 On May 30, 1970 he married Deloris Livingston and the couple has 3 children, Trena Mack, Marva Patterson, and Joseph III.Jefferson was a Specialist Assistant to Congressman Mendel Davis from 1972 to 1980, Chairman of the Berkeley County School Board and represented the Sixth Congressional District as a member of the South Carolina Department of Transportation Commission from 1994 to 1998.Jefferson served as a Magistrate Judge for Berkeley County for 32 years.