A 1907 photo post card view of Fort Jackson, located in Gratz, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
Fort Jackson was located at the southern end of Spruce Street in Gratz. Nothing remains of the structure but a pile of stones and overgrown vegetation. There is still much speculation as to the purpose of this building and how it got its name.
Prior to his death, Ralph Witmer, former Fire Chief of Gratz, was interviewed and the following write-up appeared in a Gratz history published in 1997:
It was a one room log house, with a ladder leading up to a loft…. The Peter Kenble family lived at Fort Jackson at a very early period. They moved from this location to the house on lot number forty-six. Peter Kemble bought the house on lot forty-six in 1872. After Peter Kemble moved, Benjamin Crabb, a blacksmith lived here. Tax records mention Benjamin Crabb, blacksmith, as a tenant in Gratz as early as 1876. He lived here until the mid 1880s, and probably lived in this house [Fort Jackson] some of that time. Jacob Hinkle later lived [here] for some time….
Benjamin Crabb was African American and the son of one of the earliest settlers of Gratz, Peter Crabb.(1787-1860). One of Benjamin’s brothers, Edward Crabb, a Civil War veteran, is buried in Gratz Union Cemetery, and was the subject of several previous posts on this blog.
The write-up on Fort Jackson that appeared in the Gratz history of 1997, concluded with the following:
It was difficult to gather… information about Fort Jackson. The most mysterious and intriguing thing – the reason it was called Fort Jackson has not been learned. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that the Militia gathered here before the Civil War. Hopefully, some day Fort Jackson’s claim to fame will be found.
There is also speculation that this property was named after Andrew Jackson and was built during his terms as President (1829-1837). In the years prior to the Civil War, this house may also have been a “station” on the Underground Railroad.
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Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.
I Have heard of this, and no one knows much about this Fort Jackson. Thank you for tell us about the occupants, including Benjamen Crabb. As a result of your interest, I have added some of these individuals to my family tree. Your research was interesting, and I learned a good deal.