Talitha Jane Banta Jackson married one of my collateral ancestors, Amer Thomas Jackson, born in 1830 in Surry Co., North Carolina. He was the second child of Ruel and Susanna Whitlock Jackson, and a cousin of my great-great-grandfather, Amer Jackson.
Talitha Jane Banta came from a very large family of Dutch descent who arrived in New York on the ship "De Trow" in 1659. She was a sixth generation descendant of Henrick Epkese (Banta) the original immigrant. The family moved west in three installments. The parents of Talitha Jane Banta were farmers who had emigrated from Madison Co., Kentucky to Missouri about 1833. They acquired a large farm in Henry Co. Missouri, on which a tenant farmer, Amer Thomas Jackson, was employed, following the emigration of his father and siblings from North Carolina to a farm near Preston, Missouri, about 1856. Before coming to Henry Co., Missouri, Amer Thomas Jackson was employed as a school teacher in Tennessee.
Amer Thomas and Talitha were married December 28, 1858 and had six children. The Banta and Jackson families emigrated by wagon train from Missouri to California starting on May 1, 1861. A description of this journey was written in 1935 by Erastus J. Banta, a brother of Talitha. In his description he states he was twelve years old when they began the trip. They had two wagons drawn by oxen with several horses and a number of loose cattle. They passed on the northern border of Clinton, the county seat of Henry Co., Missouri and once they were on the eastern side of Missouri River they did not have to cross it and were in Kansas on their way across the plains. Kansas was a border state at that time, and a little farther on, they passed Fort Laramie, putting them in the beginning of the wilds of the wilderness, filled with Indians. While in Nebraska they passed on the Platte River and became aware of a sad accident that had happened on a wagon train about three weeks ahead of them. A young lady was taking a gun out of the wagon and caught the hammer of the gun on the wagon box and it went off and killed her. She had been buried on the side of the emigrant road, with a board placed at the head of her grave. Many wagon trains were on their way west and of course would see this grave as they traveled. It was ever after known as the “maiden’s grave.’ Erastus mentioned Captain Jack who was an Indian on his way with his warriors to fight another tribe. Captain Jack could speak the English language and would visit the wagons when they stopped at night. He only talked to the men folks, and never bothered the women and children. After they crossed the Green River on a ferry, Captain Jack and his warriors left them.
Amer and Talitha began the trip with their first child, Harvey Flanders Jackson who was born 1859 and died 1939 and their second child, Dora, was born May 5, 1861 on the banks of Cow River in Kansas en route to California. They came through Susanville and then down the Feather River to arrive in Butte Co., California in the fall of 1861. They had planned to remain there, but as they lost a number of cattle due to heavy floods in the winter of 1861/1862 they moved on to Sutter Co., California. The third child, Henry Francis, was born there on July 1, 1865 and died on January 19, 1867. He was the first buried at the Schoolhouse grave site. Their daughter, Alta was born 1868 and died 1945; their fifth child, Don was born 1871 and died 1931. The last child, Lee, was born February 14, 1873; his mother died three days later. He lived until October 5, 1873 and was buried with his mother and brother. It is not believed anyone else in buried on the site other than Talitha and her two children, but there are other opinions on this issue. Talitha’s father, Henry, is buried in Calistoga, California.
Unlike many pioneer women from America's past, Talitha Jane Jackson's story will not be buried with her. A pioneer woman who traveled cross-country in a covered wagon, she made a home for herself and family in California. Her final resting place was located in Roseville, California. On Monday, March 11, 2002, she would have been happy to learn she was being honored by so many of her descendants, at her burial site. Descendants of Talitha B. Jackson ranged from great-grandchildren to distant cousins, all gathered in love and respect to dedicate a granite headstone to mark the isolated 129 year old pioneer grave. They came from many states. It is unknown why the site was chosen to bury Talitha and her children, other than it sits on a high knoll and is surrounded by oak trees. A good guess might be the peacefulness of the area. Besides the sound of traffic from Fiddyment Road, the only other noise is that of chirping birds.
"Talitha is the story of America, large families and continuous migrations," said her great-grandson, Donald Smith of San Francisco, California.” “They are the people who settled the country. We don't think about them anymore."
And I would add she is the epitome of what most women of our day wish to be. A get-it-done lady without a lot of fuss. I was honored to be invited to attend this dedication, but was not able to do so.
Talitha Jane Banta came from a very large family of Dutch descent who arrived in New York on the ship "De Trow" in 1659. She was a sixth generation descendant of Henrick Epkese (Banta) the original immigrant. The family moved west in three installments. The parents of Talitha Jane Banta were farmers who had emigrated from Madison Co., Kentucky to Missouri about 1833. They acquired a large farm in Henry Co. Missouri, on which a tenant farmer, Amer Thomas Jackson, was employed, following the emigration of his father and siblings from North Carolina to a farm near Preston, Missouri, about 1856. Before coming to Henry Co., Missouri, Amer Thomas Jackson was employed as a school teacher in Tennessee.
Amer Thomas and Talitha were married December 28, 1858 and had six children. The Banta and Jackson families emigrated by wagon train from Missouri to California starting on May 1, 1861. A description of this journey was written in 1935 by Erastus J. Banta, a brother of Talitha. In his description he states he was twelve years old when they began the trip. They had two wagons drawn by oxen with several horses and a number of loose cattle. They passed on the northern border of Clinton, the county seat of Henry Co., Missouri and once they were on the eastern side of Missouri River they did not have to cross it and were in Kansas on their way across the plains. Kansas was a border state at that time, and a little farther on, they passed Fort Laramie, putting them in the beginning of the wilds of the wilderness, filled with Indians. While in Nebraska they passed on the Platte River and became aware of a sad accident that had happened on a wagon train about three weeks ahead of them. A young lady was taking a gun out of the wagon and caught the hammer of the gun on the wagon box and it went off and killed her. She had been buried on the side of the emigrant road, with a board placed at the head of her grave. Many wagon trains were on their way west and of course would see this grave as they traveled. It was ever after known as the “maiden’s grave.’ Erastus mentioned Captain Jack who was an Indian on his way with his warriors to fight another tribe. Captain Jack could speak the English language and would visit the wagons when they stopped at night. He only talked to the men folks, and never bothered the women and children. After they crossed the Green River on a ferry, Captain Jack and his warriors left them.
Amer and Talitha began the trip with their first child, Harvey Flanders Jackson who was born 1859 and died 1939 and their second child, Dora, was born May 5, 1861 on the banks of Cow River in Kansas en route to California. They came through Susanville and then down the Feather River to arrive in Butte Co., California in the fall of 1861. They had planned to remain there, but as they lost a number of cattle due to heavy floods in the winter of 1861/1862 they moved on to Sutter Co., California. The third child, Henry Francis, was born there on July 1, 1865 and died on January 19, 1867. He was the first buried at the Schoolhouse grave site. Their daughter, Alta was born 1868 and died 1945; their fifth child, Don was born 1871 and died 1931. The last child, Lee, was born February 14, 1873; his mother died three days later. He lived until October 5, 1873 and was buried with his mother and brother. It is not believed anyone else in buried on the site other than Talitha and her two children, but there are other opinions on this issue. Talitha’s father, Henry, is buried in Calistoga, California.
Unlike many pioneer women from America's past, Talitha Jane Jackson's story will not be buried with her. A pioneer woman who traveled cross-country in a covered wagon, she made a home for herself and family in California. Her final resting place was located in Roseville, California. On Monday, March 11, 2002, she would have been happy to learn she was being honored by so many of her descendants, at her burial site. Descendants of Talitha B. Jackson ranged from great-grandchildren to distant cousins, all gathered in love and respect to dedicate a granite headstone to mark the isolated 129 year old pioneer grave. They came from many states. It is unknown why the site was chosen to bury Talitha and her children, other than it sits on a high knoll and is surrounded by oak trees. A good guess might be the peacefulness of the area. Besides the sound of traffic from Fiddyment Road, the only other noise is that of chirping birds.
"Talitha is the story of America, large families and continuous migrations," said her great-grandson, Donald Smith of San Francisco, California.” “They are the people who settled the country. We don't think about them anymore."
And I would add she is the epitome of what most women of our day wish to be. A get-it-done lady without a lot of fuss. I was honored to be invited to attend this dedication, but was not able to do so.
I just happened upon Talitha's grave site today. Thank you for such a wonderful bio about her and her family.
ReplyDeleteToni Mann, Roseville