Jackson Parish was formed in 1845, and settlers traversed treacherous territories, thick brush, and waterways to take advantage of cheap government land. The pioneers—mostly farmers—transformed a vastly forested area into several thriving communities. The Tremont Lumber Company founded the mill towns of Eros and Chatham in the early 20th century. Simultaneously, the Arkansas Southern Railroad's arrival brought settlements to Quitman and Ansley. In 1903, Jonesboro was officially declared a town after it reached 1,000 residents; eight years later, it claimed the parish seat from Vernon, which had held that title since 1846. A new courthouse was built in Jonesboro the following year. Weston, Stovall, Walker, and Midway provided churches and schools for a growing population. Hodge staked claim in the paper and packaging industries by the 1920s, and the 1940 song "You Are My Sunshine" by Jimmie Davis, a Beech Springs native and Louisiana's "Singing Governor," forever changed the way Jackson Parish would be remembered. These memories, and more, are chronicled in Images of America: Jackson Parish.