Edward and Elizabeth Brake Jackson, Thomas’ grandparents, settled on this land in 1801 and soon built a log cabin and a gristmill. After Edward died, his son Cummins took over the property and the profitable family business, which included two mills, carpenter and blacksmith shops, and a store. At its height, the Jackson homestead was a small, self-contained community that was crucial to the development of the area. Thomas Jackson came here in 1830 at age six after the deaths of his parents, Jonathan and Julia, and spent the next 12 years living with Cummins and being raised in the family traditions of milling and politics. In 1842, at age 18, he left Cummins’ home for West Point and a distinguished military career.