The Legend of Johnny Irons aka William J. Jackson

The Man I Knew

My grandfather, William Joseph Jackson Sr.—also known as “Johnny Irons”—passed away when I was 16. My memories of him are few but vivid: he smoked cigars (which I thought was cool at the time) and seemed to have a knack for cars. Beyond those little details, I knew very little. That lack of connection left me wanting to uncover his past—a journey that quickly turned into one of my biggest genealogy brick walls.

The Man on Record

As I dug into official records, I found conflicting information that only deepened the mystery:

• Date of Birth
  

  • Death Certificate: Feb. 16, 1892
    

  • WWI Draft Registration Card: Jan. 16, 1893
    

  • WWI Veterans File: Feb. 16, 1894
    

• Place of Birth
  

  • Death Certificate: Chester, Pennsylvania
    

  • Draft Registration: Wilmington, Delaware
    

  • Veterans File: Wilmington, Delaware
    

• Parents
  

  • Death Certificate: John and Joan Jackson
    

  • Veterans File: Listed only as “deceased”
    

Add to this the fact that “William Jackson” is a very common name, and you can see why this path hasn’t been straightforward. I also uncovered city directories, marriage certificates, and children’s death certificates—but none mentioned the name “Johnny Irons.”

The Man in Oral History

Family stories add another twist. The tale goes:

• My grandfather was a Blackfoot Indian born in Delaware.
  

• His mother (a Native woman) worked in a Wild West Show.
  

• She died young, leaving him to grow up in Chester, Pennsylvania.
  

• Somewhere along the way, he either was born Johnny Irons and took the Jackson name—or the reverse.
  

• The story also claims he got into a fight, forcing him to flee Chester and possibly change his name.

At first, I doubted the Delaware Blackfoot connection since the Blackfoot are traditionally from the Great Plains. But after engaging with online genealogy groups, I discovered the Mitsawokett website and their discussion on “Blackfoot Town/Dagsboro, DE.” Suddenly, this oral history seemed less far-fetched.

My Take

So where does this leave me?

• The records don’t align.
  

• The oral history is fascinating but unproven.
  

• DNA testing (Y-DNA via my first cousin) has yet to yield strong matches.

For now, my conclusion is: I simply don’t know.

But here’s the thing—family stories exist for a reason. They may be wrapped in mystery or distortion, but they’re often rooted in something real. Perhaps the truth is still waiting to be discovered in an undiscovered record or a future DNA match.

Lessons Learned

1. Stay encouraged. Brick walls are part of the genealogy journey.
   

2. Persevere. Conflicting records don’t mean you’re at a dead end—they mean you’re getting closer.
   

3. Honor the mystery. Even unanswered questions connect us to the lives that came before.

This is still an open case in my research. But one thing I’ve learned: every family has its own “Johnny Irons.”

👉 What’s your brick wall? I’d love to hear about it.

Disclaimer: These posts were edited with AI assistance for clarity. All genealogy research and conclusions are my own.