Individual Details

Joe was accused of aiding an uncle in passing counterfeit money, was tried and convicted of this offense, and sent to the state prison. He escaped, however, and rumor says that he left this country on a vessel bound for the West Indies, and settled at Matanzas, where he died. Henry Tufts of Vermont, was arrested for passing counterfeit money. JOSEPH JACKSON, then of Newry, in 1807 purchased the lot now the site of Gorham village, of Benjamin Weld. He built a log house, and became the first settler of the place. The whole lot, according to Dr. True, was estimated at the value of $25. Jackson was accused of aiding an uncle in passing counterfeit money, was tried, and c onvicted of this offense, and sent to the state prison. He escaped, however, and the rumor says that he left the country on a vessel bound for the West Indies, and settled at Matanzas, where he died. He was an active man, and appeared desirous to create a pleasant home for his family here. "He went to Canterbury NH, and obtained a sackful of small apple trees, which he brought home on his back, and set out a large orchard, the first in town, which is still remembered by old people. He also obtained from the same place a sackful of small pear trees, which he set out where the Congregational church now stands. When that was built, in 1862, there were pear trees six or eight inches in diameter, which were cut down to make room for the church. This was the largest orchard ever in town." Previous to 1815 Jackson, while under the ban of the law, gave this lot to his son Moses, but both he and his brother Willard, soon left town. It was at this period that counterfeiting was carried on to a great extent in Canada. Men would actually pass through Shelburne Addition to Canada for this purpose. They took with them a quantity of pigtail and ladies' twist tobacco, with which to pay their travelling expenses. The scarcity of this article in those days was so great that it was as good and even better than money itself. These men would go to Canada and buy the counterfeit money for ten cents on a dollar, put a lot of it in the bottom of a bag, and fill it up with snake root, so as to escape detection. When they came to a place for the night, they would carelessly throw the bag down near the horses in the barn, where it remained untouched. Going into the lower settlements they disposed of it as best they could. If caught, they would sometimes redeem it with genuine money, and thus escape justice, but if they had nothing but the counterfeit, they would be arrested and sent to jail to be tried, and sent to the state prison. Occasionally specimens of these counterfeits may be seen in museums. Sunday River Cemetery - 2003

Birth	1786	Newry, Oxford, Maine, United States
Marriage	8 Aug 1812	int. - Dolly Clark Morrison
Marriage	30 Aug 1819	Intentions, Newry, Oxford, Maine, United States - Polly (Mary) Frost
Residence	1820	Newry, Oxford, Maine, United States
Residence	1850	Newry, Oxford, Maine, United States
Census	29 Aug 1850	Newry, Oxford, Maine, United States
Residence	1860	Newry, Oxford, Maine, United States
Census	20 Jun 1860	Newry, Oxford, Maine, United States
Death	1875

Spouse	Polly (Mary) Frost (1798 - 1888)
Child	Marcia T. Jackson (1822 - 1912)
Child	Joseph Jackson Jr. (1824 - 1842)
Child	Andrew Jackson 'Gineral' (1832 - 1888)

Spouse	Dolly Clark Morrison ( - 1879)
Child	Benjamin Jackson (1814 - )

Father	Joseph Jackson (1754 - 1835)
Mother	Mercy ( - 1824)
Sibling	Willard Jackson ( - )
Sibling	Josiah Jackson ( - )
Sibling	Moses Jackson ( - )
Sibling	Dorothea (Dolly) Jackson ( - )
Sibling	Nancy Jackson (1786 - )
Sibling	Marcy Jackson (1794 - 1883)