A Dual Perspective on Henderson’s Past: Colonel Jackson McClain & Ada Isabella Suggs
Biography of Colonel Jackson McClain (1816–1892)
Colonel Jackson McClain was born on October 5, 1816, in Henderson County, Kentucky, the son of James McClain, a leading farmer, and Miss Butler. Educated in the common and private schools of the county, he was known for his sharp intellect and strong memory, qualities that helped him assume responsibility for the family estate after his father’s death in 1839.
Over the next half-century, McClain became one of the most prominent citizens of Henderson County. A large landowner, he amassed significant wealth and, before the Civil War, was one of Kentucky’s largest slaveholders, with 74 enslaved people recorded in the 1860 census. His plantation and home were noted for their Southern hospitality, often described as the center of refined and genial gatherings.
Although he never sought political office, McClain was deeply engaged in civic life. He was a lifelong Democrat, recognized for his sound judgment, and frequently consulted in matters of local politics and finance. His leadership extended to banking and business—he served as a director of the Henderson & Nashville Railroad, was an incorporator of the Henderson Bridge Company, and from 1882 until his death was President of the Farmers Bank of Henderson.
McClain married three times. In 1841 he wed Maria Louisa Watson, with whom he had a daughter, Annie. Following her death in 1867, he married Caroline “Carrie” Hunt in 1869, who bore several children, including Milton Hunt McClain and Jackson Jr., before her death in 1880. In 1883, he married Helen Trafton, who survived him.
Colonel McClain died on December 2, 1892, at age 76, after a lingering illness. His funeral was held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and he was buried in Fernwood Cemetery. Eulogized as a man of dignity, refinement, and genial spirit, he was remembered by his contemporaries as “an ideal man” and a representative of the “old school gentleman.” His legacy is one of prosperity and civic leadership, though deeply intertwined with the system of slavery that underpinned his wealth.
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Biography of Ada Isabella McClain Suggs (1852–1938)
Ada Isabella McClain Suggs was born enslaved on January 22, 1852, in Henderson County, Kentucky, the legal property of Colonel Jackson McClain and his wife Louisa. Her earliest years were spent in the slave quarters of the McClain plantation, where she was cared for by her mother, Harriott McClain. Memories of her childhood included the singing and dancing of the enslaved community at day’s end, moments of resilience and humanity amid bondage.
At around the age of five, Ada was taken into the McClain household. There, she displayed unusual quickness and ability, learning to knit and later fetching books from the family library. Her story of survival and eventual escape with her mother was preserved in interviews recorded in the 1930s, affirming her life’s remarkable journey from slavery to freedom.
Following emancipation, Ada built a life of faith, family, and endurance. She married Thomas J. Suggs (1850–1927), and together they raised a large family in Evansville, Indiana. Their home became a center of love and stability, and in 1903 their marriage was celebrated publicly as a rare and admirable example of lasting devotion.
Ada was active in the Black community of Evansville. She was a member of Liberty Baptist Church, and her obituary recalled her as a beloved mother and faithful Christian who lived over 63 years in the city. She bore many children—among them Hattie, Tillie, Mattie, Ella, Fred, and Louis—and her descendants carried forward her legacy of resilience.
She passed away on February 20, 1938, at age 86, in Evansville. She was buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, her life remembered in both oral history and the Evansville Press. Unlike the wealth and influence of her former enslaver, Ada’s legacy was one of endurance, family devotion, and a faith that sustained her through bondage, freedom, and long life.
