Evening journal., 1915-04-05
v. H. JACKSON'S
CAREER IS CLOSED
Former Congressman Dies
at His Home in
Salisbury
HE AMASSED
GREAT WEALTH

SALISBURY, Md, April 5.-While
the snowstorm ragged Saturday after
noon the Hon. William II. Jackson,
three times member Of Congress and
the leading citizen of the Eastern
Shore of Maryland. died at his home
here. Because of the prostration OF
the telegraph and telephone wires by
the storm, announcement of the
death could not be communicated to
Mr.. Jackson's relatives and friends
beyond the limits Of the town.
month ago Mr.. Jackson's health
became seriously impaired. His
death at the time was expected He
rallied, howeved, and so marked was
improvement that hopes were enter
tanned that his life would be pro-
longed. though the family were as
sured that permanent recovery could
not be expected. With him when the
end came were his wife, This son, for
mer United States Senator W. p. Jack
son: Mrs. Josiah Marvel, OF Whining
ton, Del. his daughter; his nephew,
Colonel Marion p. Humphreys, and
other relatives.
The funeral will take place Tues
day from Mr.. Jackson's home. Ser
vices will be conducted in Asbury
Methodist Episcopal Church, this city.
MIR. Jackson was not quite a years
old, having been born near what is
now Delmar, on October 10, 1888. He
was the last survivor of five brothers,
who were: E. T.. Jackson, former
nF l1ant-1anIs Colonel NtFfl-
liam f., prominent lumber merchant
and banker, of Baltimore, the father
in-law of Mayor James II. Preston; I;
Watson and Isaac n. All of them
were engaged in lumber manufactur-
ing and all accumulated fortunes.
Mr.. Jackson, after gaining wealth
and prominence as a merchant in
Salisbury and later as lumber
manufacturer with forests in Vir-
ginia. North Carolina and mills in
Salisbury, achieved prominence in
public life. Until 1888 he was identi-
fed with the Democratic party and
supported his brother. the late Gov
ornor, as Democratic candidate for
the House of Delegates and later as
Senator from WicOmicO county, and
then as a candidate for governor.
When the Democratic party, in 1888,
with Grover Cleveland as a caSldidate
for President, made tariff reduction
its paramount issue in the campaign
Mr.. Jackson supported Benjamin
Harris. Republican, for President He
believed in a high tariff. He could
not hold an opinion and then vote
against IL.
Though anchored permanently in
the Republican party, he persistently
refused TO be a candidate for Office
In 1897, nearly nine years after hS
had transferred his allegiance TO the
Republican party, he consented to ac.
cept the nomination of that party fol
State Senator in Wicomico county
Though defeated. he took pride in the
fact that he had reduced the normal
Democratic majority IN the county by
a good sized slice.
A year later he strongly backed his
brother, the late Col. Wilbur +. Jack
son, who was the Republican candi-
date for Congress in the district The
winner of this fight was John Walter
Smith, presert Senator from Mary.
land.
Elected to Congress.
Prevailed upon in 1900 to accept tbs
nomination for Congress by the Re
publicans, Mr.. Jackson defeated Col
John p. Moore, of Worcester county
and two years later he was success
ful against James T. Ellegood, of VII
cOmico. In 1904 he was defeated b.
ThOs. A. Smith, Democrat, whose elec
tion he unsuccessfully contested. Il
1906 he defeated Mr. Smith. In 1905
be was again a candidate, but was de
feated by ]. Harry Covington, now
member of the bench Of the Distric
of Columbia. With this defeat he re
tired actively from politics. He re
tanned his interest in politics to tn
last and was frequently consulte
by party leaders regarding policie
and conduct of campaigns.
The extent of the fortune left b.
Mr.. Jackson is not known. Any esti
mate would be guess work. II is gen
eraly believed that it will be found I
exceed SS.000,000. In addition TO hi
majority interests in the lumber en-
n terprises of the Jackson Company, h
vas a large holder of gildedged rail
E road and other securities. He owne
real estate in half dozen large cities
including Omaha and Washington. Hi
philanthropies were wide and unos
tentatious.
a During his long life he gave ava
more money than any man on tn
Eastern Shore OF Maryland. He Ell
dowed the Peninsula General Hospits
at Salisbury with 100000 He CAV
d $4,000 TO Asbury Methodist Episcops
4 Church (North) Salisbury. He helpe
q TO erect scores OF Methodist churche
on the Eastern Shore. Although b
owned scores of dwellings he had th
4 distinction of never having evicted
Il tenant. He never sued for rent. II
n employed hundreds of men, but theI
is no record of a strike by them.
The careers and successes Of til
4 five Jackson brothers read like
romance. Their Maryland progenite
81 was a native of North Carolina, whit
W discouraged at home, went to Ne
81 Orleans. There he again met dis
couragement, and with his wife an
children set sail for Baltimore. Will
the vessel was at sea the wife died.
Arriving in Baltimore, he establish
ed a home in the northern section
what was then Somerset, but .whic
is now Wicomico county. He was III
great-grandfather of the Jackso
brothers.
William II. Jackson always mao
Salisbury the oqpfro rs III. l,....f..- ..,