ackson Township was established in 1813, one of the eight townships setup when Lebanon County was formed. Land for Jackson was taken from Bethel and Heidelberg, two townships that had been in existence in old Lancaster and later Dauphin Counties. Jackson Township was named for General Andrew Jackson, hero of the War of 1812.
Jackson Township is located in the northeast region of Lebanon County and consists of 15,168 acres or almost twenty-four square miles of land area.
Jackson township – this township was originally embraced by Heidelberg an Bethel townships, to which the reader is referred for the names of some of the first settlers, a few of whom had come from Schoharie, in New York, others emigrated directly from Europe. This part of the county was embraced, in what is so well known, in the early history of Pennsylvania, as the Tulpehocken settlement, or as the name is written in the Provincial Records, Turpyhocken. It was through this region, that the Indians had their common course, in carrying their furs and skins from the west to the east, as may be learned from a proposal made by William Penn, in 1690, for a second settlement in the province of Pennsylvania. He says: – "it is now my purpose to make another settlement upon the river Susquehannah, that runs into the Bay of Chesapeake, and lies about fifty miles west from the Delaware, as appears by the common maps of the English dominions in America. There I design to lay out a plan for the building of another city, in the most convenient place for communication with the former plantation on the east, which by land is as good as some already, a way being laid out between the two rivers very exactly and conveniently at least three years ago, and what will not be hard to do by water, by the benefit of the river Scoulkill; for a branch of that river lies near a branch that runs into the Suquehannagh river, and is the common course of the Indians with their skins and furrs in our parts, and to the province of east and wes New Jersey, and New York, form the west and north-east parts of the continent from which they bring them."
The Honorable John Evans, Esq., Lieut. Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, passed from the Susquehanna, through here on his way to Philadelphia, in July, 1707, as may be seen from the following extract from his journal.
The Governor, with Messrs, John French, William Tonge, Mitchel Bezaillion, and one Grey, and four servants, set out from New Castle, the 27th of June, and the next morning arrived at Otteraroe, & Co.
On Tuesday, 1st July, we went to Conestoga, and lay there that night, and the next morning proceeded on our journey, and arrived in the Evening within 3 miles of an Indian Village, called Peixtan. The Govr., had received informations at Pequehan, that one Nicole, a French Indian Trader, was at that place, agst, whom great Complaints had been made to the Govr., of which he acquainted the Chief Indian of Peixtan, as also of his design to seize him; who willingly agreed to it, but advised the Govr., to be very cautious in the manner; there being only young People at home, who perhaps might make some Resistance, if it were done without their first being told of it; for this reason we lay short of the Village that night; but Early in the morning we went within half a mile of the Town & leaving our horses, march'd a foot nearer the same; from whence the Govr., sent Martine to the Village; Ordering him to tell Nicole that he had brought 2 Caggs of Rum with him, which he had left in the woods, for fear any Christians were there; and withal to persuade Nicole to go with him and taste the Rum. Martine returned with James Letort, & Joseph Jassop, 2 Indian Traders but could not prevail with Nicole; upon this, Martine was sent back with Orders to bring down some of the Indians, and Nicole with them; then we drew nearer the Town, and laid ourselves in the bushes, and Martine returned with 2 Indians, whom the Govr., acquainted with his intent of taking Nicole, telling at the same time, he had spoken with to the Uncle of one of them upon that head, who ordered the Indians to submit to the Govrs. Commands, with which they were contented, tho' we perceived too well the contrary, by their inquiring how many we were, and how armed; and by the Concern they seemed to be in, when they found we were more men in number than they; but still Nicole was wanting; it was therefore Resolved to try once more if he could be got into the woods, accordingly Martine went again, and brought Nicole to the place where we lay concealed, and asking him to Drink a dram, he seized him, but Nicole started from him and run for it, when immediately we started out and took him, and presently carried him to the Village (thro' which we were obliged to pass,) and there found some Indians with Guns in their hands, who lookt much displeased at what we had done, but we being in a readiness against any surprise, they thought it not fit to attempt any thing; here we stayed about half a hour, and then parted for Turpyhocken; having mounted Nicole upon a horse, and tied his legs under the Belly; we got within a mile of Turyphocken about 2 of ye Clock, on fryday morning, and about 7 the Govr., went to the town, from thence we went to Manataway that night, & the next day to Philadelphia.