Bennington

JACKSON, William

Vermont Historical Magazine, No. XI, October 1867, pp 192-194
(extracted from a section on the history of Dorset, Bennington County, 
Vermont; author's footnote acknowledges the source for material for this 
article as Mrs. BALDWIN, daughter of Rev. Mr. William JACKSON; Hon. Mr. 
ARMSTRONG; and Mrs. LAWRENCE's biography of Mrs. HAMLIN)

Rev. William JACKSON was born in 1768 at Cornwall [Litchfield County], Connecticut. 
Three years after, his parents [Abraham JACKSON, born 16 January 1726 Wilton, 
Fairfield County, Connecticut, and his wife, Eleanor BUMPUS, born 08 May 1729 
Rochester, Plymouth County, Massachusetts?] removed to Vermont, and settled 
in Wallingford [Rutland County, Vermont], but the ensuing year returned to 
Cornwall, and remained until the end of the war, when they again emigrated to 
Wallingford. William JACKSON commenced his preparation for the ministry at 
the age of sixteen, was graduated at Dartmouth in 1790; studied theology with 
Dr. EDMUNDS and SPRING, and was ordained and installed pastor of the 
Congregational church at Dorset in 1796, where he continued his pastorate 
until his death in 1842.

In personal appearance Dr. [William] JACKSON was tall and spare, eyes blue, 
hair naturally brown, though for forty years, white; in general movement 
remarkably agile; in usual deportment, moderately sedate, though with a vein 
of quiet humor running through his social character, which, breaking at 
intervals through his meek sobriety, rendered him eminently approachable. In 
sentiment the Doctor was of the Hopkinsonian school, sad as a sermonizer, 
except upon public occasions. "It takes a great many flowers to break a 
man's back" was a favorite proverb from which may be gathered his estimation 
of vapid sermon declamation. As a speaker, his voice was low, but 
impressive, and every word warmed by the most apparent sincerity found a 
ready way to the heart and understanding of the hearer. He gesticulated but 
little, yet his quiet intonations ever commanded attention. Particularly, 
when much in earnest he would turn his head to one side and bow his tall body 
laboring with the outbreathing of important thought, an awe truly sublime 
rested upon his auditory.

The circumstances of his settlement have been rehearsed to us after this 
wise: Soon after having been licensed to preach, he [William JACKSON] left 
his father's house to journey into New Jersey, for the benefit of his health. 
His first Sabbath abroad found him in the village of Dorset, nestled among 
the mountains, or rather its frame of hills. Having occupied the pulpit 
here, during the day, he was earnestly pressed to accept a call to the vacant 
pastorate; but deeming it best to adhere to his original plan, pursued his 
journey. Several ministers succeeded, on trial, but no permanent settlement 
was effected. Meanwhile Mr. JACKSON, having become much improved in health, 
was, at length, on his way home, when missing his route, he unexpectedly came 
out again at Dorset. As he turned up on horseback at the door of Deacon 
Ebenezer MORSE, this devout man at once recognized him as returned of the 
Lord; and coming warmly forth greeted him with "The Lord has sent you in 
answer to our prayers. We have just been talking of sending for you." This 
time they would not release him. Neither did he feel the liberty or wish to 
decline an invitation depending upon so many circumstances going to mark it 
as providential; but rather accepted as from the hand of the Lord, the goodly 
heritage to which he was called. "Here more than fifty years ago, while the 
place in its uncultivated beauties was a comparative wilderness, came that 
good man, William JACKSON, as a pastor to the humble saints who in this quiet 
valley worshipped God. Literally as well as spiritually, did this faithful 
shepherd lead his flock to green pastures and beside the still waters." 
[Author did not identify source of this quote.]

The young pastor had for his settlement the glebe lot [land set aside for the 
clergyman], a number of cattle, and a salary of $300. Besides his parish 
duties he managed the care of a large farm. Possessing and cultivating 
through life the happy faculty of turning readily from study to business and 
back at will to mental toil, amid the healthful and cheering labors of the 
husbandman, he would reinvigorate both body and mind; then upon a Friday or 
Saturday afternoon step in from the field, shut out the world, take up his 
Bible and lay out his entire labor for the ensuing Sabbath. Thus for 
forty-six years, from his installation, he preserved an evenly toned body and 
mind, and well tilled both parish field and farm. One who knew him well 
avers that what others called their "blue days" never came round to him, that 
she never knew him to have a melancholy hour. Dr. JACKSON was the first 
elected member of the corporation of Middlebury College (from which 
institution he received his honorary degree), and through his influence more 
young men, from his small town received a collegiate education than from all 
the rest of the county. Moreover, through his influence, Mr. BURR of 
Manchester [Bennington County] was stimulated to his generous donations to 
religious and charitable objects.

Susanna CRAM (Mrs. JACKSON) [wife of the above William] was born in 1771 in 
Brentford [Rockingham County], New Hampshire. Her paternal grandmother was 
Elisabeth ROGERS, a lineal descendant of the martyr of Smithfield [John 
ROGERS]. She first became acquainted with Mr. [William] JACKSON (with whom 
she was united in marriage in the winter of 1797) while at school, boarding 
in the family of Dr. SPRING. Rich in varied accomplishments, gifted and 
earnestly religious, she entered upon her new and important relations so 
gracefully and well, that for industry, economy, and an air of cheerful 
comfort, her house became at once a "model home." Yet still in the 
progressive years, while woman's most pleasant cares filled well her hands, 
she found harmonious place for an occasional outburst of the poetical in her 
nature, and cultivated until near sixty her rare letter-writing gift. In no 
other way can we so well describe the last days of her venerated husband, or 
the evening of her own beautiful life, as by paragraphs from her letters to 
her missionary daughter [Henrietta] in Constantinople. We will let her own 
words praise her.

"I asked your father if he had anything to say to you. "Tell her to be sure 
and love her Father in heaven, and not forget her earthly father." Deacon 
KENT says, "Let him go. I would not hold him here." He sits by your 
father's beside and prays, and tells over to the Lord the whole history of 
their acquaintance and his ministry, tells of the revivals they have enjoyed, 
and the blessing they soon hope to enjoy together in the presence of God and 
the Savior. His prayers are very affecting indeed, and his appearance (then 
over ninety-one) extremely so."

"I went to him one morning not expecting he would look at me again, but as I 
was bending over him, he opened his eyes, and when he saw who it was, fixing 
on me an inexpressible look, with a sweet angelic smile, he raised both his 
arms as if he would put them round me. I said to him, "You are beginning to 
taste the joys that the Savior bought with pains, are you not?" He said, "I 
began to taste them a great many years ago." The next I shall write may be 
to say to you, as the angel said to Mary, "He is not here, he is risen."

"25 October 1842 - One week ago today he was laid in the deep, dark grave, 
and the dear, lifeless remains forever concealed from our eyes. Oh, the 
anguish of seeing him pass by his own beloved home, where we had so often 
passed in together, when we returned from the house of God. Oh, my dear 
Henrietta, may you never know the sorrows of such an hour! I send you a rose 
sprig that grew on the turf that lies over your father's face."

"I do try to pray for you [Henrietta] and Constantinople [daughter a 
missionary there]; and then so many fields and missionaries meet my eyes, 
that I can say little more than, Lord bless them all. I have one particular 
request to make daily, which seemed to be impressed on my mind with great 
force, when you mentioned your incessant labor and the crowds that throng 
you. It is that you may be filled with heavenly light, and stand as an 
illuminated building, light pouring from every window, enlightening all 
around you."

[In a letter written by Mrs. Susanna JACKSON in her later years:] "I will 
give you one specimen of what I often experience in various things. I sat 
down upon my bed to take off my clothes. I looked at my dress; how it was to 
be taken off I could not see. I looked at the sleeves, and how they were to 
come off my arms seemed a mystery. I sat a long time and could think of no 
way to take off my dress. Do you, dear child, remember that your mother is 
almost eighty years old? Today, 03 August (1847) is the anniversary of 
Loraine's death [her daughter Anna Loraine JACKSON, who died in childhood], 
the sweetest, loveliest most engaging of children. Oh, it seems as if it 
were but yesterday. She is now before my eyes. I hardly know what I have 
written. My thoughts have been with he dead rather than the living. I am 
sitting in the room where I sat with the dead, and seem to be sitting with 
them now." A letter written 09 May 1848 bore to her distant children tidings 
of her departure from earth.

Children of William and Susanna (CRAM) JACKSON: (1) Margaret [who became 
Margaret (JACKSON) MALTBY], the oldest, married Rev. John MALTBY [see also 
his Bennington County, Vermont biography]; (2) Susan [nee JACKSON], Mrs. 
BALDWIN, resides at the old homestead; (3) Samuel JACKSON, D. D., Secretary 
of the Board of Education, graduated at Middlebury College; afterwards at 
Andover Theological Seminary; settled at Andover [Essex County, Massachusetts] 
some two years; preached in Charleston [Charleston County], South Carolina, one year, 
and returned to Andover, where he at present resides; (4) Elisabeth Rogers 
[JACKSON], handed down to another generation the time honored name [Rogers], 
transmitted from the days of the martyr [John ROGERS], and said to have never 
lacked a living representative in the family; (5) Anna Loraine [JACKSON]; 
(6) Henrietta Anna Loraine [JACKSON], born 09 May 1811 [in Dorset, 
Bennington County, Vermont?], married 03 September 1838 to Rev. Mr. HAMLIN; 
sailed for the mission at Constantinople 03 December 1838, and died 14 
November 1850 [at sea near the Isle of Rhodes?]. A history of this lovely 
woman has been written by Margaret Woods LAWRENCE. [The author quotes a 
passage from her writing which gives the date of Henrietta's marriage; thus 
Mrs. LAWRENCE's writing appears to have been the source of Henrietta's 
marriage date given by the author of this biography.]

Submitted by Cathy Kubly