History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties

"History of Lincoln, Oneida, and Vilas Counties Wisconsin"

Compiled by George O.Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others. Printed in 1924 by H.C.Cooper. Jr. & Co., Minneapoli-Winona MN. ill. 787 pages. The first two hundred pages are history of the three counties, the remainder of the book is biographies.

Biography

Jackson, George H. a former sheriff of Vilas County, of which he was a resident for 21 years, and whose recent beath was a source of much sorrow to all who know him, was born in Rock County, Wisconsin, Sept. 18, 1865, son of George and Anna M. (MILLER) JACKSON. The father, a native of Belfast, Ireland, emigrated in 1856 to Canada. About 1859-60 he came to the States and it was then that he settled in Rock County, Wisconsin. So quickly and thoroughly did he identify himself with the interests of his adopted country that when the Civil War broke out soon after he enlisted in the 13th Wisconsin Infantry as a musician and served until the close of the war, subsequently returning to Rock County this state. In 1868 he went to Floyd, Iowa, where he engaged in agriculture, in which occupation he continued until his death. His wife Anna was a native of Canada. They had a family of ten children: Alexander, now of Waterloo, Iowa; Thomas, of Oklahoma; Louis, of Mason City, Iowa; George H., subject of this sketch; Anna, now Mrs. PAULSON of Osage, Iowa; Robert, of Reno, Minn.; John of Owatonna, Minn.; Leonard, who died in 1916; Letta, now Mrs. PARMALEE of Grand Meadow, Minn., and Melva, now deceased. George H. JACKSON as a boy attended district school in Floyd, Iowa. At the age of ten years he began herding cattle, which occupation he followed until he was 20 years old. In 1884 he went to Nebraska, where during that summer he was employed in a brick yard. Then in the following year he went back to Osage, Iowa, and was there employed for a year as a drayman. In 1886 he went to work for the Morgan-Taneyhill Machine & Foundry Co. to learn the machinist's trade, and in the next year was transferred to the company's plant at Waterloo, Iowa. He remained with that concern for 16 years, at the end of which time his health failed him, and on April 12, 1903 he came to Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis. After remaining a short time in the village he moved to a location on Finley Lake, in the town of Farmington, ten miles west of Eagle River. Here in 1902 he had purchased some 400 acres of cut-over land and he now began to improve it by clearing off the stumps and erecting buildings. By 1920 he had cleared 35 acres, in the meanwhile carrying on agricultural operations, and in that year he sold the place in order to devote all his time to the summer resort business. Into this latter business he had entered in 1905, first developing the Red Oak Resort on Alma Lake, town of Farmington, which place also he sold in 1920 to Walter DEHAAS. He then purchased the old Frank CARLEY homestead on Little St. Germain Lake, a few miles west of his former place, and on which there were four cottages. To these he added five more, equipping all nine for light housekeeping. The resort possesses many natural and artificial attractions and in the season has a considerable patronage. It was here that Mr. JACKSON passed away on Thursday evening, Aug. 23, 1923. His death was not unexpected, hopes for his recovery from pernicious anemia having been given up several months previously. For over a year he had been receiving transfusions in hopes that they would bring him up to his former strength. The funeral services were conducted at the Congregational Church by Rev. W. J. DAVIES, and his remains were interred in the village cemetery. Mr. JACKSON was one of the best known citizens of Vilas County and for many years has rendered the county good service in public office. For six years prior to 1916 he was chairman of the town of Farmington, being the first incumbent of that office and casting the first vote. That position made him automatically a member of the county board. He also served on the jury commission, was five years road foreman and three years highway commissioner. Elected sheriff of Vilas County in 1917, he served in that office for two years; in 1919 and 1920 he was deputy sheriff, and in 1921 be became under-sheriff. During this country's participation in the World War there was not more hardworking man than George JACKSON. While sheriff he was also a member of the county draft board and county council of defense and did yeoman work for his country. He was an American through and through and saw to it that there was no shirking of duties during the war. His strenuous labors brought about the illness that caused his death. In all things he was a man of honor and proved his reliability in every position of trust. Mr. JACKSON was married at Charles City, Iowa, Sept. 18, 1888, to Catherine WILLIS, daughter of Willet A. and Olive C. (GREEN) WILLIS of Osage, Iowa. Her parents were natives respectively of Jefferson County, Kansas, and Waterloo, N. Y., the father being a stonemason by trade. Both are now deceased, Mr. WILLIS passed away Dec. 13, 1915, and Mrs. WILLIS on June 3, 1915. Five children were born to them: Catherine, who married Geo. H. JACKSON; Edith L., now deceased; James B. of Osage, Iowa; Florence, wife of William WILSON and residing in Vilas County, and Charles A., who died in the United States' service during the World War. Mr. and Mrs. JACKSON had seven children, whose records in brief have been as follows: Clara E., born Dec. 18, 1889, is now Mrs. John BODE of Chicago; Willet A., born Sept. 24, 1892, is a farmer in Vilas County; Floyd, born Oct. 9, 1893, now a resident of Eagle River; Pauline M., born May 27, 1905, who died Dec. 2, 1920; Harry, born Oct. 18, 1908, now attending the Eagle River High School; Thelma J., born Oct. 24, 1909, and Iona M., born May 25, 1911. Since her husband's death Mrs. JACKSON has assumed charge of his business interest and is now conducting the Resort and also the farm of 167 acres, of which 70 acres are under the plow, and a store which is operated in connection with the Resort, handling groceries, canned goods, milk, butter, eggs and other provisions. Mrs. JACKSON has also seen public service for seven years as a member of the school board of her district. She was the first woman in Eagle River to drive an automobile and is prominent in social affairs as a member of the Womans' Club of the village, the Earnest Workers and the Women's Christian Temperance Union.

Transcribed by Susan Swanson, from pages 573-574; History of Lincoln, Oneida and Vilas Counties Wisconsin; Compiled by George O. Jones, Norman S. McVean and Others 1924, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co

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