Last Friday the Hillsborough County Historical Advisory Council & Community Leaders, with assistance from the city of Tampa’s Archives and Records Division unveiled and dedicated a new historical marker to honour John and Ellen Jackson.
John Jackson was born in Ballybay in June 1809 to Hugh and Ann Jackson. He emigrated to Canada in 1841 and shortly after moved to New Orleans. In 1843 he was employed by the Federal Government to survey a large tract of land in Florida. In 1847 he married Ellen Meagher a native of Tipperary. The Jackson travelled all over Florida and ended up settling in Tampa where John was a surveyor, general merchant and politician. He served as Mayor of the city and one of the three maps which he produced is still used today. John and Ellen were devout Catholics and were instrumental in having a priest sent from Savanah Georgia to Tampa. They also had five children who became the first to be baptised in the city. The John and Ellen Jackson: Tampa Pioneers marker was unveiled at the corner of North Franklin and East Zack Streets, and was sponsored by their 99-year-old great-granddaughter, Lula Joughin Dovi.