# John Holmes Jackson

John Holmes Jackson (March 21, 1871 – December 15, 1944) was an American dentist and politician who served as the 24th and 26th Mayor of Burlington, Vermont. He represented Burlington in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1921 to 1923.
Jackson was born in Montreal, Canada, and educated in Kingston, Ontario, before graduating from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery. His family was active in politics with his brother Samuel Hollister Jackson being elected lieutenant governor and his father-in-law being Bradley Smalley. He moved to Burlington in 1896, and became active in politics in the 1910s with an unsuccessful campaign for school commissioner as a Progressive.
The Democratic Party gave its mayoral nomination to Jackson in 1917, and he defeated incumbent Albert S. Drew. Jackson never lost a mayoral election and sometimes received both the Republican and Democratic nominations. He oversaw Burlington's response to the Spanish flu and Great Depression while also reforming its garbage collection system, motorizing the fire department, hiring its first female police officer, and replacing its trolley system with busses. Jackson and James Edmund Burke opposed each other in the 1929 and 1931 elections, but Jackson endorsed Burke to be his successor.
Jackson was a delegate to multiple state and national conventions, serving as the chair of the Democratic delegation to the 1920 national convention and receiving a vote during the presidential balloting of the 1924 convention. He unsuccessfully ran for governor in 1922, and lieutenant governor in 1930.

## Early life

John Holmes Jackson was born in Montreal, Canada, on March 21, 1871, to Samuel Nelson Jackson (1838–1913) and Mary Ann Parkyn (1843–1916). His father, a Canadian born to American parents, was a Congregationalist pastor who attended the International Congregational Council in 1891. Jackson was educated in Kingston, Ontario, and graduated from the Collegiate Institute in Kingston.
In 1890, Jackson graduated with a dental degree from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery in the United States, and performed dentistry in Barre, Vermont, before moving to Burlington, Vermont, in 1896. He was appointed to the Vermont State Dental Society's executive committee in 1899, became president in 1903, and was appointed to Vermont's board of dental examiners by Governor Charles J. Bell in 1904.

## Early politics

Jackson ran for a seat on the Burlington school commission from the 6th ward with the Bull Moose nomination in 1913, but placed third behind Republican nominee Roy L. Patrick and Democratic nominee John W. Coffey. In 1914, was selected as a committee-member for the Burlington Bull Moose Party from the 6th ward and was a delegate to the party's state convention.

## Mayor
### Elections

The Burlington Democrats gave their mayoral nomination to Jackson on February 16, 1917, by a unanimous vote. He defeated incumbent Republican Albert S. Drew by ten votes. He defeated Republican nominees Harris R. Watkins in 1919, and William B. McKillip in 1921.
Roy L. Patrick, the president of the board of aldermen, declined to seek the Republican mayoral nomination in 1923. State Senator Martin S. Vilas put forward Jackson for the nomination and the Republican caucus accepted it. It was the first time in Burlington's history that the Republicans endorsed the Democratic mayoral candidate and Jackson won without opposition. The Democratic caucus gave its nomination to Jackson on February 4, 1925, but he declined to run on February 7. Republican Clarence H. Beecher was elected to succeed him. Jackson was appointed to a five-year term as a Burlington park commissioner after leaving office.
In 1929, Jackson defeated James Edmund Burke for the Democratic nomination and also received the Republican nomination. Burke claimed that Jackson won the Democratic nomination due to it being packed with Republicans. He defeated Burke, running as an independent, in the general election after the two participated in a debate hosted by the League of Women Voters.
Burke backed a group of successful anti-Jackson candidates in the 1930 elections, including one elected to the board of aldermen. In 1931, Jackson lost the Democratic nomination to Burke, but won the election as the nominee of the People and Republican parties. Jackson declined to run for reelection in 1933 and endorsed Burke, who won. The Republicans wanted Jackson to run for mayor in 1935, but he declined to do so and supported Burke again.

### Tenure

During the Spanish flu outbreak Jackson opened a dispensary in city hall to sell whisky for medical use. The city started distributing 1,200 loaves of bread per week in 1932 in response to the Great Depression. A report on November 1, 1932, showed that 563 families, including 1,421 children, were reliant on the city's charity department. The charity department's expenses rose from $20,982.51 in 1923, to $34,151.06 in 1928, and $101,460.83 in 1932.
Jackson created the position of police matron within the police department with the purpose of providing assistance to women and investigating housing conditions, but this not have the power to arrest anybody. He appointed Edith McCully, but the resigned on October 22, 1917, and the position was vacant until N.E.L. Austin was appointed on June 1, 1918. She held the position for 21 years and became the city's first female police officer in 1920. Patrick J. Russell, the chief of police since 1903, died on July 29, 1931, and Patrick J. Cosgrove was appointed to replace him on September 12.
Prior to 1922, garbage in the city was collected by seven men with teams on eight routes. The system was reformed and expanded so that four men, with a wagon of their own that contained a zinc-lined box, collected garbage in the city that was now divided into four sections. The garbage was dumped at the University of Vermont's farm.
The mayoral salary was raised from $500 per year to $1,500 per year in 1918. The fire department was motorized during Jackson's tenure. The city's trolley system, which was formed in 1885, was transformed into a bus system in 1929, and a trolley car was ceremonially burned on August 4.
Composition of the Board of Aldermen :
| Year | President | Ward 1 | Ward 1 | Ward 2 | Ward 2 | Ward 3 | Ward 3 |
| 1917 | Eugene A. Luck | C.L. Woodbury | Roy Lamson | Eugene A. Luck | George J. Gratton | Charles Caise | Edward B. Bessette |
| 1918 | Eugene A. Luck | C.L. Woodbury | George D. McBride | Eugene A. Luck | F.A. Deyette | Charles Caise | Edward B. Bessette |
| 1919 | C.L. Woodbury | C.L. Woodbury | George D. McBride | Clarence H. Beecher | F.A. Deyette | Charles Caise | Edward B. Bessette |
| 1920 | C.L. Woodbury | C.L. Woodbury | George D. McBride | Clarence H. Beecher | F.A. Deyette | Charles Caise | J.E. Larocque |
| 1921 | Roy L. Patrick | W.H. Crockett | George D. McBride | Michael Frank | F.A. Deyette | John B. Lambert | J.E. Larocque |
| 1922 | Roy L. Patrick | W.H. Crockett | H.A. Richardson | Michael Frank | Clarence H. Beecher | John B. Lambert | Charles Caise |
| 1923 | Clarence H. Beecher | W.H. Crockett | George L. Edwards | Barnet Frank | Clarence H. Beecher | B.A. Altieri | Charles Caise |
| 1924 | George L. Edwards | W.H. Crockett | George L. Edwards | Barnet Frank | Ralph H. Robinson | B.A. Altieri | Charles Caise |
| 1929 | Harry C. Wheelock | D.H. Cameron | Sedgwick A. Rand | Frank H. Brown | J. W. Stevens | William Delorme | William Thynne |
| 1930 | Harry C. Wheelock | D.H. Cameron | Sedgwick A. Rand | Frank H. Brown | J. W. Stevens | William Delorme | William Thynne |
| 1931 | Harry C. Wheelock | D.W. Doane | Sedgwick A. Rand | Merton W. Preston | J. W. Stevens | Charles Caise | William Thynne |
| 1932 | F.W. Shepardson | D.W. Doane | Roswell Bromley | Merton W. Preston | John J. Burns | Charles Caise | Ernest A. Limoge |
| Year | President | Ward 4 | Ward 4 | Ward 5 | Ward 5 | Ward 6 | Ward 6 |
| 1917 | Eugene A. Luck | Victor A. Bergeron | Harold F. Wakefield | F.W. Baylies | Arthur G. Mansur | J. Lindley Hall | Charles L. Dolan |
| 1918 | Eugene A. Luck | Victor A. Bergeron | Frank Dwyer | Jed P. Ladd | Arthur G. Mansur | J. Lindley Hall | Charles L. Dolan |
| 1919 | C.L. Woodbury | Victor A. Bergeron | Frank Dwyer | Jed P. Ladd | Edward Hanbridge | J. Lindley Hall | Roy L. Patrick |
| 1920 | C.L. Woodbury | Edward H. McGrath | Frank Dwyer | E.O. Mitiguy | Edward Hanbridge | William H. Wilson | Roy L. Patrick |
| 1921 | Roy L. Patrick | Edward H. McGrath | Frank Dwyer | E.O. Mitiguy | Edward Hanbridge | William H. Wilson | Roy L. Patrick |
| 1922 | Roy L. Patrick | Edward H. McGrath | Frank Dwyer | Lewis G. Irwin | Edward Hanbridge | William H. Wilson | Roy L. Patrick |
| 1923 | Clarence H. Beecher | Edward H. McGrath | Joseph E. Moore | Lewis G. Irwin | D.L. Sanders | William H. Wilson | Lyman P. Wood |
| 1924 | George L. Edwards | Edward H. McGrath | Joseph E. Moore | Lewis G. Irwin | D.L. Sanders | R.L. Soule | Lyman P. Wood |
| 1929 | Harry C. Wheelock | Charles Ables | Hugh L. Finnegan | Frank S. Lanou | Harry C. Wheelock | F.W. Shepardson | Ben B. Lane |
| 1930 | Harry C. Wheelock | Charles Ables | Hugh L. Finnegan | Frank S. Lanou | Harry C. Wheelock | F.W. Shepardson | John H. Patrick |
| 1931 | Harry C. Wheelock | Charles Ables | Hugh L. Finnegan | Frank S. Lanou | Harry C. Wheelock | F.W. Shepardson | John H. Patrick |
| 1932 | F.W. Shepardson | Charles Ables | Hugh L. Finnegan | Frank S. Lanou | Louis F. Dow | F.W. Shepardson | Ethan V. Howard |

## State politics

Jackson defeated Republican nominee Levi P. Smith for a seat in the Vermont House of Representatives representing Burlington in 1920, and served one term. He was chair of the suffrage and elections committee. He received the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1922, with Harry C. Shurtleff as lieutenant governor, but he was defeated by Republican nominee Redfield Proctor Jr. in the election. The Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial nomination was given to Jackson in 1930, but he lost to Republican nominee Benjamin Williams in the general election.
The 1920 Vermont Democratic Convention, which Jackson was a delegate to, selected him as one of the delegates to the national convention. Jackson was the chair of the Democratic delegation while his brother Horatio Nelson Jackson was chair of the delegation to the Republican National Convention. Charles L. Woodbury, president of the board of aldermen, served as acting mayor while Jackson was at the convention.
Seven of Vermont's eight delegates to the 1924 Democratic National Convention were selected without opposition. Jackson was a delegate to the 1924 state convention and defeated J.P. Kelly to become a delegate. Jackson returned to Burlington during the convention to resume his duties as mayor and was replaced by alternate delegate George R. Stackpole. Arthur H. Gleason, another member of Vermont's delegation, voted for Jackson on the 39th presidential nomination ballot.
During the 1928 presidential election Jackson was a delegate to the state convention, vice-chair of the Al Smith for President Club in Chittenden county, and chair of the Smith for President club in Burlington. Jackson and his wife were delegates to the 1932 state convention and his wife attended the national convention as a delegate with 1/2 a vote. The 1936 state convention, which Jackson was a delegate to, elected him as a delegate to the national convention, but he was replaced by alternate delegate Fred C. Martin due to him being sick.

## Later life

Jackson was appointed director of the Federal Housing Administration in Vermont in 1934, and served until his death, after which Frederick C. Hinchey was appointed. During World War II, Jackson, James J. Carney, and Phillips M. Bell were appointed by Governor William Wills to serve as Burlington's rationing board. On December 15, 1944, Jackson died at the Bishop DeGoesbriand Hospital and was buried at the Lakeview Cemetery.

## Personal life

Samuel Hollister Jackson, Jackson's brother, became the lieutenant governor of Vermont and died during the Great Vermont Flood of 1927 while his other brother Horatio Nelson Jackson was the first person to cross the United States in a car.
Jackson was put on trial in 1894 for interfering with an officer while he was beating a criminal and was found not guilty. He was one of 373 people in Vermont and one of 43 in Burlington to own a registered car in 1905.
Jackson married Caroline Deming Smalley, with whom he had one child, on June 4, 1901. Caroline was the daughter of Bradley Smalley, a member of the Democratic National Committee, and granddaughter of David Allen Smalley. After his death, the couple donated land that formerly belonged to Caroline's father to become a park in Burlington. During Jackson's career as mayor he appointed Caroline to the library board of commissioners.

## Electoral history

1913 Burlington, Vermont School Commission 6th Ward election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John W. Coffey | 184 | 43.40% |
| | Republican | Roy L. Patrick | 152 | 35.85% |
| | Progressive | John Holmes Jackson | 88 | 20.75% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 424 | 100.00% |
1917 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson | 1,416 | 50.11% |
| | Republican | Albert S. Drew (incumbent) | 1,410 | 49.89% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,826 | 100.00% |
1919 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson (incumbent) | 2,149 | 52.68% |
| | Republican | Harris R. Watkins | 1,930 | 47.32% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,079 | 100.00% |
1920 Vermont House of Representatives election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson (incumbent) | 3,009 | 50.62% |
| | Republican | Levi P. Smith | 2,935 | 49.38% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,944 | 100.00% |
1921 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson (incumbent) | 1,941 | 56.80% |
| | Republican | William B. McKillip | 1,476 | 43.20% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,417 | 100.00% |
1922 Vermont gubernatorial election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson | 2,961 | 99.20% |
| | Democratic | Write-ins | 24 | 0.80% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 2,985 | 100.00% |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Redfield Proctor Jr. | 49,161 | 71.97% |
| | Prohibition | Redfield Proctor Jr. | 1,943 | 2.84% |
| | Total | Redfield Proctor Jr. | 51,104 | 74.82% |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson | 17,059 | 24.97% |
| | Independent | Write-ins | 144 | 0.21% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 68,307 | 100.00% |
1929 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson | 162 | 52.09% |
| | Democratic | James Edmund Burke | 149 | 47.91% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 311 | 100.00% |
| General election |||||
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson | | |
| | Republican | John Holmes Jackson | | |
| | Total | John Holmes Jackson | 3,426 | 59.27% |
| | Independent | James Edmund Burke | 2,354 | 40.73% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 5,780 | 100.00% |
1930 Vermont gubernatorial election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson | 1,720 | 99.88% |
| | Democratic | Write-ins | 2 | 0.12% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,722 | 100.00% |
| General election |||||
| | Republican | Benjamin Williams | 49,635 | 69.97% |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson | 21,301 | 30.03% |
| | Independent | Write-ins | 1 | >0.01% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 70,937 | 100.00% |
1931 Burlington, Vermont mayoral election :
| Primary election |||||
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | James Edmund Burke | 403 | 51.21% |
| | Democratic | John Holmes Jackson (incumbent) | 384 | 48.79% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 787 | 100.00% |
| General election |||||
| | People's | John Holmes Jackson (incumbent) | | |
| | Republican | John Holmes Jackson (incumbent) | | |
| | Total | John Holmes Jackson (incumbent) | 3,743 | 53.75% |
| | Democratic | James Edmund Burke | 3,066 | 44.03% |
| | Independent | Ernest A. Limoge | 155 | 2.23% |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 6,964 | 100.00% |