Main content

George B. Jackson (George Bement) Family Papers

Notifications

Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

George Bement Jackson was the son of William Walter Jackson and Fanny Hasting (Bacon) Jackson of Brooklyn, New York, members of New York Monthly Meeting. He studied Chemical Engineering at Swarthmore College, Class of 1921, and served as president of Edwin Jackson Fireplaces, Inc., a family business. He encouraged Eugene M. Lang to attend Swarthmore College, and in 1986, Eugene M. Lang endowed a scholarship in his honor. He was a long-time supporter of Swarthmore College and interested in family history.

William Morris Jackson was the son of James M. and Mary Ann (King) Jackson of Philadelphia and later of Richland, Pennsylvania. He grew up in Quakertown, Pa., and spent his early career teaching at Friends Seminary in NYC and Friends Academy in Richmond, IN. In 1869 he married Anna Margaret Davis, and in 1876, he joined the family manufacturing business. He served on the Board of Managers of Swarthmore College from 1887 until his death in 1906 and on the Board of Schofield Normal and Industrial School from 1887 or 1888 until after 1892. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of Friends Seminary in New York and an active member of the Society of Friends.

William Walter Jackson was the son of William Morris Jackson and Anna Margaret (Davis) Jackson and resided in Brooklyn, New York. In 1896, he married Fannie Hastings Bacon, daughter of George Bement Bacon and Mary Louise Chapin. He served as president of Edwin Jackson, Inc., and like his father, he served on the Board of Brooklyn Friends School for over fifty years and also on the Board of the New York Friends Seminary.

George B. Bacon was the son of William and Virginia Bacon and the father-in-law of William Walter Jackson. As a cadet at the Naval Academy, he voyaged to the Mediterranean, China, Japan, and the west coast of Africa before the start of the Civil War. He served as a lieutenant during the Civil War and was the executive officer on the gunboat Itasca on the Mississippi River. Among the George Bacon papers, there are transcripts of his U.S. Navy records and Civil War letters he wrote home; the originals were given to the Princeton University Library in the 1970s.

Josephine C. Brown was the daughter of Silas Edgar Brown and Mary Chapin Bacon. She was a cousin of George Bement Jackson and granddaughter of George Bement Bacon.. She attended Bryn Mawr College from 1906 to 1908, and 1911 to 1913. After years of farming and working with social welfare, Brown was appointed Associate Field Director at the Family Welfare Association of America, and then worked for a year with the Social Science Research Council before returning to FWAA. In 1934, she was appointed as the Administrative Assistant at the Federal Emergency Relief Administration during the Roosevelt era.

The collection consists of diaries, notebooks, transcription of William Morris Jackson's diaries, and correspondence by George B. Jackson with family members in order to compile genealogical data. Most of the personal correspondence of George B. Jackson is to Barbara J. Hazard, his daughter. The collection also includes Alice Gardiner and George B. Jackson correspondence during their courtship, 1921-1928,

Arranged in four series: Series 1: Journals and writings; Ser. 2: Correspondence; Ser. 3: Biographical/Genealogical; Ser. 4: Miscellaneous

Gift of Robin Hazard Ray, Acc. FHL. 2007.011, 2020.029, 2021.003.

Photographs removed to PA 177.

Bonnet and dress belonging to Anna M. Davis Jackson transferred to Relics.

Brooklyn Friends School track awards, 1916 and 1917. Awarded to George B. Jackson, transfered to Relics.

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Finding Aid Date
2014
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Some of the items in this collection may be protected by copyright. The user is solely responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns to reuse, publish, or reproduce relevant items beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to the law. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/.

Collection Inventory

James M. Jackson, farm daybooks, 1838-1854.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Ms. daybook and accounts of his farm in Quakertown, Pa. Leather-bound volume

Physical Description

1 folder

James M. Jackson, farm daybooks, 1854-1857.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Ms. daybook and accounts. Paperbound notebook.

Physical Description

1 folder

William M. Jackson reminiscences, genealogical research, and letters, 1840-1985.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Reminiscences of childhood of William M. Jackson (1837-1917) in Quakertown, education, and teaching career, ca. 1881. A few original family letters, 1823-- have been tipped into the manuscript. Genealogical information compiled by his son William W. Jackson, and notes and editing by George B. Jackson, his grandson, together with loose genealogical correspondence and other notes are included. Jackson describes his interest in spiritualism in 1881. 1 volume with loose inserts. Obituaries in Friends Intelligencer. Jackson served on the Swarthmore College Board of Managers

Physical Description

1 folder

Diary of William Morris Jackson (typed transcript), 1865.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Subjects: First National Bank in Quakertown, Civil War, Constitutional Amendment prohibiting slavery, death of President Lincoln, Yearly Meeting in Philadelphia, reconstruction of the "rebel states", Assistant Principal at Friends School New York, Byberry Literacy Society

Physical Description

1 folder

Diary of William Morris Jackson, 1866 (typed transcript), 1866.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Subjects: Lectures by Anna E. Dickenson on female education, Westbury Quarterly meeting in NY, Quaker style, need to wear a plain coat, lunar eclipse, New Chapin's Church, Anti-slavery Convention, exhibition of the pupils of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum, working for disabled veterans of Civil War at Cooper Institute, Lucrecia Mott speech

Physical Description

1 folder

Will Walter Jackson, "My Trip Abroad", 1929.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Ms journal of his trip through Europe: NY, Gibraltar, Italy, France, Geneva, England. 1 volume

Physical Description

1 folder

Italy: Books read by Fanny Bacon Jackson, 1950.
Box 1
Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson writings, 1975?, 1983, 1985.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Includes "My first trip abroad", "My religious history", "Economic and Political Corollaries." Typescripts.

Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson, "My Years at E.J. General", n.d.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Comic strip ("How to torture your husband"), Ms draft

Physical Description

1 folder

George Bacon Letters, 1860-1865 (typed transcripts), ca. 1934.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Transcription of correspondence with his wife when serving as an executive officer on a gunboat during the Civil War. The originals were deposited in Princeton University Library by his granddaughter, Josephine Brown. The transcription was made by Josephine Brown's mother.

Physical Description

1 folder

Letter to Josephine Brown from Bryn Mawr College, 1911-1912.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Awarding her a scholarship

Physical Description

1 folder

Scope and Contents

The bulk of the letters are between Alice Gardiner and George B. Jackson during their courtship. Also letters from family and friends, and, particularly, other suitors of Alice. Alice Gardiner (1904d-1981) was the daughter of Alice B. and George N. Gardiner of New York City. Alice and George were married March 10, 1928, in New York.

Anna Davis Jackson to George B. Jackson, 1919-10-26.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Letter from his grandmother with appreciation for his letter; she noted that it was the anniversary of the death of Morris Jackson, his older brother.

Transcription of letters 1-97, 1922-1924.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Typed transcripts by donor, Robin Hazard Ray. Also a thumb drive of transcripts.

Transcription of letters 98-289, 1925-1969.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Typed transcripts by donor, Robin Hazard Ray.

Transcription of undated letters, ca. 1923-1927.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Typed transcripts by donor, Robin Hazard Ray.

Letters received by Alice Gardiner, 1-10, 1921-1922.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

From her mother and friends

Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 11-18, 1923.
Box 4
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 19-38, Jan.-Feb. 1924.
Box 4
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 39-61, Mar.-June 1924.
Box 4
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 62-97, July-Dec. 1924.
Box 4
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 98-124, Jan.-May 1925.
Box 4
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 125-159, June-Dec. 1925.
Box 5
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 160-186, Jan.-May 1926.
Box 5
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 187-207, June-Dec. 1926.
Box 5
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 208-238, Jan.-April 1927.
Box 5
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 239-273, May-Dec. 1927.
Box 5
Scope and Contents

Interesting note dated Nov. 24, 1927, from a relation of George B. Jackson to Alice with congratulations and relating the family story about his great-grandparents, Mary Ann and James Jackson and their involvement in the Underground Railroad.

Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letters, 274-289, 1928-1969.
Box 6
Alice Gardiner and George Jackson letter, undated, ca. 1923-1927.
Box 6
George B. Jackson business correspondence, 1947,1949,1952,1969.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Miscellaneous correspondence and history of his family's foundry, financial report to employees of Edwin Jackson Inc.

Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson correspondence, 1972,1974-1975,1978.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Correspondence with his daughter, Barbara Hazard and others concerning compiling family genealogies and papers, brochure Edwin Jackson fireplace equipment, brochure, etc. Photographs of his father, William Walter Jackson.

Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson family correspondence, 1973-1985.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Most are written to his daughter, Barbara J. Hazard (Bonnie)

Physical Description

1 folder

Correspondence to Barbara Hazard from George B. Jackson, 1974-1976.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Includes Minutes of Brooklyn Friends School with a biography of George Jackson

Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson correspondences, 1977-1987.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Letters to editors, etc, and personal correspondence, including letters from his granddaughter, Katherine. News clippings, letter from Swarthmore College about Lang's scholarship in Jackson's honor.

Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson Swarthmore College correspondence , 1980-1985. 1 folders.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Gifts to Swarthmore College and correspondence with Eugene Lang and Lang's scholarship in Jackson's honor.

Physical Description

1 folders

Thornton family, 1768-1898,n.d.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Family correspondence and genealogy, Presley Thornton's will and correspondence, Mrs. S.E. Brown's notebook with notes of genealogy

Physical Description

1 folder

Thornton, 1806,1932,n.d.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Article on Madam Susan Thornton, inventory, Presley Thornton's will, notes from Virginia Historical Society, markers in Math Cemetery, news clippings, postcards of Bath, NY, letter to Mrs. Brown from Rosalie Thornton Conness

Physical Description

1 folder

Chapin family, 1853,1866, n.d.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Levise Chapin Seymour notes; Chapin genealogy; in memoriam of David M. Chapin, ALS (1866) to Mary Lavinia Chapin from her father with note from her grandfather. Lavinia married George B. Bacon.

Physical Description

1 folder

George Bacon 1857-1860 biographical, n.d., 1865, 1918, 1968.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Biography of George Bacon and his trip to China and Japan, 1857-1860, by his daughter (typed draft). ALS to Lavinia Bacon concerning her daughter.

Physical Description

1 folder

Miscellaneous Jackson family records, 1873-1896, 1937-1952.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Annual Commencement of Friends' Seminary 1888 (Graduate Essay by Will W. Jackson), Ms autobiography of William M. Jackson. See Ser. 2 for typed versions. He describes his father's farm account books, mainly growing fruit trees. Correspondence confirming family record, "The Higher Criticism" by Wm. M. Jackson, Printer's Ink with an article about W.W. Jackson, "Outlines of Universal History." Obituary in Brooklyn Friends news bulletin. Pages from Jackson family Bible, dates 1797-1931.

Physical Description

1 folder

Chapin, York, and Foote, 1810-1825; 1907-1910.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Foote family Association and reunion. Josephine Brown's genealogy, descended from Capt. John Foot: Foot to York to Chapin to Bacon to Brown. Includes 4 ALsS correspondence of Joseph York, 1810-1825

Physical Description

1 folder

Aunt Mary's [Brown?] autobiography and notes, 1909,1986.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Letter from George B. Jackson to other descendants of George and Lavinia Bacon with pedigree tracing back to Alfred the Great, notes on S.S. Mississippi, letter to Silas Brown

Physical Description

1 folder

George Jackson compiled genealogical notes, photocopies, 1976.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Letter from George B. Jackson containing Morris, Jackson, Lyons, Bacon, Branson family genealogy. Apparently sent to "Anne" who kept the originals and returned a photocopy.

Physical Description

1 folder

Bacon Family History, 1922,1953,n.d.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Birth and marriage records for Morris Jackson family, Mary Chapin Bacon Brown's (Josephine's mother) application for membership to the DAR, Fanny Jackson's ALS to George Jackson on death of her daughter, Katherine King Jackson (1922), Certificate of Social Insurance Award, Pedigree, Colonial service of Nathaniel Bacon, Josephine Chapin Brown family history, 1969 (photocopy)

Physical Description

1 folder

George Jackson family history, 1928, 1995, n.d.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Information about Ichabod Price, Susan Moore, and Hugh Jackson, letter to George and Alice from Max and Marion M., Alice Gardiner's correspondence, Marriage annoucement of Alice Gardiner and George B. Jackson, "one line of descent from John Chapin" by Persis E. Boyesen, Seymour family tree, George B. Jackson obituary(1995)

Physical Description

1 folder

Bacon line of Ancestry, 1932.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Bacon genealogy compiled by Mary Bacon Brown

Physical Description

1 folder

Josephine Brown correspondence, 1935-1936,1969.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

TLS with Ms note from Eleanor Roosevelt, news clippings. ALS to George B. Jackson. Brown served as administrative assistant in charge of social work activities for the FERA and WPA,

Physical Description

1 folder

William M. Jackson, n.d.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Photocopy of a typed account of travel with his aunt Florence L. Jackson McIntosh (b. 1870) to West Indies and Central America in 1900

Physical Description

1 folder

George Bacon material, Princeton University, 1970-1973.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Josephine Brown correspondence with Princeton University Library about George Bacon documents and letters that she donated to that institution..

Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson's correspondence with Jean Boardman and Margaret McIntosh Linton, 1977,1992,n.d.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Includes his reminiscences of time spend at Thousand Islands, St. Lawrence Seaway, early 1900s

Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson Correspondence with Myron L. Boardman, 1981.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Morris-Jackson family tree and letter from Boardman praising Jackson for influencing Eugene Lang to attend Swarthmore.

Physical Description

1 folder

George B. Jackson letter to Myron L. Boardman, 1981.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Includes letter concerning George N. Gardiner from the Veterans of the Seventh Regiment

Physical Description

1 folder

George Bement Jackson miscellaneous, 1918-1928.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Includes the obituary of George's brother, Morris B. Jackson (1898-1818, who served with Friends Reconstruction and died of influenza Oct. 1918 after returning to the U.S. with wounded soldiers. Also George Jackson's honorary discharge from Swarthmore College Training Corps.and George and Alice wedding invitation, Church of the Resurrection, New York.

Thornton-Bacon files, 1986,n.d.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

News clipping from Madam Thornton, family tree, letter to Mary from George B. Jackson about Bacon family, letter to G.B. Jackson from Janet M. Collins

Physical Description

1 folder

Transcript of 1684 deed, Elizabethtowne, NJ.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Proprietors of East Jersey to Benjmain Price. Typed transcript. The orginal is stored in Deeds.

Physical Description

1 folder

Miscellaneous documents, 1694,1810,n.d.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

1694 deed between Proprietors of East Jersey and Benjamin Price (in pieces) and ms copy; 1851 inventory of the Estate of William Green of Bucks Co, Pa.; certificates of Ichabod Price, Artillery, 1810; , news clippings, deed, Benjamin Price's Patent,

Physical Description

1 folder

Record of service of George Bacon in the U.S. Navy, 1855-1952.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

1800s records (photocopies) sent to S.E. Brown in 1936, 1862 Registry of Officers of the Navy of the U.S. (Naval records of 1862), 1952 article on letters of George Bacon in The American Neptune: A Quarterly Journal of Maritime History, 2 copies of "Breaking the Chain for Farragut's Fleet at the Forts below New Orleans"

Physical Description

1 folder

Katherine King Jackson photo album , ca. 1916-1920.
Box 6
Scope and Contents

With typed biographical note by the donor. Katherine died at age 14 in May 1920. Her album includes photographs of family homes and in costume as Joan of Arc, May 1919.

Edwin Jackson, Inc., Fireplace Specialists, 1949-1983.
Box 6
Scope and Contents

Includes typescript carbon history of the company written by George B. Jackson, related papers, and an article by Jackson, "Fabled Fireplaces," published in Antiques Magazine, Dec. 1977. The company had its roots in the ironworks of Hugh Jackson (1754-1834). Two of his sons established W. and N. Jackson ironworks in NYC and another son, James, established a business in Philadelphia. Eventually companies merged and became Edwin Jackson, Inc. , New York. In 1979, the company merged with Danny Alessandro, Ltd.

Print, Suggest