From the Garland Local History & Genealogical Society, Volume 7-Number 4, Winter 1996

FAMILY STORIES – ARDELIA, A NAME TO REMEMBER

Author: Mary Jackson Sutherland

Ardelia Ellen Jackson was the daughter of James Everts and Diana Jane Jackson,

a pioneer Dallas County family. Their homeplace was at the southwest corner of the intersection of what is now called Audelia Road and Walnut Street in the City of Dallas.

She first married John Chenault in 1869, and her father disliked Chenault so much that he ran him off. You see, Chenault did not like to work.

In 1877, Ardelia married John Frederick West. She always played the organ for church and school as her family was full of musicians.

Her Father, James Everts Jackson, and her husband, John West, built a general store at the southeast corner of the intersection of what is now Audelia and Forest Lane in Dallas. They thought the name Ardelia was such a pretty name that they named the store Ardelia. In later years, someone changed the spelling to Audelia.

There was a post office in the store and a man named Sarver took care of the mail. A barrel was used to put the mail in. Mail was brought to the store from Richardson. Later, George Mercer bought the store from West, and he operated the post office. In a few years the mail was delivered by rural route. There was a grist mill at the back of the store. At the northeast corner of the crossroads, there was a gin operated by Box Whitfield.

Benjamin Prigmore gave the land for the Jackson school, a small country school on the northwest corner of the intersection. The teachers were Ardelia, Sophia Jackson, Dora Jackson, Lena Hoskins, Flo Blank, Minnie Thorp, Sallie Harris, Ben Davis and a man named Dunlap. The teachers were paid $50 per month. C.W. Jackson, Ardelia’s brother, and Will Sharpe were trustees of the school.

The Dallas County community originally called Ardelia is more than 100 years old. The original landmarks are now gone, but the name remains: Audelia Road, Audelia Library, Audelia Baptist Church. The name Audelia is not to be forgotten.

Mary Jackson (Mrs. C. E.) Sutherland is a niece of Ardelia Ellen Jackson West. She was reared

in the Audelia area and now lives in Garland. Mary Sutherland is an active member of the

Garland Genealogical Society and is a frequent contributor to the Quarterly. Her contributions

are greatly appreciated.