Changes

|birth_place=Brunswick County, [[Virginia]]

|birth_place=Brunswick County, [[Virginia]]

|death_date=November 25, 1900 (aged 50)​

|death_date=November 25, 1900 (aged 50)​

| death_place=Between [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]] and  [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]​

| death_place=Between [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]] and  [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]]​<br>

| occupation=[[Business]]man<br>​

| occupation=[[Business]]man<br>​

Rancher

Rancher

'''George B. Jackson''' (1850 &ndash; November 25, 1900), was a former [[slavery|slave]] who became a "Buffalo soldier" in the [[United States Army]] rom 1869 to 1875 in [[Texas]].  He became a [[business]]man, landowner, [[sheep]] rancher], and [[politician]] in [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]], Texas. One of the founders in the 1890s of the [[Republican Party]] in San Angelo, he was widely believed to have been the wealthiest [[African American]] in the state during the second half of the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/feb/12/local_briefs/?print=1|title=San Angelo Genealogical and Historical Society Meeting Gets Rescheduled|publisher=gosanangelo.com|date=February 12, 2011|accessdate=June 2, 2011}}</ref>​

'''George B. Jackson''' (1850 &ndash; November 25, 1900), was a former [[slavery|slave]] who became a "Buffalo soldier" in the [[United States Army]] rom 1869 to 1875 in [[Texas]].  He became a [[business]]man, landowner, [[sheep]] rancher], and [[politician]] in [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]], Texas. One of the founders in the 1890s of the [[Republican Party]] in San Angelo, he was widely believed to have been the wealthiest [[African American]] in the state during the second half of the 19th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gosanangelo.com/news/2011/feb/12/local_briefs/?print=1|title=San Angelo Genealogical and Historical Society Meeting Gets Rescheduled|publisher=gosanangelo.com|date=February 12, 2011|accessdate=June 2, 2011}}</ref>​

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In 1894, Jackson was chosen to address the Republican state convention, and in 1897, he was appointed by President [[William McKinley]] as customs inspector in Presidio in southwestern Texas.​<ref name=Jackson/>

In 1894, Jackson was chosen to address the Republican state convention, and in 1897, he was appointed by President [[William McKinley]] as customs inspector in Presidio in southwestern Texas.​<ref name=jackson/>

 

==Background==​

==Background==​

Jackson was born into [[slavery]] on a plantation in Brunswick County in southwestern [[Virginia]]. He was of mixed race and may have been sired by his white master. He was emancipated at the age of fifteen under the [[Thirteenth Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]].​

Jackson was born into [[slavery]] on a plantation in Brunswick County in southwestern [[Virginia]]. He was of mixed race and may have been sired by his white master. He was emancipated at the age of fifteen under the [[Thirteenth Amendment]] to the [[United States Constitution]].​

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==Business activities==​

==Business activities==

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As a young man, Jackson enlisted in the [[United States Army]] and was assigned to an all-black unit. He was assigned with the Buffalo Soldiers to Fort Concho in [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]] in Tom Green County in west Texas. At the time, San Angelo was known as a "resort for desperate character," at which sixteen saloons sold an average of 19.4 gallons of [[whisky]] per male resident annually.<ref name=jackson>"George B. Jackson, Black (or African-American) Businessman, Rancher, and Entrepreneur," Lecture by Suzanne O. Campbell, former head of the West Texas Collection at Angelo State University, at the annual meeting of the West Texas Historical Association in [[Lubbock]], April 2, 2011.</ref>​ Suzanne Campbell, the former director of special collections at Angelo State University in San Angelo, retired after more than two decades of service in 2018. She is writing a book on Jackson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.angelo.edu/content/news/16110-happy-trails-to-you-celebrating-suzanne-campbells|title="Happy Trails to you": Celebrating Suzanne Campbell's 22 Years of Service|publisher=Angelo.edu|date=June 12, 2018|accessdate=October 18, 2019}}</ref>

As a young man, Jackson enlisted in the [[United States Army]] and was assigned to an all-black unit. He was assigned with the Buffalo Soldiers to Fort Concho in [[San Angelo, Texas|San Angelo]] in Tom Green County in west Texas. At the time, San Angelo was known as a "resort for desperate character," at which sixteen saloons sold an average of 19.4 gallons of [[whisky]] per male resident annually.<ref name=jackson>"George B. Jackson, Black (or African-American) Businessman, Rancher, and Entrepreneur," Lecture by Suzanne O. Campbell, former head of the West Texas Collection at Angelo State University, at the annual meeting of the West Texas Historical Association in [[Lubbock]], April 2, 2011.</ref>​ Suzanne Campbell, the former director of special collections at Angelo State University in San Angelo, retired after more than two decades of service in 2018. She is writing a book on Jackson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.angelo.edu/content/news/16110-happy-trails-to-you-celebrating-suzanne-campbells|title="Happy Trails to you": Celebrating Suzanne Campbell's 22 Years of Service|publisher=Angelo.edu|date=June 12, 2018|accessdate=October 18, 2019}}</ref>

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By 1875, Jackson was discharged from the Army at Fort Duncan, on the [[Mexico|Mexican]] border  in Eagle Pass, Texas. He began operating a saloon and brothel in San Angelo. In an event typical of the rough frontier town, Josephine Thompson in 1879 stabbed buffalo soldier Albert Ford to death in Jackson's saloon. Twice annually, Jackson paid $25 to police to protect his operation of the brothel. The police typically charged prostitutes $2.50 twice per year for "vagrancy." Otherwise, the business flourished without police interference.<ref name=jackson/>​

By 1875, Jackson was discharged from the Army at Fort Duncan, on the [[Mexico|Mexican]] border  in Eagle Pass, Texas. He began operating a saloon and brothel in San Angelo. In an event typical of the rough frontier town, Josephine Thompson in 1879 stabbed buffalo soldier Albert Ford to death in Jackson's saloon. Twice annually, Jackson paid $25 to police to protect his operation of the brothel. The police typically charged prostitutes $2.50 twice per year for "vagrancy." Otherwise, the business flourished without police interference.<ref name=jackson/>​

 

==Political career==​

==Political career==

By 1884, Jackson was selected as a petit juror in San Angelo, at a time when blacks in most of the former [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] were being disfranchised and thus disqualified from jury service. In 1885, the white-controlled school system appointed Jackson as a trustee of the black public school; the system was [[Segregation|segregated]]. He purchased ranch land at a bargain some thirty-five miles west of San Angelo and leased out his holdings.<ref name=jackson/>​

By 1884, Jackson was selected as a petit juror in San Angelo, at a time when blacks in most of the former [[Confederate States of America|Confederacy]] were being disfranchised and thus disqualified from jury service. In 1885, the white-controlled school system appointed Jackson as a trustee of the black public school; the system was [[Segregation|segregated]]. He purchased ranch land at a bargain some thirty-five miles west of San Angelo and leased out his holdings.<ref name=jackson/>​

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