History of the American Negro: West Virginia Edition

John R. Jefferson

west virginia edition 125 and the High Street Baptist Church of Martinsville, Va., six months, was called to a larger field. For seven years he has been the popular and efficient moderator of the New River Baptist Association. He is also a member of the Executive Board of the West Virginia Baptist State Convention, and a member of the Promotion Board. On September 10, 1886, Dr. Jackson married Miss Julia J. Crump, daughter of Jordan and Louisa Crump. They have six children, whose names are: Lucy L. B., Samuel W., Bessie (Mrs. Harris), Martha J. (Mrs.Woodson), Joseph S. and Eva S. (Mrs. Brooks). In politics he is a Republican and has been more or less active in his own precinct. He is a Mason of high rank and is State Grand Chaplain and District Deputy of York Rite Masons of Virginia. He also belongs to the I. C. U. and the St. Lukes. He is the President and was the founder of the Ministerial Relief Association of Virginia. He has the D.D. degree from the Correspondence School of Washington, D. C. He knows of no short cuts to progress. He believes it is to be attained by racial unity and confidence, higher financial and commercial ratings, higher religious and moral standing, intellectual advancement and social betterment. He is now in his 61st year, owns a splendid home in Craig County, Va., a farm consisting of 100 acres of fertile mountain land, under cultivation, well stocked and yet pasturing two good churches. He is never idle any Sunday during the year, but his service is much in demand and he enjoys the distinction of being a front line preacher of the gospel in both Virginia and West Virginia, and wherever he goes. John R. Jefferson For much of the progress made by the colored people in the last fifty years, we are largely indebted to those faithful men and women who have devoted themselves to educational work, for after all has been done and said, progress is largely a matter of education. Among john rupert jefferson west virginia edition 127 those who have became prominent in the educational life of the state must be mentioned John Rupert Jefferson, principal of the Summer High School of Parkersburg. Mr. Jefferson is a native of the sister state of Ohio, having been born at Pomeroy, Ohio on January 27, 1869. His father, William Henry Harrison Jefferson, was a fireman at the local salt furnace, and passed away when his son was in his teens. The mother of our subject was, before her marriage, Almeda Starks, whose father, Joseph Starks, a Baptist preacher, came to Pomeroy during Lightburn’s retreat in 1862. Growing up in Pomeroy, young Jefferson attended the local public high school and academy, completing his work in the latter in 1888. Up to this time his schooling had been attended by no unusual difficulties, but he says, “My father died just after I graduated from Academy and I had to begin teaching district school to support my mother. My education afterwards has been therefore by extensive courses, summer schools and in the ‘university of hard knocks.’” This work was done through Ohio University and Marietta College. In recognition of his work and attainments, Morgan College, at Baltimore, conferred on him the degree of Master of Arts. Beginning his work as a teacher early, he has a record in point of service, surpassed by few men of the race in the state. He began teaching at St. Albans in Kanawha County, in the fall of 1888 and taught that school for five years. Such was the character of his work there that he was made principal of the Summer High School at Parkersburg, to which he came in September, 1893. New honors came to him in 1902, when he was appointed recording clerk in the Secretary of State’s Office at Charleston, serving from July 1, 1902 to March, 1905. On the expiration of his term, he returned to the principalship which he had resigned at Parkersburg, which position he still holds (1922). His position as an educator may be inferred from the fact that he was for eight years a member of the Board of Regents of state schools and is on the board of directors of the Teachers’ Association of Northern W. Va., of which he was at one time president. In politics he is a Republican...