Jackson was born in Cedar Hill, Georgia, near Savannah. He studied law, gained admittance to the state bar and became a practicing attorney.
Career
Jackson served on the Savannah municipal council and also as the city's Mayor. He served in the Georgia House of Representatives and then in the Georgia Senate. Jackson served as a captain in the Savannah Volunteer Guards and also as a colonel of the 1st Regiment in the Georgia Militia in addition to serving as judge of the superior court of Georgia.