James Jackson (historian) facts for kids
James Jackson was a church leader, also known as a clergyman, who lived a long time ago. He is famous for writing a very detailed book about the families in the village of Brixworth. He was the vicar (a type of church leader) in Brixworth from 1735 until he passed away in 1770. His special book was one of the first complete records of families and their history in a village.
Contents
Who Was James Jackson?
James Jackson was the son of Judas Jackson.
He married Elizabeth Benwell, who passed away in 1754. She was from a town called Henley-on-Thames. James and Elizabeth had seven children together:
- Elisabeth (born 1734)
- William (1735/6-1785)
- Anne
- John (1738-1775)
- Nanny (born 1741)
- Mary (born 1743)
- James (born 1745)
His Life as a Church Leader
James became a deacon in the church in 1725 and then a priest in 1725 or 1726. This meant he was ready to lead church services and help people. Before he came to Brixworth, he likely lived in a town called Reading. We know this because his own records show that he got married there. Also, his first three children were baptized (a church ceremony) in Reading, and his daughter Anne was buried there.
In 1735, James became the vicar of Brixworth. He stayed in this important role for 35 years, until he died.
The Brixworth Family Book
While he was the vicar in Brixworth, James spent a lot of time creating a special book. This book was a detailed record of all the families in Brixworth, going back to the 1500s! He included information from the church's official records, called parish registers. He also added things he knew personally about the families.
His book is very helpful because it tells us about people who moved into the village or left it during the 1700s. He organized the entries by family name, showing how everyone was related. He made it clear which christenings, marriages, and burials belonged to the same person. Even after James passed away, some new events were added to his book for a few years. This amazing book was never officially printed, but the original handwritten copy is kept safe at the Northamptonshire Record Office.
His Final Years
James Jackson passed away on December 23, 1770. He was buried in Brixworth four days later. His will, which is a legal document about his belongings, was officially approved in January 1771.
