As
I get more memorabilia from my mom, and most recently from a kind, long lost
relation in Maine,
I’m starting to learn more about my history and family. We all have similar stories. We all have history. It provides us an
insight to who we are today. Web technology
allows me to share mine with those who may have an interest.
Rich
Jackson
My paternal grandfather Frank Jackson died when I was five and my grandmother Gertrude remarried Ollie
(O.D.) Hamlin when I was 7. He is
the only grandfather I really remember and I always called him the “Judge”, because he was just that. We continue to have Thanksgiving and
Christmas with his son, Ollie Jr. and his family. The Hamlin’s settled in Lafayette in the 1800’s. Like my family (my
dad’s great grandfather on his mom’s side) they arrived in California in 1849. My grandmother’s maiden name was Cole and her
grandfather Rector E. Cole was the 4th
dentist to practice in Oakland. He was very active with the Board of
Education and became its first president.
He has a street in East Oakland and school
in West Oakland named after him. My middle name is “Cole”, the “C” of
RCJ.
A Jackson Furniture recap:
Jackson Furniture was
located in downtown Oakland
for 76 years. It was established in 1889 by Henry
Kennedy Jackson who settled here from Jefferson,
Maine. The Federal
Building now sits on the footprint of Jackson’s. In 1964 Jackson’s had store locations In Walnut
Creek, Hayward, Oakland
(2), San Francisco (design showroom), and 2 locations within Takashimaya in Japan. We also had stores in Sacramento
and Vallejo for
many years. In 1965 Jackson’s
got into a financial crunch and the bank pulled the plug. My dad held on to Pacifica
Designs (the S.F. showroom and Japan
locations). Many employees owned Jackson’s stock and my
dad bought it all back at face value.
From the Oakland Heritage
Alliance
Jackson’s gift to Berkeley fire
victims
My Great Grandfather's
Obituary #1
My Great
Grandfather's Obituary #2
My
Grandfather’s Obituary
My Grandfather’s Picture
w/ my Grandmother
My Dad’s “Recollections”
and Pacifica Designs
