The “Aunts & Uncles” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database. The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of The Cook-Jackson Family was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:
"The Cook-Jackson Family"
A Revolutionary War Era Family Biography
Introduction
This biography tells the remarkable story of the Cook-Jackson family during one of America's most turbulent periods—the Revolutionary War era. At the heart of this family was Nancy Cook, born around 1754 in North Carolina, who would become Nancy Jackson and witness firsthand the birth of a nation. Her life journey took her from the British colonial frontier through the chaos of the Revolution and into the settled frontier of early Tennessee, where she lived to see her country grow and prosper.
Her husband, Captain Stephen Jackson—known as "Killing Stephen" for his fierce reputation during the war—served as a militia captain, fought in numerous skirmishes with British forces and Tories, and helped secure American independence in the Southern theater. Together, they raised a family amid war, migration, and the challenges of frontier life, leaving a legacy that spread across the American South.
Nancy Cook: The Matriarch
Early Life and Family Background
Nancy Cook was born around 1754 in North Carolina during the waning years of British colonial rule. Her father was Abraham Cook (1735-1816), and her mother was Phoebe (also spelled Feebe), born about 1735. Growing up in colonial North Carolina, Nancy would have experienced life on the frontier, where families carved out homesteads from the wilderness and communities were tight-knit out of necessity.
The Cook family lived during a time when the American colonies were increasingly chafing under British rule. Nancy's formative years coincided with growing tensions that would eventually explode into revolution. By the time she reached adulthood, the political landscape was shifting dramatically, setting the stage for the momentous events that would shape her life.
Marriage to Stephen Jackson
On February 16, 1771, in Abbeville County, South Carolina, Nancy Cook married Stephen Jackson. She was approximately 17 years old at the time, and this union would prove to be a partnership that endured through some of the most challenging times in American history. Stephen, born in April 1750 in Anson County, North Carolina, came from the Jackson family line—his father was Benjamin Jackson (1719-1805) and his mother was Mary Lively Rushing (1726-1767).
Their marriage took place just five years before the Declaration of Independence, and the couple would soon find themselves swept up in the Revolutionary cause. Stephen's nickname "Killing Stephen" suggests he was known for his fierce combat skills and determination, qualities that would serve him well in the years to come.
The Revolutionary War Years (1775-1783)
The Revolutionary War brought tremendous upheaval to the Jackson family. According to Nancy Cook's own testimony given in 1840 when she applied for a Revolutionary War pension, Stephen entered military service in the spring of 1777. He was drafted and sent on a tour of duty to Charleston, South Carolina. The war in the South was particularly brutal, characterized by fierce fighting between Patriots, British regulars, and Loyalist (Tory) militias.
Stephen served multiple tours of duty at Charleston and participated in various military actions throughout South Carolina. The family faced a critical moment just before the devastating defeat of General Gates at Camden in August 1780. As Nancy recalled, after this defeat, Stephen and many others fled South Carolina with their families, seeking protection in North Carolina. This wasn't cowardice but prudent survival—the British victory at Camden had left Patriots in South Carolina vulnerable to retaliation from both British forces and vengeful Tories.
However, in the same month of August 1780, Stephen and many others returned to South Carolina in pursuit of Tories, continuing to serve until near Christmas of that year. For Nancy, these were years of constant anxiety and hardship. She had to manage the household and care for their children while her husband was away fighting, never knowing if he would return. The threat of Tory raids on Patriot families was very real, and the civilian population often found itself caught in the crossfire of this bitter civil war within the larger Revolution.
Around 1778, Captain Joseph Griffy became disabled and unable to perform his duties as captain. Stephen Jackson was appointed to replace him as captain of a company, a position he held until the siege of Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis in 1781. During this period, Stephen participated in many skirmishes with British forces and Tories, including the battle at Ramsour's Mills in North Carolina and numerous other engagements throughout South Carolina.
After Cornwallis's surrender, Stephen was honorably discharged by General Nathanael Greene. However, his service didn't end there. Greene commissioned him again as a captain to aid in the supervision of Tories in South Carolina, a role Stephen faithfully performed until the definitive treaty of peace in 1783. For Nancy, these eight years of war meant years of sacrifice, resilience, and survival.
Children and Family Life
Nancy Cook and Stephen raised several children during these turbulent years. Their son William Jackson was born around 1776 in Anson County, North Carolina—likely conceived during one of Stephen's brief returns home from military service. According to testimony from their other son Abel Jackson, born 17 August 1786, there were at least two children older than William who both died during the Revolutionary War, a tragic but not uncommon occurrence during this period when disease, malnutrition, and the chaos of war took a heavy toll on children. Stephen and Nancy (Cook) Jackson had four children.
Abel Jackson was born in August 1786, making him ten years younger than William. In his affidavit given in February 1854, Abel noted that William had died before 1844. The fact that two of their oldest children died during the war years speaks to the immense hardships Nancy endured as a mother during the Revolution.
Later Years and Migration to Tennessee
Like many families of their generation, the Jacksons eventually moved westward seeking new opportunities. In early 1800’s, Nancy (Cook) Jackson and children had left Anson County and moved yo Tennessee. This migration to Tennessee was part of a larger pattern of westward expansion that characterized early 19th-century America, as families sought fresh farmland and new beginnings on the frontier.
On June 15, 1840, at the age of 86, Nancy (Cook) Jackson appeared before Justice of the Peace William McCasland in Humphreys County to apply for a Revolutionary War widow's pension. Her testimony provides a remarkable window into her life and her husband's service. She declared that she and Stephen had been married on February 16, 1771, in South Carolina, and that Stephen had died on September 10, 1832, in Chesterfield, South Carolina—though the family had by then established themselves in Tennessee.
In her pension application, Nancy demonstrated both her advanced age and the challenges of memory after so many years. She stated: "By reason of old age, and consequent loss of memory she cannot swear positively as to the precise length of the service of her husband the aforesaid Stephen Jackson, but according to the best of her recollection, after so long a lapse of time, that he served faithfully for the term of five years and for such service I claim a pension."
This honest acknowledgment of the limits of her memory after more than fifty years makes her testimony all the more poignant. Unable to write, she marked her application with an "X," a common practice for many women of her generation who had not received formal education.
Final Years and Legacy
Nancy (Cook) Jackson died on May 9, 1843, in Humphreys County, Tennessee, at approximately 89 years of age. She had outlived her husband by eleven years and had witnessed the transformation of the American colonies into a growing nation. She had experienced life under British colonial rule, survived the Revolutionary War, helped settle the frontier, and lived to see the early years of westward expansion.
Her son Abel's efforts to secure her pension—and later his own rightful inheritance of his father's military pension—provide the documentary evidence through which we can reconstruct her remarkable life. Through her testimony and that of her son, we glimpse a woman of resilience who endured war, loss, migration, and the challenges of frontier life, while raising a family and supporting her husband's service to the new nation.
Captain Stephen "Killing Stephen" Jackson
Early Life and Family Origins
Stephen Jackson was born in April 1750 in Anson County, North Carolina, to Benjamin Jackson (1719-1805) and Mary Lively Rushing (1726-1767). He grew up during the final years of the French and Indian War and came of age in the increasingly contentious relationship between the American colonies and Great Britain.
His mother, Mary Lively Rushing, died when Stephen was just 17 years old, in 1767. This early loss may have contributed to his development of the toughness and self-reliance that would later serve him in military service. His father, Benjamin Jackson, lived until 1805, long enough to see his son survive the Revolution and establish himself in the new nation.
Revolutionary War Service
Stephen Jackson's military service during the Revolutionary War was extensive and distinguished. His nickname "Killing Stephen" suggests a reputation for fierce combat effectiveness, likely earned through his actions in the numerous skirmishes and battles he fought throughout the Southern campaign.
The Southern theater of the Revolutionary War was characterized by brutal fighting, often pitting neighbor against neighbor as Patriots and Loyalists battled for control. Stephen's service included multiple tours of duty to Charleston, participation in the battle at Ramsour's Mills (fought on June 20, 1780, in present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina), and numerous other engagements with British forces and Tory militias.
His promotion to captain around 1778, following Captain Joseph Griffy's disability, indicates both his military competence and the respect he commanded among his fellow soldiers. Leading a militia company required not just combat skills but also the ability to inspire and organize ordinary citizens to fight. Stephen performed these duties from 1778 until the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown in October 1781.
After receiving his honorable discharge from General Nathanael Greene, Stephen was recommissioned to help supervise Tories in South Carolina—essentially a peacekeeping role to prevent Loyalist uprisings and ensure order during the transition to American rule. This service continued until the Treaty of Paris officially ended the war in 1783.
Post-War Life
After the war, Stephen returned to civilian life in Anson County, North Carolina. His marriage to Nancy Cook in 1771 had produced several children, though tragically at least two of their oldest children died during the Revolutionary War years. While married to Nancy Cook, Stephen takes a mistress named Nancy Ann Kendricks (1754-1840) around 1790, with whom he had three daughters and a son. Stephen petition the NC Assembly to give his four children with Nancy Ann Kendrick legal heirs –at-law rights to his estate which was approved.
Laws of North Carolina (General Assembly Session Records)
Transcript
Children of Nancy Kendrick claimed by natural parent: Stephen Jackson. Children's name changed from Kendrick to Jackson.
Detail
S.50.5P 1804, p. 55
Other information
Laws of North Carolina (General Assembly Session Records), S.50.5P 1804, p.55: Children of Nancy KENDRICK changed to JACKSON LAWS OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAP. CXXVL An Act to Alter the names of the persons therein mentioned, and to legitimate them. BE it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same. That the names of William Joyner, Martha Joyner, Sally Joyner, Joseph Joyner, Mary Joyner and Geraldus Joyner, illegitimate children of Joseph Batts and Elizabeth Joyner, of Edgecomb County, be altered and changed to those of William Batts, Martha Batts, Elizabeth Batts, Sally Batts, Joseph Batts, Mary Batts and Geraldus Batts:
And the names of John Kindrick, Polly [Mary] Kindrick, Betsey [Elizabeth] Kindrick and Salley [Sarah] Kindrick, natural born children of Stephen Jackson, of Anson County, be altered to the names of John Jackson, Polly Jackson, Betsey Jackson and Salley Jackson; THAT Samuel Langs, natural born son of Samuel Elliot be altered to the name of Samuel Elliott, and the names of Alfred Burnett and Charlotte Burnett, of Richmond County, natural born children of Darby Swinney, be altered to the name of Alfred Swinney and Charlotte Swinney. II. And be it further enacted, That the aforesaid persons shall be called and known by the names as above altered, and by such names respectively shall be able to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, in any court of law or equity, and shall possess and enjoy the same privileges as if they had borne the names as above altered from their nativity. III. And be it further enacted, that the persons described in the first section of this act shall for every hereafter be legitimated and made capable to possess, inherit and enjoy, by descent or otherwise, any estate real or personal, to all intents and purposes as if they had been born in lawful wedlock. ............ Read three time and ratified in General Assembly, J. RIDDICK, S.S. the 19th day of December 1804. S. CABARRUS, C.S.
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Laws of North Carolina (General Assembly Session Records)
Stephen was active in property transactions throughout his life, as evidenced by multiple deed records. These transactions show a man working to provide for his family and secure his position in the community. The land dealings with family members—such as Jonathan Jackson, John Jackson, and John Melton—suggest he maintained close ties with extended family and worked to ensure property stayed within the family network.
Building a Life After the War
Following the war, Stephen and Nancy Ann worked to establish themselves in the new nation they had helped create. Property records show Stephen was active in land transactions in Anson County, North Carolina, throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries. On November 6, 1777, he transferred property to Jonathan Jackson. On July 18, 1795, a deed was recorded (Deeds D:44) in Anson County. On May 12, 1816, Stephen sold property to John Melton, and on December 29, 1819, he transferred property to John Jackson.
A particularly significant transaction occurred on January 28, 1820, when Stephen Jackson and Nancy Kindrick (an alternate spelling of Kendrick, referring to his mistress, Nancy Ann Kendrick) divided land. This deed, recorded in Book Y, pages 609
Final Years and Death
Captain Stephen Jackson died on September 10, 1832, in Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, at approximately 82 years of age. By this time, he had lived to see the United States grow from 13 original colonies to 24 states, with the nation expanding westward beyond the Mississippi River.
His military service was documented in Pension Application R5522, which provides much of what we know about his Revolutionary War activities. The pension records, including the testimony of his widow Nancy (Cook) Jackson, preserve the memory of his five years of faithful service to the cause of American independence.
The Cook Family
Abraham Cook (1735-1816)
Abraham Cook, Nancy's father, was born around 1735 and died in 1816 at approximately 81 years of age. He lived through the entire Revolutionary period and into the early years of the American republic. As a father during the Revolution, he would have experienced the anxiety of having family members potentially involved in the conflict and would have witnessed the transformation of the colonies into an independent nation.
Abraham's life spanned the colonial period, the Revolutionary War, the formation of the Constitution, and the early years of the new republic. He died during James Madison's presidency, having seen the United States survive the War of 1812 and establish itself as a permanent nation.
Phoebe (Feebe) [Last Name Unknown].
Phoebe, also spelled Feebe in period documents, was Nancy's mother. Born around 1735, her surname is not recorded in the surviving documents—a common situation for women of this era, whose maiden names were often lost to history. The fact that we know her first name at all is fortunate, as many women of this period are recorded only in relationship to their husbands and fathers.
Phoebe would have been responsible for the domestic management of the Cook household, including raising Nancy and her nine siblings. In the colonial period, women's work was essential to family survival, encompassing food preparation and preservation, textile production, childcare, and often participation in agricultural work as well.
The Jackson Family
Benjamin Jackson (1719-1805)
Benjamin Jackson, Stephen's father, was born in 1719 and died in 1805 at the remarkable age of 86. His life spanned nearly the entire 18th century, from the reign of King George I in England through the Revolutionary War and into Thomas Jefferson's presidency. Born when the American colonies were still developing, he lived to see them win independence and form a new nation.
As the father of "Killing Stephen," Benjamin must have felt both pride and anxiety during his son's military service. By the time the Revolution began in 1775, Benjamin was 56 years old—too old for active military service himself, but certainly old enough to remember the earlier colonial wars and understand the risks his son was taking.
Mary Lively Rushing (1726-1767)
Mary Lively Rushing was born in 1726 and married Benjamin Jackson, becoming the mother of Stephen Jackson. She died in 1767 at approximately 41 years of age, when her son Stephen was only 17. Her relatively early death meant she did not live to see the Revolutionary War or her son's distinguished service.
The Rushing surname suggests Mary came from another prominent colonial family. Her middle name "Lively" may have been her mother's maiden name, as it was common practice in this period to preserve maternal family names by using them as middle names.
Nancy Ann Kendricks (1754-1840)
Nancy Ann Kendricks was born in 1754 and became Stephen Jackson's mistress around 1790. She co-partner with Stephen in Anson County, North Carolina, and would have been about 36 years old at the time of living with Stephen, who was approximately 40 of age.
Nancy Ann Kendrick outlived Stephen by eight years, dying before 11 March 1840 at approximately 75 years of age.
The Children of Stephen and Nancy (Cook) Jackson
The Two Eldest Children (Names Unknown, died during the Revolution)
According to Abel Jackson's testimony given in 1854, there were two children older than his brother William who both died during the Revolutionary War. These children would have been born between Stephen and Nancy's marriage in 1771 and William's birth around 1776—placing their births in the early to mid-1770s.
The deaths of these children during the war years reflect the harsh realities of the Revolutionary period. Children died from disease, malnutrition, accidents, and sometimes as collateral damage in the fighting between Patriots and Loyalists. The fact that these children died during the war, as Abel "always heard from his parents during their lifetime," suggests their deaths were directly or indirectly related to the conflict and its disruptions.
For Nancy, losing her two oldest children during this period must have been devastating. She would have borne this grief while also worrying about her husband's safety in military service and caring for her surviving children in uncertain and dangerous times.
William Jackson (born c. 1776, died before 1844)
William Jackson was born around 1776 in Anson County, North Carolina, during the first year of the Revolutionary War. His birth during such tumultuous times speaks to the continuation of life and hope even amid war. William was ten years older than his brother Abel, making him a significant figure in Abel's childhood.
According to later sources, William became the patriarch of a family line that populated many descendants in the Palmyra (Montgomery County) Tennessee area. Multiple DNA participants have confirmed this lineage, establishing William's importance to the family's genealogical tree.
William died before May 1844, as Abel noted in his declaration when applying for his father's military pension that his brother William was "now dead."
Abel Jackson (born 17 August 1786 – d. 13 April 1857)
Abel Jackson was born 17 August 1786, three years after the end of the Revolutionary War. As the youngest son mentioned in the records, Abel grew up hearing his parents' stories about the war years and the hardships they had endured. Born into the new American republic, Abel represented the next generation that would benefit from his parents' sacrifices.
Abel's affidavits from 1854 provide crucial information about the family. At that time, he was about 68 years old and described himself as "the sole heir to Stephen and Nancy (Cook) Jackson" following the death of his brother William. His testimony preserved the family's history and secured his mother's pension rights.
In his February 6, 1854 affidavit, Abel demonstrated the kind of careful attention to detail that helps historians reconstruct family stories. He corrected an earlier error in his own testimony, clarifying that his mother Nancy (Cook) Jackson had died on May 9, 1843—not in 1853 as he had mistakenly written in a previous affidavit from December 5, 1853. This attention to accuracy speaks well of Abel's character and his respect for his mother's memory.
Historical Context: Life Between 1750-1850
Colonial Life in the Mid-18th Century
When Stephen Jackson was born in 1750 and Nancy Cook in 1754, the American colonies were still firmly under British rule. The mid-18th century was a period of growth and expansion for the colonies, but also one of increasing tension with the mother country. The French and Indian War (1754-1763) had just begun when Nancy was born, and its conclusion would leave Britain deeply in debt—debt that would lead to the taxation policies that sparked the Revolution.
Life in colonial North Carolina and South Carolina was dominated by agriculture. Families like the Cooks and Jacksons would have worked their land, grown their own food, and been largely self-sufficient. Communities were scattered, travel was difficult, and life was physically demanding. Education was limited, especially for women, which explains why Nancy could not write her name on her pension application decades later.
The Revolutionary War Era (1775-1783)
The Revolutionary War brought unprecedented disruption to colonial life. The Southern campaign was particularly brutal, characterized by a vicious civil war between Patriots and Loyalists. Families were divided, neighbors fought neighbors, and the conflict often descended into personal vendettas and score-settling.
The Battle of Ramsour's Mills, in which Stephen Jackson participated, was fought on June 20, 1780. This engagement pitted Patriot militia against Loyalist forces in present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina. The Patriot victory helped check Loyalist activity in the region and demonstrated that American militia could defeat Tory forces even without Continental Army support.
The defeat of General Horatio Gates at Camden, South Carolina, on August 16, 1780, was a devastating blow to the American cause in the South. Gates's defeat left South Carolina largely under British control and forced many Patriot families, including the Jacksons, to flee to North Carolina for safety. The flight of these families and their return to pursue Tories demonstrates the fluid, chaotic nature of the war in the Southern theater.
The siege of Yorktown (September 28 - October 19, 1781) and Cornwallis's surrender effectively ended major combat operations in the Revolutionary War. General Nathaniel Greene, who had commanded American forces in the Southern theater and eventually granted Stephen Jackson his discharge, played a crucial role in wearing down British forces through his strategy of strategic retreats and harassment.
Post-War America (1783-1820)
The period after the Revolutionary War saw the new United States struggle to establish a stable government. The Articles of Confederation proved inadequate, leading to the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1788. By the time Abel Jackson was born in 1786, the country was still finding its footing under this new governmental structure.
The early republic was characterized by westward expansion, as families like the Jacksons sought new opportunities on the frontier. North Carolina and South Carolina were no longer frontier regions by the 1790s; instead, the frontier had moved to Tennessee, Kentucky, and beyond. This westward movement was driven by several factors: desire for fresh farmland, escape from debts or legal troubles, and simply the American spirit of adventure and opportunity.
The migration to Tennessee that eventually brought Nancy (Cook) Jackson family was part of this larger pattern. Tennessee became a state in 1796, and Humphreys County was established in 1809, carved out of Stewart County. When the Jacksons arrived in Stewart County, it would have still been relatively frontier country, requiring the same pioneering spirit that their ancestors had shown in settling the Carolinas generations earlier.
Life in the 1830s-1840s
By the 1830s and 1840s, when Nancy (Cook) Jackson was seeking her pension and living out her final years, the United States had transformed dramatically from the nation born in revolution. The country had survived the War of 1812, expanded westward to the Pacific Ocean (following the Louisiana Purchase and other acquisitions), and was grappling with the growing sectional tensions over slavery that would eventually lead to the Civil War.
The Pension Act of July 4, 1836, under which Nancy applied for her widow's pension, was part of a broader movement to honor and support Revolutionary War veterans and their widows. By the 1830s, these veterans were elderly, and their widows were often impoverished. The pension system represented the nation's commitment to those who had sacrificed for independence, though the application process could be bureaucratic and difficult for elderly applicants.
Nancy's 1840 pension application, made when she was 86 years old, came during the presidency of Martin Van Buren. By this time, the Revolutionary War was living memory for only the very old. Nancy's testimony, given more than fifty years after the events she described, provides a direct link to that revolutionary generation and preserves details that might otherwise have been lost to history.
Conclusion: A Legacy of Resilience
The story of Nancy Cook Jackson and her family is the story of America itself during its formative years. Born in British colonial North Carolina, married on the eve of revolution, tested by war and loss, and building a new life in the expanding American frontier—Nancy's journey embodies the experience of countless American families of her generation.
She witnessed and endured the transformation of the colonies into a nation. She lost children to war, supported her husband through years of military service, managed a household through desperate times, and eventually migrated to Tennessee to start anew in old age. Through it all, she persevered, raising her surviving children and preserving the family's history through her testimony.
Captain Stephen Jackson, "Killing Stephen," exemplified the citizen-soldier who fought not for glory or pay but for the principle of self-governance and the future of his family and community. His five years of service in the militia, his leadership as a captain, and his post-war role in maintaining order all contributed to the successful establishment of the United States.
Together, Stephen and Nancy, along with their parents, siblings, and children, represent the ordinary people who made extraordinary sacrifices to create and sustain the American republic. Their descendants spread across the American South, carrying forward the legacy of resilience, courage, and determination that characterized this remarkable family.
The documentary evidence that survives—pension applications, deed records, affidavits, DNA and family testimony—allows us to reconstruct their lives and honor their memory. In doing so, we connect with our own history and understand the human cost and human triumph of the American Revolution and early republic.
Nancy (Cook) Jackson is my 5th Great GrandAunt
The Cook-Jackson Family✤
A Revolutionary War Era Family Biography
Prepared and Reviewed by Charles Purvis and Jinny Jackson Smith
February 23, 2026
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1. North Carolina, Deed Book: "K", page 518, STEPHEN JACKSON TO JONATHAN JACKSON; Register of Deeds, Wadesboro, Anson County, North Carolina.
2. North Carolina, Deed Book: "D": page 44.
3. North Carolina, Deed Book: "Q": page 215.
4. North Carolina, Deed Book: "O": page 148.
5. North Carolina, Deed Book: "Y": Pages 609-610.
6. Cpt. Stephen Jackson, compiled military record (https://www.fold3.com/file/24145602/stephen-jackson-revolutionary-war-pensions), Rev. War Pension and Land-Bounty Application Files, (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration), NARA microfilm publication M804, Roll 766.
7. North Carolina, Deed Book: "G": page 222.
8. Cpt. Stephen Jackson, Rev. War Pension and Land-Bounty Application Files, NARA microfilm publication M804, Roll 766.
9. "An Act to alter the name of the persons therein mentioned, and to legitimate them," Laws of North Carolina (November 1804), chap. CXXVI, p. 55, https://digital.ncdcr.gov/documents/detail/3691881?item=4231531.
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