History of Newton, (Middlesex County) Massachusetts United States of America

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Biographies:

Michael Jackson, soldier, was born in Newton, Mass., Dec. 18, 1734; son of Michael and Phoebe (Patten) Jackson; grandson of Edward and Mary Jackson; great grandson of Sebas and Sarah (Baker) Jackson, and great2 grandson of Edward Jackson, who came from England about 1643; settled in Cambridge, Mass.; was a deputy to the general court, 1647-64, and a selectman and one of the proprietors of Cambridge, Massachusetts Bay. Michael, Jr., was a lieutenant in the British army during the French and Indian wars, and at the outbreak of the Revolution joined a company of minute-men from Newton as private. When the news of the movement of the British troops toward Lexington reached Newton, in the absence of a single commissioned officer, Michael Jackson was elected temporary captain of the company, and marched his men to Watertown to join the regiment, where he made a stirring speech in favor of immediate action, which led the council of officers to move at once to Lexington. Captain Jackson's company was dispersed by Lord Percy's reserve near Concord village, and rallied again when they were reinforced by a part of the Watertown company, and harassed the retreating British until night-fall. The Newton company were thanked on the field by General Warren for their bravery. Captain Jackson received a commission as major in the Continental army. At Bunker Hill he killed a British officer in a hand-to-hand combat. He was made lieutenant-colonel of Colonel Bond's regiment, and was wounded at Montressor's Island, N.Y. He was subsequently promoted to the command of the 8th regiment of the Massachusetts line, but his wound prevented his further active participation in battle. He resigned at the close of the war and retired to his farm in Newton. He had five brothers and five sons in the patriot army during the Revolution. He was married to Ruth, daughter of Ebenezer Parker. He died at Newton, Mass., April 10, 1801.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Jesse Walter Fewkes, ethnologist, was born in Newton, Mass., Nov. 14, 1850; son of Jesse and Susan Emeline (Jewett) Fewkes, and grandson of Benjamin Fewkes of Nottinghamshire, England. He was graduated at Harvard in 1875, and received the degrees of Ph.D. and A.M. in natural history in 1877. He was a student of zo?logy at Leipzig and Villa Franca, 1877-80; and was assistant in the Museum of comparative zo?logy, engaged in special research, 1880-89. He studied marine zo?logy at the Newport marine laboratory for seven consecutive summers, and visited Dry Tortugas, the Bermuda Islands and Santa Barbara, Cal., for the same purpose. During the summer of 1889 he was attached to the Station Zo?logique at Roscoff, France. In 1891 he became deeply interested in the study of primitive religion, especially the ritual of the Moqui Indians. In order better to appreciate this subject he acquired their language and was initiated into one of their priesthoods, In 1892-93 he represented the Hemenway expedition in the historical exposition at Madrid and was honored with the decoration "Isabel la Catolica" grade of knight. In 1893 he received from King Oscar of Sweden a gold medal "Litteris et Artibus" for discoveries in archaeology. He was invited in the summer of 1895 to conduct arch?ological exploration in Arizona for the Smithsonian institution, and in that year and the two following made large collections, the most interesting specimens of which were placed on exhibition in the National museum. In 1898 he was appointed ethnologist in the bureau of ethnology of the Smithsonian institution. He was married in 1883 to Florence Gorges Eastman, who died in 1888; and again in 1893 to Harriet O., daughter of James E. Cutler of Cambridge, Mass. He was elected a member of several European and American scientific societies, and was editor of the American Journal of American Ethnology and Arch?ology. He is the author of many articles on marine zo?logy and anthropology.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

George Edwards Jackson, educator, was born in Newton, Mass., Nov. 5, 1828; son of Ephraim and Beulah (Murdock) Jackson; grandson of Edward and Abigail (Smith) Jackson and of Samuel and Beulah (Fuller) Murdock; and a descendant of Edward Jackson, who emigrated from London, England, in 1643, settled in Cambridge, Mass., and represented that town in the general court, 1647-62; and of Robert Murdock, who emigrated from Scotland in 1688 and settled in Plymouth, Mass. He attended a private school at Newton Centre, Mass., and Phillips academy at Andover, Mass., and was graduated from Yale, A.B., 1852, A.M., 1855. He was instructor in ancient languages at Alexandria, Va., 1853-55; professor of mathematics at La Grange Female college, Tenn., 1858-59; assistant at the New Haven high school, 1859-64; professor of ancient languages at the City university, St. Louis, 1865-68, and became professor of Latin at Washington university, St. Louis, Mo., in 1868. He was elected a member of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1860; the New Haven Philological society in 1861; the American Philological association in 1883, and of the Arch?ological Institute of America in 1897. He was married, Aug. 15, 1860, to Maria Elizabeth, daughter of Col. John and Almira (King) Fisher, of Cambridge, N.Y., and their son, Edward Fisher Jackson, A.B., E.M., A.M., Washington university, Mo., 1883, became head instructor in Latin at Smith academy, St. Louis, Mo.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Jenks, clergyman, was born in Newton, Mass., Nov. 25, 1778; son of Samuel and Mary (Haynes) Jenks; grandson of John Jenks, and a descendant of Joseph Jenks, of Lynn, Mass. He was graduated at Harvard, A.B., 1797, A.M., 1800. He was a reader in Christ church, Cambridge, Mass.; later was licensed to preach by the Boston association, and was ordained over the First Congregational church, Bath, Maine, Dec. 26, 1805. Throughout the war of 1812 he was chaplain of a Bath regiment. He was a professor of Hebrew and English literature at Bowdoin college, 1812-16. In 1818 he instituted special meetings for seamen in Boston, Mass., and opened the first free chapel for seamen on Central wharf, which was the basis of the Missionary society. He was the founder and minister of a church in Green street, Boston, 1826-45, and a member of the Massachusetts Historical society; the American Philosophical society; the American Oriental society, of which he was a founder; the American Antiquarian Society of Worcester, Mass., and an honorary member of the New England Historic Genealogical society from its foundation in 1845. Bowdoin college conferred upon him the degree of D.D. in 1825, and that of LL.D. in 1862. He also received the degree of D.D. from Harvard in 1842. He is the author of: Commentary on the Bible (1834); Explanatory Bible Atlas and Scripture Gazetteer (1849). He died in Boston, Mass., Nov. 13, 1866.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor