The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1912-07-26
10th YEAR, mo. &C
NOTHING LIKE OUR BEAUTIFUL
WAYNE COUNTY
Among Its Hills and Lakes is Ideal
Place to Spend Your Vacation
Clock That Has Record in Jack
son Family, Damascus town
shin.

tick of a clock that was made before
matches were invented is a privilege
rarely enjoyed. The writer, how
ever. while on his vacation, has
daily been in the presence of this
grand old clock and listened atten
lively to its story. This faithful
timepiece, standing about seven feet
high, located in the living room OF
the hospitable home of Mr.. and Mrs.
w. l.. Jackson and is about 14O
years old. 1t is encased in cherry
wood. the frame being carved and
highly polished. The weights are
large enough for an athletic dumb
bell. weighing l 4 pounds each. The
dial plate is of hammered brass and
is engraved with figures for hours,
minutes and seconds. 1t is equipped
with a calendar, telling the day of
the month together with many fan
tastic devices One of the latter
bears out the fact that it was made
before matches were invented. The
maker, who was Thomas Jackson, of
Preston, Conn, great grandfather of
William L. and Hon. Clark Jackson,
had no means of telling the time dur
ing the night so in making this
clock he added a contrivance which
would strike a bell at the pulling of
a string attached to the bedpost in
his bedroom upstairs. If it were
1925 o'clock at night and the in
ventor of this now highly priced
clock wanted to know the hour he
would pull the string at the bedpost.
The clock would strike IL until the
minute hand reached 1890, then it
would give the hour of l o'clock and
strike that hour until 2 o'clock and
then so on through the different
hours of the night. This is consid-
cred as one of the curiosities of the
old clock.
1t ticked away the life of Thomas
Jackson, the inventor and maker of
this timepiece, and his grandson,
John Jackson. For over century
and a quarter, amid the revolution
of mankind, through wars and dis
asters and excitements, it has kept
steadily at it's task. 1t hastens not;
it rests not. 1t adopts no modern
follies. 1t minds its own business,
does it's duty, helps all who need its
help, tells the exact truth, and lives
so virtuously that it never knows
sick day TO present its claim or to
hang out any signals of being in the
neighborhood. 1t has licked away
several generations and is modest to
say the least. Mr.. w. l.. Jackson
values this venerable member of his
family beyond price. 1t really seems
a living presence in the household.
The offer OF money for it would lesk
like sacrilege.
A little historical sketch of Thos.
Jackson, maker of this much ad-
mired and ingenious clock, would
not be out of place here. He emf
grated from England a few years be-
fore the Revolution in America.
learning the trade of clock-maker in
merry England. He settled in the
northern part of Preston, Conn, soon
afterwards, setting up for himself,
doing only what he could without
having any help. Here he made the
clock which we have been writing
about. He cast the wheels and other
movements that were made of brass,
pounded the dial by hand, engraved
it, made the casing, finished off the
clock and set it running. That was
about 1875.
When the Revolutionary war broke
out Mr.. Jackson was the first to
volunteer his services in the defense
OF the new country OF which he
had recently sworn allegiance to-
He served as a soldier in the Con
tinental army. His discharge from
service is still in the possession of W
l.. Jackson and reads as follows:
Thomas Jackson, a soldier
in the First Regiment, having
served the term of time for
which he enlisted with reputa-
tion, is hereby discharged from
the Army of the United States
of America"
(Signed),
Col J. Starr, Commander"
Springfield, 4th Apr. $780,"
IN. B.-Mr. Jackson is to
recv. pay and rations until the
18th inst and yictuals to carry
him home.-J. S."
The Jacksons are numbered
among the pioneer and best citizen
of Wayne county. John Jackson
father of William l.. and Hon. II
Clark Jackson, was born in Preston
Conn, in 1912. He followed lumber
ing and farming, moving into Da
mascus township in 1876. He wa
an ardent church worker, havinI
from lS47 to the time of his deaf
in 1892, served as a trustee in tn
Methodist church at Damascus. II
was a member of the building com
mittee of the first Methodist Episco
pal church in that township. TIL
Jackson homestead was a favorit
stopping place for herdsmen VIII
drove cattle from Great Bend I
Newburgh over that turnpike.
The Jackson homestead, which
located on a prominent point ovel
looking beautiful Laurel Lake,
now entertaining IA summer board
ers. 1t is a model home where CON
fort predominates. Mr.. and Mrs. "
l.. Jackson are proverbial for thei
hospitality, in this respect followin
the precedent set by his parents, VIII
were noted for their kind-hearteC
ness. The residence and all SUI
roundings give every evidence of II
fined plenty, being provided wit
everything which goes to max
home delightful.
Mr.. Jaekson's son, Thomas