The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-13

After q lingering illness of several
months John G. Jackson died yesterday
afternoon at his home near Hookessin,
aged 80 years.
John G. Jackson, surveyor, civil engineer
and astronomer, has occupied unique
position In the community for more than
quarter of u cent1ry.
Born In New Castle county on Septem
Der y, 1878, he was descended from En-
glish ancestry OF much distinction and in.
tegrity, his parents being Thomas and
Jane Jackson. The latter was u daughter
of John Griffith, and was of almost pure
Welsh ancestry descending directly fro IN
Llewcllyn Griffith, said to have boon one
of tho last native Princes of Wales and
. occupying castle on the coast OF Cardi.
ganshiro.
Mr.. jackson, while rot devout follow.
or Of tho tenets of Fox, still admired tho
simplicity Of the lives of the Quakers to-
gethor with their integrity Of character
sterling worth and sincerity Of purpose
According to his own admission, his
ambition lay In his desire to he known as
member Of the great human brother
hood" searcher after truth In all Its
highest and purost manifestations.
He was Spiritualist In every sense Of
the word, and advocated seeking salvation
by acquiring knowledge Of any yielding
due obedience to the divine and inexorable
laws Of ones being, rather than worship.
ing according to the teachings Of what he
regarded as inventions of more "barbar-
Gus age" than this
Aftor an carly education In the public
schools, he attended the Wosttown Board
ing School, under the tuition of Enoch
Lewis, n noted mathematician and philos.
opher. Of his time. Young Jackson first
became Il teacher and then u lecturer on
astronomy and other branches of natural
philosophy. Finally, about 1898, with the
aid OF tho bost tables of tho planet Venus
then accessible, he made the needful cal
culations for the projection of tho transit
Of that planet across the suns disc to oc.
cur in 1882, forty five years thereafter.
States by David RittcnhouSe in 1869.
Rclinqushing his position at Westown,
owing to failing health, young Jackson
then took up the business of a surveyor
with Thomas Williamson, q Philadelphia
conveyancer. He followed this occupa-
tion number of years, during which
time he made many important surveys,
among which was the survey of tho Della
ware and Western Railroad, having been
elected n director and afterwards chief
engineer of the road lie assisted In Its
organization with the lato Joshua Il.
Hcald.
Ho served successfully as Notary Public,
Justice of the Peace, Representative to
tho General Assembly and State Senator
and when in tho tall Of 1878 an effort was
made to organize a Greenback party in
Delaware, he consented to allow his name
to be placed on the ticket for Representa-.
tive in Congress. There being no Repub'
lican candidate IN the field that year he
received onefourth of the vote of the
State. Had he consented to make an
active canvass his friends admit that he
might have been elected TO the office.
Though retired from active life for
several years prior to his death, Mr.. jack
son has spent much Of his time in his
astronomical observations. In 1892 he
observed tho transit of Venus, co.oporat.
ing with other astronomers and being as
sisted by Professor Harknoss, of the
Washington Naval Observatory, who was
then president Of the transit commission.
He has also written q number OF pUens
has contributed to certain literature and
among his papers are prose writings upon
the topics of the day.
His funeral will take place on Monday
afternoon. Teams will meet the 1l30
train ut Mill Creek station.