The William Isaacks Family
Facts compiled by W. B. (Bill) Isaacks
One of the early settlers in this area was William Isaacks, who at age 22, with his wife, Sarah, came from Mississippi. They crossed the Sabine River on January 10, 1822, and settled at Bevil's Crossing, establishing the Isaacks clan in Texas. There is a tradition among his descendants that William Isaacks came to Texas before Austin came with his colonists, but with other "Sooners" was "drafted" by Austin to make up his original "Old 300." The name of William Isaacks is listed by the Texas Veterans Association as having served in the Army of the Republic in 1836.
William and Sarah resided on their league and labor of land in Sabine County until 1845, when they moved to what now is Providence Community, just south of Jacksonville. At the time he moved here, this was a part of Nacogdoches County. When Cherokee County was organized the following year (1846), William Isaacks was elected County Judge and served for several years in this capacity. Thereafter, he was known as "Judge Isaacks."
In 1873, Judge Isaacks went on horseback to visit one of his brothers near Cleveland, Texas, where he died April 16, 1873. He was buried in Oak Shade Cemetery, three miles east of Cleveland.
William and Sarah Isaacks had twelve children whose descendants continue to live in the Providence Community and in Jacksonville. One son was William Winston Isaacks, who married Rachel V. Butler. They resided at the "homeplace," and were parents of ten children. They were William, who married Laura Mae Lambert; Olivia, who married W. H. Odom; Arkana, who married W. P. Deason; Gertrude, who married R. H. Deason; Sallie, whose first husband was R. L. Condry, and who was married a second time to J. P. Pittman; Vada, who married B. A. Acker; Ada, who married Luther Harper; Butler, who married Lizzie .............; Grace, who died at age seven; and Lawrence C., who married Kate C. Brannon.
William Brannon (Bill) Isaacks, great-grandson of Judge William Isaacks, married Rachel Thompson, and they have a daughter, Patricia Isaacks. This is the only family bearing the name who resides in Jacksonville at this time.
Other descendants include Mrs. Mattie Odom Tarrant, who lives
in the Isaacks homestead in Providence Community, Ernest Odom,
Mrs. Velma Condry Reid and Mrs. Myrtle Acker Lanier
of Jacksonville.
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The Judge William Isaacks family home which is standing in the Providence community, south of Jacksonville. |
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W. B. Isaacks, last of his family living in Jacksonville, is shown at the tombstone of his great-grandfather near Cleveland, Texas. Judge Isaacks died and was buried there while on a visit, having made the trip from Jacksonville on horseback. |
For more information, see the websites below:
Handbook of Texas Online - Elijah Isaacks
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/II/fis1.html
Lonestar Genealogy
http://www.lonestargenealogy.com/bound/boundi.html
Compiled by Greg Smith. If you have any materials you'd like to contribute, please email me.