Individual Details

Delinda Ann Jackson

(16 Jan 1831 - 15 Nov 1919)

Events

Birth	16 Jan 1831	Greene, Androscoggin, Maine
Birth	16 Jan 1837
Education		Lewiston High School and Kent's Hill Seminary, Readfield, Kennebec, Maine
Occupation		school teacher for more than 27 years - Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine
Census-shared	8 Jun 1880	(Betsey Edwards Mower) Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine
Occupation	Bet 1897 and 1900	postmaster of Greene Corner.
Death	15 Nov 1919	apoplexy - Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine
Bio Note	17 Nov 1919	a biographical article about Delinda Jackson was published in The Lewiston Daily Sun - Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine
Burial	19 Nov 1919	Old Valley Cemetery, Greene, Androscoggin, Maine
Never Married

Families

Father	Joseph Jackson (1805 - 1878)
Mother	Betsey Edwards Mower (1810 - 1894)
Sibling	Alonzo Ellis Jackson (1833 - 1907)
Sibling	Delora Maria Jackson (1835 - 1907)
Sibling	John Mower Jackson (1840 - 1913)

Webtags

Find-a-Grave: Delinda Ann Jackson

Notes

Bio Note

Miss Delinda Jackson, veteran tearcher of this this city, passed away at 10:30 Saturday night at the home of her nephew, Charles E. Jackson, Upper Main street, Lewiston. She was 88 years old and until recently, had been in good health. She attended church at Greene during the past summer, but within a few weeks, had suffered three shocks and failed rapidly till her death. She was the last of a family of four, but leaves four nieces and three nephews. Miss Jackson was born Jan. 16, 1831, at Greene, the daughter of Joseph and Betsy (Mower) Jackson. She came to Lewiston 82 years ago, and had since made her home at the old Jackson Homestead, a well known land mark on the Greene Road, or Upper Main street. Before coming to this city she lived for a time at Minot. She was a member of the United Baptist church at Greene, also of Androscoggin grange, No. 8, Greene, and was affiliated with the W. C. T. U. in that town. She was an unusually busy person, both at home and in social life outside the home, and had many friends, both in this city and in the surrounding towns. It has been claimed that Miss Jackson held the record for the longest period of service as a teacher in Lewiston. This honor she disclaimed in favor of Miss Ham, who for so many years taught in the Frye grammar school. But the point is a moot one, so closely were the two associated in length of service. In speaking of her career as a teacher Miss Jackson once said: "As near as I can figure I taught 66 terms in the Jackson school, and over 100 terms in all, my first experience having been 63 years ago this summer (1910) when I assumed charge of a small school of 12 pupils across the line in Greene in what was then known as the Berry district. This was located where the Longley place is to-day. I was 16, small of my age and must have been child-like in appearance. But it was an easy school and I accomplished very good results, so I was told. In those days the teachers were hired by agents, each school district having one, who often engaged the teacher from family interests as well as public. But the plan worked very well as a whole, though many teachers in those days were young, even younger than I, for it was not uncommon for girls to be teaching a summer term at 14 years of age. It was the practice then usually to hire men to teach the winter term when the boys on the farm came to school and made discipline much harder than in the summer term. Then the farm work took the boys into the field. So my teaching for a few years was mixed with further schooling, as I myself attended school in winter and taught in the summer term. My second term was when I was 17 years old, in the Lane school in Greene. It was a much harder school than my first one for there were 30 pupils here. I preferred teaching to house work and stuck to the profession and when I was 18 took my third term in the Randall school in Lewiston, this being my first in this city. The old Randall district has been divided now in the Webster road school and the Chadbourne school. For 27 years continuously, save for breaks, amounting to one year in the old Jackson which was named for my father's family. I also taught four terms in Auburn, one in Livermore, one at Readfield Corner and as has been said, several in Greene." In speaking of her childhood days, when her family had moved from Greene, where she was born, to Auburn for two years, she referred with special interest to the teaching of Aaron Thorne in that city. "He was my ideal of a teacher, an ideal which has lasted through life. He was scholarly and kindly, dignified and able to govern easily. I do not know that there is living today a classmate of mine in those old school days of Auburn under Master Thorne." When Miss Jackson's family moved to this farm on the Greene road, where she has passed the rest of her life, she, as a girl, attended the Jackson school where she later taught as a woman. Antoinette Pettingill, later Mrs. Nevens, was her teacher. It was in the original building that she attended school, too, for the old one was replaced by the present structure about 45 years ago. Miss Jackson also spoke of attending the old Lewiston High School when Warren Webster was at its head. He was considered very fine in his methods and it was to observe these that Miss Jackson decided to go there to take up certain lines and also to observe methods of teaching. That was in the day of the famous Dr. Torsey. The Jackson Homestead. For a dwelling house that is nearing or at its centerary, the old Jackson place on the Greene road, Lewiston, is in prime condition, perhaps unrivalled by one of its age in this vicinity. It stands on the left as one drives towards Greene, just this side of the famous old Jackson schoolhouse. Towering elms and huge maples shade it and the broad teres slope back to the easterly bank of the Androscoggin. A century ago Luther Litchfield settled here and built the main part of the present structure after the substantial fashion of those days, with a big chimney, broad, open fire-places, heavy timbers, high wainscotting, hand-latched doors, etc. These for the most part remain today in evidence in the house, though the fire-places are bricked up and the small window-panes have given place to large squares that frame a pleasant view across the intervales toward Greene. It was of Luther Litchfield that Solomon Jackson and his son, Joseph, bought this farm 73 years ago. Joseph did not join his father upon it for two years after the latter had settled thereon, Joseph living in Auburn the while. Both came originally from Greene. The third generation of Jacksons was the late Alonzo Jackson, whose widow still lives on the place as well as his sister, Miss Delinda Jackson, whose service as a teacher for many years in Lewiston is well-known. The fourth generation is Charles Jackson, who operates the farm, barrels up from 100 to 200 fine baldwins from the old orchard ever fall, keeps excellent dairy and handles more or less of fine garden truck every season. The house contains much of the old furniture which is cherished as heirlooms in the family. For instance, in the hall stands the ancient grandfathers' clock, which, while it shows the passing of many years since it was made by "Hoadley" of Plymouth, is worthy of repair and fit for a long period of usefulness as well as decoration. It is a valued family treasure. Another curiosity, which is rarely found to-day, is a large frame or case of imitation flowers under glass. They are not of wax, such as is sometimes seen in very old houses, nor yet of real flowers dipped in some preparation; but made of human hair. This curious wall decoration is the handiwork of Miss Delinda Jackson many years ago and while it is of special to her and her family because the locks are those of intimate friends or relatives. It is a source of curious interest to strangers because of the long and painstaking labor performed in fashioning it and because of shades is particularly good.