church Yard in 1896.
Matilda Jackson Clark: Daughter of Nathaniel Jackson, is recorded for being the second to be buried in Jackson Methodist Church Yard. She also had a daughter named Frances.
Eli Jackson (1832-1911): Son of Nathaniel Jackson, he built his home near the church. Eli was appointed Hidalgo County Commissioner in 1869 and was later elected in 1890-1893. When Nathaniel Jackson passed away, he inherited the land and kept it as a haven for people in need. He married Elizabeth Kerr in 1877 and had nine children. Their names were Alice Jackson, Robert Jackson, Angeline Jackson, Nathaniel "Polo" Jackson, Matilda Jackson, Elmira Jackson, Amanda Jackson, and Amelia Jackson.
Nathaniel "Polo" Jackson (1875-1929): Son of Eli Jackson and Elizabeth Kerr, was a Hidalgo County Jailer approximately 1900-1929. He inherited Eli's Ranch when he passed, and continued to farm the land. He married Eugenia Villanueva in 1907 and had five children one of which was adopted. Their names were Adela Jackson, Angelita Jackson, Federico Jackson, Herlinda Jackson, and Audelia Jackson (adopted in 1925). In 1929 Nathaniel "Polo" Jackson was buried in Eli Jackson Cemetery where his son Federico had been previously buried. Eugenia joined him in 1948.
Federico Jackson (1893-1920): Son of Nathaniel "Polo" Jackson, was buried in Eli Jackson Cemetery when he was killed for refusing to sell his land.
Adela Jackson (1899-1992): Eldest daughter of Nathaniel "Polo" Jackson, worked on her father's ranch. She married Wuenceslao Reyna in 1927 and had three children.
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