Edward Jackson

     Edward was born before 3 February 1603/4 in Stepney [Greater London], County Middlesex, England. On 3 February 1604, he was christened at Stepney [Greater London], County Middlesex, England. Edward married Frances (?) on 2 December 1629 in Stepney [Greater London], County Middlesex, England. Edward resided in the parish of White Chapel. He followed the trade of nail maker. In 1643, Edward purchased land in Cambridge Village, of Samuel Holley. In 1645, he took the Freeman's oath. In 1646, he purchased a farm, in Cambridge Village, of five hundred acres, of Gov. Bradstreet, for L140, long known as the Mayhew farm, - Bradstreet having purchased it of Thomas Mayhew, of Watertown, in 1638, with all the buildings thereon, for six cows. This five hundred acre farm, commenced near what is now the division line between Newton and Brighton, and extended westward, including what is now Newtonville, and covering the site where Judge Fuller's mansion house once stood. The site where Gen. Michael Jackson's mansion house stood, was near the centre of the Mayhew farm; and a few rods nearer the brook, stood the old dwelling house conveyed with the farm, in Mayhew's deed to Bradstreet; - of course it was built previous to 1638, and therefore highly probably that it was the first dwelling house built in Newton; the cellar hole - now almost filled - a few rods from the brook, is still visible. In the laying out of the old highway, in 1708, (long since discontinued) which passed by the old house, the description is, 'crossing the brook near where the old house stood.' The house which was erected before 1638, was gone before 1708; it had stood about the allotted space of three score years and ten. It may have been the first residence of Edward Jackson, Sen., in Cambridge Village, from his first coming and his marriage, in 1649, and for many more years. At his death, in
1681, his then dwelling house stood about three-quarters of a mile easterly, near the line of Brighton, and about twenty rods northerly, from the road to Rox. It is described in his inventory as a spacious mansion, with a hall, - designed, no doubt, for religious meetings. He was chosen one of the Deputies (Representative) from Cambridge, to the General Court, in 1647, and continued to be elected to that office annually, or semi-annually, for seventeen years in all, and was otherwise much engaged in public life. One of the Selectmen of Cambridge, 1665; Chairman of a committee, with Edward Oakes and Lieut. Gov. Danforth, appointed by the town of Cambridge 1653, to lay out all necessary highways in Cambridge, on the south side of Charles River; Chairman of a committee, with John Jackson, Richard Park, and Samuel Hyde, 'to lay out and settle highways, as need shall require, in Cambridge Village;' one of the Commissioners to end small causes, in Cambridge, several years. He was constantly present with the Rev. John Eliot, at his lectures to the Indians, and of the answers of Mr. Eliot. He was one of the proprietors of Cambridge, and in
the division of the common lands, in 1662, he had four acres; and in 1664, he had thirty acres. He was also a large proprietor in the Billerica lands, and in the division of 1652, he had four hundred acres, which, by his will, he gave to Harvard College, together with other bequests. He was the author and first signer of a petition to the General Court, in 1678, praying that Cambridge Village might be set off from Cambridge, and made an independent town by itself, - which petition was granted, in 1679, notwithstanding the powerful opposition of Cambridge, which, in its bitter remonstrance, voluntarily bears strong and honorable testimony of Edward Jackson. After saying many hard words about the petitioners, it adds: 'We would not be understood to include every particular person, for we acknowledge that Mr. Jackson brought a good estate to the town, as some others did, and hath not been wanting to the ministry, or any good work among us, and therefore we would not reflect upon himin the least.' Capt. Edward Johnson's History of New England contains a short notice of the characters of many of the leading men of his time, among whom he classes Edward Jackson, and says, 'he could not endure to see the truths of Christ trampled under foot, by the erroneous party.' ................ His inventory contained upwards of sixteen hundred acres of land, and amounted to £2,477, 19s, 6d. It also included two men servants, appraised at £5 each. He was probably the first slave-holder in Newton.....He divided his lands among his children, in his life time, putting up metes and bounds. It is a remarkable fact, in relation to these two brothers, John and Edward Jackson, that while Edward had but three sons, and John five, there are multitudes of Edward's posterity, who bear his name, and only five of John's. Forty-four of Edward's descendants were in the Revolutionary Army, from Newton, and no one of John's. Now there are but three families in town, of Edward's descendants, that bear his name." Edward married Elizabeth Newgate on 14 March 1649 in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Edward departed this life on Thursday, 17 July 1681 in Cambridge, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.