Evening star., 1909-05-03
LONG. SERVICE ENDED
DR.. Sheldon Jackson, Famous
Missionary, Dead.
PIONEER OF. FAR NORTH
Was Organizer of the Reindeer Sta
tions in Alaska.
FOUNDER OF UTAHA COLLEGE
Funeral Services to Be Held at
Church of the Covenant To-
morrow Afternoon.

one OF the most active pioneers IN the
cause of advancing education in the far
north. died at Meriwether Hospital, AShe-
vile. y. G.. yesterday mcrning. lie had
been suffering from internal trouble for
several weeks and had gone to the noun
tains of North Carolina about two months
ago. He went to the hospital with the
hope of putting end to the trouble
through an operation.
His Washington home was at the Con
cord. at Oregon and New Hampshire ave-
nues. His body will he brought here this
afternoon and intermcnt will take place
tomorrow. Funeral services were held
yesterday in .Ashevillc. There will also
be services at the Church of the Cavenant
tomorrow at p. M. With him when lie
died was his daughter. Miss Della Jack
son. There is another daughter, an
artist now studying in Rome.
One of the greatest feats, cf the mis-
sionary's life was the organization of
reindeer mail service for the more in
accessible parts of Alaska. At the COM
pletion of this task he presented a, rein
deer to President Roosevelt.
DR.. Jackson was bern in Minavile.
y. Y. in 1854. and graduated from
Princeton Theological. Seminary. in 1875.
lie married Mary VOORHEES, within
short time after his graduation. and to-
gethcr they settled in Indian Territory
as missionaries The climate affected his
health and he was transferred to La
Crescent Mimi. where he held services in
towns and camps which covered great
dius. In 1854 he became paStGr of a
church at Rochester. Mimi. having gen
eral oversight over the work of the south
ern part of the state. and SO continued
until 1869. In that year he appoint
ed superintendent OF the missions of
Idaho. Nebraska. Dakota. Wyoming and
Utah.
Labored Without Salary
He received no salary. but he selected
three missionaries and pledged their sup
port on his own responsibility, and be-
fore the year was closed ten besides him
self we're in the field. and all were pad
largely through the contributions OF
friends. In 1870 he was commissioned
by the board of home missionaries SUI
perintendent of the Presbyterian mis-
sions from Mexico to Canada, and from
Nevada to Nebraska. Fr6m 1869 to 1898
he. travelled nearly 100000 miles. He
was the originator and one of the chief
promoters of the Homan's; executive COM
nrtttee, now the womans board of home
missions. !. In March, 1872. IN addition
to his own duties, Dr.. Jackson established
at Denver Colo, the Rocky Mountain
Presbyterian. and published it until 1881.
Then the paper was transferred to the
BOdFu ol nome missions ana he was
called to the mission home in New York
10 manage it, In 1865 he served in the
hospitals of Tennessee and Alabama. He
was commissioned to the general assem-
bly, in 1850. 1867, 1867. 1870. 1880. 1897,
1898, and in 1907 he was chosen modera-
tor. He assisted in organizing the synod
of ST. Paul in 1850, of Colorado in 1871.
and Washington. IN ls30; the preshyteries
OF Chippewa In 1S09- southern Minnesota
In 1865. Colorado in 1870, Wyoming in
lSl1 Montana 1870 -fat m
Alaska in 1871, having previously organ
ized churches composing these several
presbyteries. -
Built Many Churches.
Over 80 churches owe their. existence
to his labors, which have covered almost
.one-half the area of tie United States
Overtaxed as he was with the labors in
the Rocky mountain regions. his mind
took into consideration the region beyond,
and in August. 1877. he visited Alaska as
the first ordained missionary from the
United States. and located a teacher at
Fort Wrangell. In 1887 he established
the North Star newspaper at Sitka. or
Sanized the Alaska Society of Natural
History and Ethnology. and erected a
public building for museum. Having
been instrumental in securing legislation
organizing the district of Alaska he was
appointed. in 1885. by the government
superintendent of education in Alaska
81. He established schools. erected build
inSs and employed teachers. Having
his sympathies excited by the starving
condition of the natives. he proposed the
introduction of the reindeer and the edu-
cation OF the natives as herders, thereby
providing food and transportation and
material for raiment Private individ-
uals furnished the means for the pur-
chase and the first experiment. which
was successful. In 1893 Congress began
TO make small appropriation, the treas
ury cooperating in furnishing the reve-
nuc cutter Bear for transportation
Whalers Saved From Starving.
In spite of all obstacles. DR.. Jackson in
1879, had supplied eight stations with 1,7CO
deer. In 1897 eight whaling vessels we're
caught in the ice in the Arctic ocean. and
ny order of the Secretary OF the Treasury
the deer AT the two stations were taken
to save the whalers from starvation
In the winter of 1S97-aS DIR. jackson
was sent by the government to Lapland.
Norway. where he purchased $50 reindeer
and secured a colony OF 1i3 Laps for
Alaska. From 1869 to 1898 he delivered
over 5000 missionary addresses Receiy-
ing small inheritance from his parents
lie found he could carry out the long
cherished hope of helping establish "a
Christian college in Utaha, which he did