Jackson County, Kentucky

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While many Kentucky counties are named for Bluegrass State residents who served in the War of 1812, Jackson County was named after President Andrew Jackson, who was a War of 1812 hero from Tennessee. Today, Historical Marker #1145 in McKee commemorates the naming of the county after this president.

Jackson, who lived in Tennessee, was a U.S. congressman and senator. During the War of 1812, Jackson earned national fame after leading American troops at the Battle of New Orleans. Kentucky troops, commanded by General John Adair, also participated in this battle. In 1829, when Jackson became the seventh U.S. president, he was the first commander-in-chief to be elected from west of the Appalachian Mountains.

One who has fought a duel or acted as a second cannot become governor of Kentucky. However, this did not prevent Jackson from assuming the presidency. In 1806, Jackson fought a duel against Charles Dickinson over comments that Dickinson had made about Jackson's wife. They fought across the Tennessee State line in Logan County, Kentucky. Jackson was wounded, but the future president killed Dickinson.

When Jackson County was established in 1858, it was named in his honor.