Family:Floyd Jackson and Nora Bonham (1)

2. Floyd Stanley JACKSON b. March 4, 1881 in Dearborn Co., IN. Son of John Harrison JACKSON III and Mary Ellen "Ella" SMITH. Floyd married Nora Elizabeth BONHAM on September 5, 1906. Daughter of John Hughes BONHAM and Sarah A. HARGITT. Floyd d. August 26, 1958 in Bright, Dearborn Co., IN. Nora d. May 1, 1963.
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Floyd Stanley Jackson (1881-1958), second son of John Harrison (1854-1929) and Mary Ellen "Ella"” Smith Jackson (1855-1902), was born March 4, 1881 on the old Reuben Christophy Jackson (1810-1887) Homestead, later named "The Valley Hill Farm."

He was married to Nora Elizabeth Bonham (1881-1963), daughter of John and Sarah Hargitt Bonham of Bright, Dearborn Co., IN. To this union was born four children: Stanley (b.1909), Alta Mae (b.1911), Ruby (b.1914), and Lowell (b.1923). All grew up and lived on the farm until they were married and moved into homes of their own, close to their Jackson Homestead.

Mrs. Nora Jackson, reared in a Christian home was converted during a revival at Bright M. E. Church and always remained a true Christian. One of the great desires of her life was to see her children all converted and living under the Love of Christ, as she had known it. She and Floyd both were members of the Bright Methodist Church where later the whole family belonged.

There are many pleasant memories in connection with this farm home; a beautiful spot where hospitality reigned. Relatives and friends were always welcome and enjoyed the bountiful meals.

Floyd’s Mother, Mary Ellen "Ella" Smith Jackson (1855-1902), was one of the 99 first cousins in the early John and Jane Smith Family, and today, we have Smith relatives as well as Jackson’s from New York to California.

I remember in 1928, at the Smith reunion, when we had 28 relatives at our home over the weekend and everyone had a bed and pillow to sleep on. What wonderful times we have had with our relatives over the years. The scenery from the hilltop farm home was beautiful with the winding, private, well kept road down the hill with the Salt Fork Creek at the bottom. It made a pretty picture long to be remembered.

Early on in life, Floyd suffered a fractured hip while playing ball at Salt Fork School. This gave him pain most of his life, but he loved his Dairy farm on the hill. In January 1923, Floyd received an Honorary Certificate from the Indiana State Dairy Association for having 10 or more of his Dairy Herd (Jersey cows) having produced at least 300 lbs. of butter fat or over in the 1932 yearly record. This was a herd of 27 Grade Jersey cows, with a pure bred male. In these days we all milked by hand. Even Grandpa John Harrison Jackson (1854-1929) helped milk and took as his job to keep the barn, stables, and lot clean morning and night.

Later in life or middle age, Floyd’s hip developed into intense pain (arthritis and rheumatism, they said) and he was forced to walk with a cane, but he was always cheerful and non-complaining.

Failing health compelled Floyd and Nora to retire and in 1949. They bought a house and moved to Bright, IN. As long as health permitted, Floyd went back to the farm most every day. It was rented to a neighbor boy and his family, Garlie Liggett for a few years; then the youngest daughter and her family, Ruby and Keith Hart, Kay and Carol Lee, moved into the home place for over 15 years until Keith too had to leave the hill farm because of his health.

Floyd and Nora celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary at their farm home in 1956. Ruby and Keith were still living there, and owned it. 300 acres then, and the families were all home; 4 children with their families, 10 grand children, and 4 great grand children.

Floyd was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was affectionately called Grandpa "Jack" not only by his own grandchildren but by many of the children of the Bright neighborhood. As a farmer, he was industrious and enterprising. As a citizen, he was intensely honest, upright and moral.

His last sickness was short. He suffered a passing out spell in the doctor’s office - first they thought he might have pneumonia, but later said it was a blood clot lodged in his lungs. However, he seemed to be recovering at home until Tuesday noon, August 26. He collapsed and died suddenly. His lungs seemed to fill with blood shutting off his breath completely.

Nora Jackson lived nearly five years longer and died of heart failure and diabetic shock, May 1, 1963, age 83 years.
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Ref: Nora Bonham joined Church April 19, 1896; Baptized by Rev. Pelsor, July 2, 1897; Floyd Jackson baptized by Rev. V. B. Abbott and joined Church, July 1907; Biography written by Alta Mae Jackson Hart; Genealogy of the John Jackson Family, compiled and printed by Alta Mae Jackson Hart, 1975.
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Ref: GENEALOGY OF THE JOHN JACKSON FAMILY, compiled and printed by Alta Mae Jackson Hart, 1975; Internet Resource: http://orvf.com/cgi-bin/igmget.cgi/n=orvf?I35183; AFN: 1J6M-P51 Number applied by The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints (Mormon Church in Salt Lake City) Test Site located at Internet Resource: http://www.familysearch.org/;