David "Happy Jack" Jackson

Hi! My name is David Jacobs, and my interests reside in Geography and History. Recently, I was reintroduced to the topic of Black geographies, which inspired me to delve into New Mexico's Black histories. My research led me to discover the story of David L. "Happy Jack" Jackson (aka Jack), a Black man who moved to the mining boomtown of White Oaks, New Mexico (NM) in 1897. Jack's story in NM during its early statehood has found a way to radiate a message into the lives and conditions of early Black New Mexican homesteaders, over a century later.

This page aims to serve as a living memory for David L. Jackson (Jack), with the intention of expanding this StoryMap as more information about him comes to light. As you'll see, Jack was a dedicated citizen, and I hope to similarly contribute to expanding his remarkable legacy in New Mexico's history. His character is consistently portrayed with great strength and individuality, and I believe someone so unique deserves to be widely known. If you have any information about Jack's family or history, please reach out here: HappyJackTribute@gmail.com

This website is dedicated to Jack’s incredible story of achievement against unbelievable odds. I am deeply indebted to the author, academic, and extraordinaire Roberta Key Haldane. Without her meticulous research and dedication to documenting Jack's history, this website would not exist. I encountered Haldane's work while searching for documented Black histories in NM. I first encountered Jack's story in a  2005 article on the Dona Ana County Historical Review website . The article was summarized from her book,  “Gold-mining Boomtown: People of White Oaks, Lincoln County, New Mexico Territory.”  An expert in the field of historical research, Haldane expertly portrayed the lives and events that unfolded during White Oaks's gold rush era. Inspired by her research, I am driven to share Jack's remarkable story to shed light on the often overlooked history of Black residents in NM. I believe Jack's, along with other Black NM homesteader's, significant contributions to the state during the 1900s are underappreciated and I will strive to ensure they receives the recognition they, and their legacy, rightfully deserve.

While I am still uncovering details about Jack's origins, we do know a little about where he was born. In an 1858 interview with the Lincoln County News, titled "Ramblin' Around Lincoln County," Jack, then 77 years old, described his childhood:

I was born in Collins County, Texas, April 5th, 1870. My folks were poor farmers and they put me to plowing when I was very young. I had to reach up to hold the plow handle. I 'went on my own' at about the age of 14.

In 1864 a total of 1,536 enslaved Black people were recorded in the Collin County's tax rolls, constituting approximately 12% of the county's total population. This information about Collin County's enslaved Black population came from  Tonya Fallis' incredible StoryMap  about the strong, Black community from the city of McKinney, Texa which is situated in heart of Collin County. Fallis' research into this community provides valuable context for understanding Jack's childhood growing up during the transition from slavery to the Jim Crow era. Please visit her StoryMap to get more information about the racial conditions Jack had to live under during his youth.

Scroll in to activate a historical landownership map of Collin County at the time of Jack's childhood. Use the Layers Button in the top left corner to toggle the visibility of the "Collin County 1881" map on and off using the eye icon to see what Jack's childhood farm looks like today.

The 1881 map of Collin County, Texas, above depicts landownership within the county. I identified a farm associated with the last name "Jackson" (see marker above). I believe this may be the farm where Jack grew up. The timeline appears to align, as Jack was born in 1870, and this map was created eleven years later. He mentioned leaving home at age 14, three years after the map's publication. However, further research is necessary to confirm if this is indeed the farm where David L. "Jack" Jackson's parents raised him.

Compared to NM, Texas boasts a more extensive body of research and documentation on the lives of Black settlers during the Antebellum period.  The Texas Archeological Research Laboratory (TARL)  conducted a comprehensive archeological study of the  Black homestead family of Ransom and Sarah Williams , depicted above, who were among the many early Black homesteader families in Texas during the 1870s. I encourage you to learn more about their story here:  Ransom and Sarah Williams' Farmstead .

 TARL's  account of the  Williams Farmstead  highlights a timeless truth: landownership signifies self-determination and the ability to provide for one's family. These graphics illustrate the rapid influx of Black homesteaders into Texas during the 1870s and 1890s, many of whom successfully purchased or sharecropped land. The importance of this research is that it reinforces the notion that Jack's family might have been one of the first early Black pioneer homesteaders of Texas after the 19th of June in 1865 -  Juneteeth  as we now refer to it.

In El Paso, Jack worked for a man called Mr. Medenthal at a livery stable and wagon yard who quickly recognized Jack's remarkable determination. Haldane found an interview in the April 1929 edition of The El Paso Herald Post that stated Jack's daily wages were $1.50 until Mr. Medenthal saw that he could unload and move a rail gondola load of crushed rock in a single day. Jack immediately earned a $.50 pay raise. This job, coupled with his incredible strength of character, might have been what allowed Jack the financial means necessary to stake his claim in White Oaks. There is no further information about Jack's life between leaving his family's farm to El Paso, TX. His journey would have been perilous for a young Black man navigating Reconstruction America that was still rife with racism. You will soon find out that Jack had love interest by the name of Mary that he must have met during this time. They were soon be married. This can optimistically interpreted to say he probably found some success in surviving and interacting with Black community during his time to and in El Paso.

The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe (AT&SF) railway line reached El Paso by June 1881, likely providing a crucial transportation route for Jack's journey. While Jack successfully navigated this stage of his journey to White Oaks, many other Black travelers faced significant hardships, including violence and lynching, while traversing America during this era. The first image below, from the Library of Congress, depicts the AT&SF rail line from El Paso to San Antonio, with White Oaks highlighted in the top right corner. Newspaper articles from the early 1900s in the Las Vegas Daily Optic document instances of violence against Black travelers in the southwest, reflecting the pervasive prejudice and discrimination faced by Black citizens during the Reconstruction period. These experiences underscore the broader context of racial segregation in the United States, exemplified by the 1896 Supreme Court decision in Plessy v. Ferguson, which upheld the legality of "separate but equal" facilities and further entrenched racial inequality and antiBlack violence. Learn more about the impact of this landmark case on racial segregation here:  Separate Isn't Equal .

I came to White Oaks on July 7, 1897, by way of San Antonio, NM. In San Antonio there were enough of us passengers for White Oaks to charter a private mail stage. We left the river (the Rio Grande) at sun up Monday morning, arriving at the hotel in White Oaks at 7 a.m. Tuesday. The road was 100 miles long and we changed four horses four times on the way.

Haldane's account of Jack's life highlights the remarkable achievement of a Black man thriving in a town largely populated by Southern sympathizers. While I have not yet verified the following anecdote in historical White Oak newspaper publications, despite the boomtown supporting several publications at the time, its plausibility is rooted in the harsh realities faced by Black people during this era. In his book, "White Oaks - Life in a New Mexico Gold Camp, 1880-1900," Morris Parker recounts his childhood experiences moving to White Oaks in the early 1880s. One of his earliest memories of the town, as he shares in his book, involved the town's collective persecution of a Black man who had ridden into town. He was immediately questioned about his intentions and if the horse he was riding was actually his. Without verification of evidence or jurisprudence, the townspeople summarily decided that the man should be hanged the following day outside of town. Parker recounts this chilling episode as follows:

"A few days before our arrival, a colored man rode into town mounted on a horse carrying the brand of a ranch not far distant. Unable to give a satisfactory explanation of his presence or to prove ownership of the horse he was arrested, charged with illegal possession of the animal, convicted forthwith, and sentence by unanimous vote of the townspeople. Since the town had no jail ... he was lowered into a thirty foot dry well. In the morning, the violator of Western principles .... was hoisted from [the well], and hustled across town ... where stood a tall leaning piñon tree... There, in full view of the crowd, he was hanged.... The mark of rope, where the bark was rubbed down to the solid wood, was visible for many years."

Morris Parker's father later purchased the land with the distinctive piñon tree for their family home, explaining why Morris recalled seeing the rope mark on it during his childhood. While the Parker family may not have harbored ill will towards Jack due to his race, it's important to acknowledge the pervasive racism of the era. Morris's book frequently mentions Jack, recounting instances of them traveling to other mines together, working collaboratively, and the ways in which Jack supported the Parker family.

While it would be comforting to believe that the lynching of Black individuals in NM was an isolated incident, historical records reveal a deeply ingrained prejudice against Black people in the territory.  In 1859, the New Mexico Territorial Legislature enacted a Slave Code , which included provisions defining slavery, prohibiting emancipation, and outlining legal consequences for actions by both enslaved and free Black individuals. Although this law was formally abolished after the Civil War, its legacy persisted. Two decades later, Black residents in NM still faced significant discrimination and systemic oppression. An article in the Las Vegas Daily Optic exemplifies the prevailing prejudice against free Black people in the territory, highlighting the hostility and fear they often encountered. While the "Jackson" referenced in this article is not Jack, their story serves as a stark reminder hatred found in the hearts that the people of NM for its free Black citizens.

The Black man that was lynched in White Oaks in 1895 happened about one year before Jack arrived in town. Haldane, as well as others, struggle with describing the fine line Jack navigated the complexities of Reconstruction and the subsequent Jim Crow era, which profoundly impacted the lives of Black NM homesteaders. It is unknown if Jack knew that he was moving to a lawless town of White supremacists' sympathizers. It remains uncertain whether Jack was fully aware of the racial tensions and potential dangers he faced in White Oaks, a town known for its Southern sympathies, before departed for the town. However, Jack's reputation as the town's most fearless, strongest, and friendliest resident suggests that he possessed remarkable resilience and perhaps an innate understanding of how to navigate the challenges of racial discrimination. He likely employed his charm, wit, and strength to navigate and to confront the expectations of integration. Not only are we lucky that Jack survived so we can learn about his story, but the townsfolk of White Oaks, as you soon will read, benefited greatly for his hard work and passion for the town.

White Oaks experienced explosive growth following the discovery of gold in 1869, transforming from a tent city into the largest town in Lincoln County. This bustling mining town, steeped in the lore of the Wild West, boasted cultural events, a vibrant social scene, and an occasional encounter with notorious outlaws and frontiersmen.  Billy the Kid  frequented the town, and it served as home to the  "Cattle Queen of New Mexico," Susan McSween , and the first governor of NM,  William McDonald , who is interred at  White Oaks' Cedarville Cemetery . By the 1890s, White Oaks had a population of over 2,000, boasting an impressive array of infrastructure with: at least 213 houses, a variety of general stores, four newspapers, two hotels, numerous saloons, and even a casino where, according to local legend, thousands of dollars exchanged hands nightly. However, the depletion of gold reserves in the surrounding mountains and the failure to secure a railway line ultimately led to the town's decline in the early 1900s.

The wonderful website " White Oaks New Mexico Goldrush " provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of White Oaks. The interactive map on the site features detailed historical information for various locations within the town. Jack's former residence is marked by a green marker, one of the few remaining occupied homes in White Oaks today. I encourage you to explore this website to gain a deeper understanding of life in this historic mining town that Jack held so dear.

The resource-rich mountains surrounding White Oaks, shaped by the formation of the Rio Grande Rift Valley, a significant geological event in New Mexico's history, contain abundant mineral deposits. This Paleozoic era event introduced the pressure and magma necessary for the formation of rich veins of gold, silver, and tungsten within Baxter Mountain. Concurrently, the uplift exposed Cretaceous sedimentary layers, revealing vast coal deposits in the surrounding hills. Coal mining played a significant role in Jack's life. I've encountered several intriguing accounts of gold's discovery in the Baxter Mountains, ranging from a chance encounter with a wandering Spanish sheepherder to a captivating campfire tale shared among prospectors. Regardless of the true origin of the discovery, the lure of precious minerals inevitably triggered a massive influx of people into the region.

Haldane's research suggests that the prospect of abundant mineral wealth is what likely motivated Jack to travel there. However, the mining industry in White Oaks faced numerous challenges, including frequent fires, workplace accidents, and poor management, making employment opportunities scarce. While traveling to Arizona to seek employment, Jack unexpectedly encountered Morris's brother, who offered him a position at the local cyanide plant in White Oaks. As Jack recounts, "I readily accepted the job and went to work. After about a week's work, they raised my wages fifty cents a day and I decided not to [return to] Arizona." Jack's dedication and hard work quickly earned him recognition, leading to promotions and increased wages. These experiences also facilitated valuable connections, including his friendship with the Parker family. In 1887, the Old Abe mine was generating over $20,000 in weekly revenue. However, by 1904, declining profitability forced the mine's closure, triggering a significant exodus. Despite this setback, Jack's ingenuity and resourcefulness played a crucial role in sustaining the mining operations and keeping the town afloat for many years to come.

By 1897, the town of White Oaks was teetering on the edge of collapse. Jack played a pivotal role in a critical decision that ultimately saved the town. The formation of the Wild Cat Leasing company transcended the role of a mere business venture; it became a lifeline for its population, many of whom faced the difficult choice between leaving town or prolonged unemployment. Recognizing his responsibility to the community, Jack leveraged his connections with the Parker family to create much-needed jobs. Recalling the company's inception, Jack described the pivotal moment in an interview: "We were talking one morning and Allen Lane told me two groups of men had been trying to get a lease on some mines but had no success. By my being acquainted with the Parker's, and the Parker's being relatives of the owner in St. Louis, I said to Mr. Lane 'I can get the lease.' He said, 'You can?' I said, 'I think I can.' His reply was, 'If you can get the lease, we won't have to leave here.' He had recently been married and did not care to leave White Oaks."

In his book about White Oaks, Morris Parker describes the formation of the Wild Cat Leasing Company: "The owners of the South Homestake sold the mine and the coal mines east of town to three young men residents in White Oaks: Allen Lane (a mechanic), Ed Queen (a miner), and David L. Jackson (mill man).... Employing a minimum of labor and doing most of the work themselves, the three young men were successful - so much so that they made a similar deal with the North Homestake mine. They found an undiscovered vein allowed them to extract a considerable tonnage of good ore."

According to Haldane's research, Jack estimated that the partners generated over $300,000 in revenue from the gold and tungsten extracted from their mines in the early 1900s. Adjusting for inflation, this substantial sum translates to approximately $9 million in today's dollars. To convert their ore into cash, the partners processed the gold into ingots and shipped them to the U.S. Treasury for valuation and payment. The image below depicts a letter, undoubtedly penned by Jack himself, serving as a receipt for the transfer of ore from their mines to the U.S. Mint in San Francisco.

Following the closure of the Old Abe mine shortly after the turn of the 20th century, Queen, Lane, and Jackson played a pivotal role in consolidating the remaining coal mines and establishing a utility company to serve the town of Carrizozo, located twelve miles west. This venture, known as the Alto Light and Power Company, provided electricity to the region for many years until 1942.

In his own words, Jack recounted the story of bringing the first power plant to southern New Mexico: "In our efforts to economize at our mining properties, we felt electrical power would be a cheaper and more convenient method under which to operate than steam. This inspired us to build and place in operation the first electrical power plant for public use in Lincoln County. We bought this plant which had originally been built by a mining company at Vera Cruz, NM, that later failed and closed down. We disassembled it and moved it to White Oaks in 1912. We built it on the slopes of Carrizo Mountain, two miles east of White Oaks.... This business venture was operated under the name of Alto Light and Power Company."

"The one who stayed is David L. Jackson, a slight little man with twinkling eyes, a bristling mustache, and closely clipped grey hair that is usually hidden by a wide brim hat."

Jack was the man who stayed in White Oaks, witnessing its rise and subsequent decline. In his later years, he was affectionately known as the "town mayor," often welcoming journalists to town and sharing his wealth of knowledge about the town's mining history and colorful past. Jack's warm personality and engaging stories endeared him to many, attracting numerous visitors who returned to White Oaks specifically to see him. In an article, from the spring of 1961, mentions: "Louise and Wilbur Coe stopped by White Oaks to visit with Dave Jackson and took him to Carrizozo for lunch. They enjoyed every minute of their visit with Mr. Jackson and he gave them some souvenirs from his collection."

Jack was renowned as the strongest man in a town notorious for its lawless gunslingers. As Jack himself recalled,, "Never had a fight. I don't like to fight and knew I'm gonna have to unless I did something about it. I subscribed to  Bernarr MacFadden's  correspondence course of body building and after a couple of years with this correspondence course I got pretty strong." One journalist, who conducted an interview with Jack, describes it best about why he was never in a fight, despite standing only 5'6" tall: "Jack worked 10 hours in the mines, then came home to lift barbells way into the night. He went around town performing feats of strength... pretty soon the idea got across."

Jack was a true pillar of the community, actively engaging in civic life. A proud Democrat, he faithfully participated in every election and served diligently on the Election Board from 1898 to 1954. He demonstrated his commitment to the youth of White Oaks by establishing and leading the local Boy Scout troop, instilling valuable life skills and fostering a sense of community among the youth. Furthermore, Jack even generously offered his barbering skills to the children of the town.

Jack loved to tell people the story of the time that NM's famous sheriff  Pat Garrett  attempted to hold a political rally but got run out of town by donkeys. Donkeys were frequency used and then turned loose back into the hillsides as needed to assist the miners in their tasks so needless to say, the hills were full of them. As Jack tells it, "for some unexplained reason, when Garrett took the rostrum, the donkeys commenced to bray, and the disturbing echos all over the mountains drowned out every word the high sheriff had to say. He soon gave up the meeting, mounted his horse, and rode over the mountains back to Lincoln County."

Haldane's book provides the most comprehensive account of Mary's life and her marriage to Jack. Prior to their marriage, Mary served as a live-in nurse for two children for a wealthy Galveston family. After establishing himself in White Oaks, Jack rented a small cabin, stocked it with provisions, and sent for Mary. She undertook the arduous stagecoach journey and they were married in the fall of 1898. Mary was described as a woman of quiet dignity, reserved in nature. She was known to exercise caution in her social interactions, visiting only those homes in White Oaks where she felt assured of a warm welcome. A devout Christian with a love for literature, Mary enjoyed reading a wide range of books and poetry. A friend of the Jackson's fondly recalls attending dinner parties at their home, where Mary, an exceptional cook and gracious hostess.

Haldane found a quote when a historian asked Mary about her marriage to Jack and she said: "He was always a good man except for one bad habit: he liked to play poker. He'd slip out at night and stay till almost morning. One I night I found him gone, got the molasses jug and poured it on the window sill. Just before daylight I hear him washing his hands, but I never mentioned it to him." She became crippled with arthritis in her later years and passed away in 1954.

At the dedication of Cedarvale Cemetery as a state memorial, John Kelt paid tribute to Jack: "I would like to pay tribute to a great American a man that was just a like a father to me as well as many other kids that were raised in White Oaks, this is my friend David L. Jackson and his wife Mary, who are resting in this Cedarvale cemetery. Happy Jack, as we all know him, did a much for the young kids of White Oaks. I appreciated this man so much as he was my Scout Master and my Sunday School teacher. He helped shape the life of many young people who left White Oaks to go out into the world."

Jack recalls humbly in an 1976 article, "Several of the children I taught have married and left and have grandchildren and great-grandchildren now. They and their families return to see me occasionally and needless to say I am greatly please to see them My wife and I never had children of our own. Perhaps this is the one reason I have derived so much pleasure from teaching children in Sunday School - in fact all the children who have grown up through the years in White Oaks have become close friends of mine."

The daughter of Allen Lane (Jack's business partner in the Wild Cat Leasing Company), Vivian Cadenhead, and her four sisters fondly recalled their memories of Jack. Vivian shared, "Jack is like just one of the family. He played Santa Claus for us at Christmas ever since I can remember. The day I was born Jack came up out the of mine and ran all the way to our home to see what I looked like. He called me Baby Doll."

Frank Williams recalls Jack from his childhood: "He named every one of us (the children of the town) - gave us a nickname. Any time there was any sickness or anything, that was the first guy we went to. I'll never forget one night, my daddy got real sick. I don't know what it was - pneumonia or something. I can remember I went over and tapped on the glass and I said, "Jack, my daddy is sick. Come quick." Boy, he was there, and he stayed right there too." Jack's dedication to the children of White Oaks likely fostered a legacy of tolerance and understanding within the community. Many of the children who grew up in White Oaks would have come of age during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. I believe Jack challenged the prevailing racial stereotypes associated with Black people in the early 1900s. His fearless approach of kindness and generosity of spirit must have bridged the racial divide. Jack's actions exemplify the character of an extraordinary citizen. While his story has been mentioned in newspapers and online sources, his remarkable contributions deserve wider recognition and a more prominent place in New Mexico's historical narrative.

One particularly touching anecdote recounted by Haldane involves Jack's dedication to his community. It is said that he would often walk the twelve miles between White Oaks and Carrizozo to visit friends, diligently removing any rocks from the road that could potentially cause flat tires for other travelers. This simple act of kindness beautifully illustrates Jack's deep-seated care and love for his community and the place he called home.

Jack's dedication to the White Oaks community was further exemplified by his care for Cedarvale Cemetery. While the exact origins of Cedarvale Decoration Day remain uncertain, an article from 1938 mentions Jack was mentioned "placing flags on the 'old soldiers' graves." Numerous sources acknowledge Jack as the unofficial caretaker of the cemetery, organizing annual Memorial Day events that included cleaning and weeding the grounds, followed by a community picnic.  ¹   As Jack himself stated, "So many of my friends are here that I took it upon myself to maintain the cemetery."

It was noted that Jack would return to El Paso in the winter months to stay with "Mrs. Cadenhead and her husband, Rufus, who operates the Bond Transfer Co." (White Oaks Man, 1960). This was the home of one of the daughters of his friend and business partner, Allen Lane, whom Jack had watched grow up. As mentioned previously, A cursory search of local El Paso newspapers revealed that the Cadenhead family were prominent figures in the El Paso community. The family appears to have owned a successful automobile sales and repair company until the late 1960s. It would be most beneficial Jack's story if I could make contact any descendants of the Cadenhead/Lane family.

Jack passed away from a stroke in 1963. Haldane observed that his funeral was attended by a large crowd of friends who came to bid farewell to "the man who had become a monument to all that was good in old White Oaks." A heartfelt tribute to Jack was published on the front page of the Carrizozo newspaper, and for years afterward, individuals would submit their own remembrances of him for publication. Local newspapers published updates about "Dave Jackson Day," an annual August celebration that drew visitors to honor his legacy. Even a decade after his passing, Jack's name continued to appear in local newspapers, a testament to his enduring impact on the community.

One of my primary motivations for sharing Jack's story is the fact that a mountain in New Mexico bears his name. Located north of White Oaks in the Jicarilla Mountain Range, this serves as a physical reminder of his significant contributions to the region. Unfortunately, most sources fail to acknowledge Jack's namesake or the important impact he had in the region.

Thank you so much for reading about David L. Jackson (Jack). Special thanks to Roberta Haldane and the authors of and contributors to the website,  White Oaks New Mexico Goldrush . They provided much of the content found on this site. Without their hard work and dedication to the story of White Oaks, this page wouldn't be possible. This page is a work in progress, and I will continue to refine it as more information becomes available. There are links below to my bibliography and Google Drive of sources. If there are any corrections or suggestions, please let me know.

If there are any friends or family of Jack or those mentioned here that would like to come forward, please contact me. I'd look forwarding to adding your memories to this page. HappyJackTribute@gmail.com

•  Bibliography 
•  Historical Newspaper Sources