This beautiful headstone marks the resting place of Helen Jackson, just six years old when she died. At first glance, I felt certain that she was from the Jackson family who lived in the area. Stephen and Rhuama Jackson had two boys, Stephen B., born in 1816 and Reuben, born in 1820. So I assumed that Helen was their third child. But this is impossible. You see, Stephen Jackson, died December 17, 1825 and this little child, Helen, was born around March of 1827. So no matter how I stretch the months out, Helen cannot be the daughter of Stephen and Rhuama Jackson. This Jackson family is the only one I can find in this area.
So here is this lone grave. Someone loved her. Someone had a beautiful stone engraved for her. Someone picked out a poem for her. I wish I knew who her parents were.
The stone reads:
In
Memory of
Helen Jackson
Who died
May 15, 1833
Aged 6 years
2 mos. & 18 days.
Below that is a poem. After cleaning the stone I was able to figure out most of the words. Then I looked for a similar poem and found one in a German book by Dr. Eduard Young.
The poem on the grave reads as follows:
Early bright transient
Like the morning dew
She sparkled was ex
Haled & went to Heaven
The original reads:
Early, Bright, Transient
Chaste as Morning Dew
She sparkled, was exhaled, and went to Heaven
I posted this on Facebook in hopes that someone could help. I also wrote to my friend, Pete Shew, as he knows so much about people from this area. He came up with some great suggestions. I haven't been able to prove anything yet,,,so if you read below please know that it is conjecture:
Zardus and Laura Jackson are old enough to be Helen and Huyne's parents. Huyne (or maybe Hayne) had Z. for a middle initial...probably for Zardus. They used to live in Northampton, but then in 1838, they transferred ownership to their nephew Stephen B. Jackson. and moved to nearby Broadalbin. When their daughter, Helen died, they came back to Northampton to bury her. They did the same for their son, Huyne. All is conjecture, I have found no family trees to back this up. But I live in a 200 year old house in Northampton, that used to be the tailor shop for Stephen B. Jackson. Zardus was a tailor and trained Stephen B. Jackson after Stephen's father died when he was a child. The deed records show Zardus transferring this to Stephen. I also found a guardianship document for Stephen B. and his younger brother, Reuben, and it names Zardus and Chester Jackson...maybe another uncle to Stephen. I know that is a lot of information, but the pieces seem to fit.
So here is this lone grave. Someone loved her. Someone had a beautiful stone engraved for her. Someone picked out a poem for her. I wish I knew who her parents were.
The stone reads:
In
Memory of
Helen Jackson
Who died
May 15, 1833
Aged 6 years
2 mos. & 18 days.
Below that is a poem. After cleaning the stone I was able to figure out most of the words. Then I looked for a similar poem and found one in a German book by Dr. Eduard Young.
The poem on the grave reads as follows:
Early bright transient
Like the morning dew
She sparkled was ex
Haled & went to Heaven
The original reads:
Early, Bright, Transient
Chaste as Morning Dew
She sparkled, was exhaled, and went to Heaven
I posted this on Facebook in hopes that someone could help. I also wrote to my friend, Pete Shew, as he knows so much about people from this area. He came up with some great suggestions. I haven't been able to prove anything yet,,,so if you read below please know that it is conjecture:
Zardus and Laura Jackson are old enough to be Helen and Huyne's parents. Huyne (or maybe Hayne) had Z. for a middle initial...probably for Zardus. They used to live in Northampton, but then in 1838, they transferred ownership to their nephew Stephen B. Jackson. and moved to nearby Broadalbin. When their daughter, Helen died, they came back to Northampton to bury her. They did the same for their son, Huyne. All is conjecture, I have found no family trees to back this up. But I live in a 200 year old house in Northampton, that used to be the tailor shop for Stephen B. Jackson. Zardus was a tailor and trained Stephen B. Jackson after Stephen's father died when he was a child. The deed records show Zardus transferring this to Stephen. I also found a guardianship document for Stephen B. and his younger brother, Reuben, and it names Zardus and Chester Jackson...maybe another uncle to Stephen. I know that is a lot of information, but the pieces seem to fit.
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