Grayson County TXGenWeb

Mary Rebecca Jackson
1839 - 1918
w/o Samuel A. Jackson

Jennie Jackson
1866 - 1948
d/o Samuel A. & Mary Rebecca Jackson

The Denison Press
Friday, September 3, 1948

Chose to Live Single To Serve in Larger Way as Miss Jackson
(By A Staff Writer)

When the death of Miss Jennie Jackson was chronicled here Sunday her long half a century as a servant of humanity teaching school and shaping the lives of literally thousands of Denison youth, there were those here who recalled a trying experience in her life as a young lady.
Still living in the community over near an inland town in Fannie county are men and women who recall the event. It was to be her wedding hour. The guests were all there, the parson and the groom. The wedding feast was set in a neighbor's home to be the scene of a happy evening admist cutting cakes and showers of good wishes.
But the bride, at the last minute, decided she would not go through with the wedding. She had decided to remain single. And single she did remain all through the years down to her death at 83 years of age.
Those who knew her work as a teacher, public servant always at altruistic job, like the life of Jane Adams, Florence Nightingale, and the others, Jennie Jackson devoted herself to working incessantly at some public task. The impact of her great soul was left indelibly on thousands of Denison's students.
It is physically true that she nursed on her knee the great Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, but she has nursed thousands of our youth in her heart as she worked with them patiently to develop the intent possibilities resting in their lives.
Born in Paris April 28, 1864 as the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel A. Jackson, her schooling was in the main at Bonham under the leadership of the late Charles Carlton at Carlton college. She started her Denison teaching career in 1888. On retiring in 1935 from active teaching, she had rounded out 53 years in the schools of Denison.
When her body was laid to rest here at Fairview cemetery following services at the First Presbyterian church with Rev. Edward Bayless officiating, her physical presence passed from our sight but her life will live for untold years through those upon whom she implanted the fine sensibilities regnant in her own soul.
The founder of Hull House said one time that it behooved some to remain single all their lives in order to do their best work and give unstintingly of their labors.
That Miss Jennie Jackson did in a beautiful way.
She chose the lone path as to the marriage vows at a crucial hour, but that choice gave Denison and the world in a larger way than we shall ever know a soul as sweet and devoted as ever looked through human eyes.
Our schools should memorialize her by naming one of our school rooms "Jennie Jackson - 1881 - 1935."