Mrs. Isabelle “Belle” Jackson
Jackson’s Store Shopkeeper, Sherborn Teacher
Information is credited to Alex and Laura Weatherall of Sherborn Fuel, Bob Buntin, Betsy Johnson, Margo Powicki, Kitty Sturgis, George Sturgis, and the Sherborn Historical Society. Thank you all.
Isabelle “Belle” Jackson (Maiden name Wing) was a shopkeeper at the popular present-day “Sherborn Fuel,” which at the time was known as “Jackson’s Store.” Belle was graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Colby College in Maine. In 1918, she moved to Sherborn to teach at the Dowse High School.
According to the Sherborn Historical Society, “The school (Dowse High School) had 2 teachers and 38 students but no electric lights, no hot water, and no flush toilets.” The High School was located where the current Sherborn Town Library is located.
A few months after arriving at Sherborn, Mrs. Jackson met her husband, Johnny Jackson. They wed, and Belle joined Johnny in his work at his “Jackson’s store.” They sold a variety of goods, delivered to homes with their small truck, traded goods, leased the basement to a local barber, and even sold gasoline.
Years later, Belle told the Sherborn Historical society about her experiences with their home delivery service: “When he (Johnny) reached the houses for grocery orders, he saw some very unusual sights, both ludicrous and gruesome. On more than one occasion he found a corpse from heart failure or shock. One poor woman, wife of a seaman who hadn’t been home for months, was dead in her bed while her little boy – under school age – was frantically keeping all the stoves going because she (had been) so cold.”
In 1963, Belle tried to explain to the Historical Society the current patriarchal system in town and said:
“I’m going to try to explain to you why Jackson’s store is still in business in spite of some people’s opinion of its apparent disrepair and dinginess. In 1918 Sherborn was still a small town….The young men had come home from the war and tried to pick up what they had dropped when they enlisted….There was nothing in Sherborn for a young man. They had to find work outside, except those who farmed. After a few months, it became obvious – to the people in the center of town at least – that when an emergency arose they could be sure of finding one man who’d help, and that was Johnny Jackson. The Selectmen appointed John C. Chief of the Fire Department. He was elected constable and drove a school bus at the same time, so to speak. Who can run a successful business and take on this “Mr. Sherborn” deal? Did he make a lot of money doing all these things? Ha ha!”
When asked about children, the Sherborn Historical Society recalls that she responded "The little darlings – we do love them and have some charming pictures over the years – drop their popsicles, step on their chewing gum, spill their tonic, throw their candy wrappers and banana skins, distribute popcorn all over the place." She then described an “occasion to be long remembered. A little boy came in from Sunday School, bought his penny candy and paid for it with his Sunday School drawings. 'These are for you, Mr. Jackson!’"
Belle passed away in 1968.
Jackson’s Store Shopkeeper, Sherborn Teacher
Information is credited to Alex and Laura Weatherall of Sherborn Fuel, Bob Buntin, Betsy Johnson, Margo Powicki, Kitty Sturgis, George Sturgis, and the Sherborn Historical Society. Thank you all.
Isabelle “Belle” Jackson (Maiden name Wing) was a shopkeeper at the popular present-day “Sherborn Fuel,” which at the time was known as “Jackson’s Store.” Belle was graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Colby College in Maine. In 1918, she moved to Sherborn to teach at the Dowse High School.
According to the Sherborn Historical Society, “The school (Dowse High School) had 2 teachers and 38 students but no electric lights, no hot water, and no flush toilets.” The High School was located where the current Sherborn Town Library is located.
A few months after arriving at Sherborn, Mrs. Jackson met her husband, Johnny Jackson. They wed, and Belle joined Johnny in his work at his “Jackson’s store.” They sold a variety of goods, delivered to homes with their small truck, traded goods, leased the basement to a local barber, and even sold gasoline.
Years later, Belle told the Sherborn Historical society about her experiences with their home delivery service: “When he (Johnny) reached the houses for grocery orders, he saw some very unusual sights, both ludicrous and gruesome. On more than one occasion he found a corpse from heart failure or shock. One poor woman, wife of a seaman who hadn’t been home for months, was dead in her bed while her little boy – under school age – was frantically keeping all the stoves going because she (had been) so cold.”
In 1963, Belle tried to explain to the Historical Society the current patriarchal system in town and said:
“I’m going to try to explain to you why Jackson’s store is still in business in spite of some people’s opinion of its apparent disrepair and dinginess. In 1918 Sherborn was still a small town….The young men had come home from the war and tried to pick up what they had dropped when they enlisted….There was nothing in Sherborn for a young man. They had to find work outside, except those who farmed. After a few months, it became obvious – to the people in the center of town at least – that when an emergency arose they could be sure of finding one man who’d help, and that was Johnny Jackson. The Selectmen appointed John C. Chief of the Fire Department. He was elected constable and drove a school bus at the same time, so to speak. Who can run a successful business and take on this “Mr. Sherborn” deal? Did he make a lot of money doing all these things? Ha ha!”
When asked about children, the Sherborn Historical Society recalls that she responded "The little darlings – we do love them and have some charming pictures over the years – drop their popsicles, step on their chewing gum, spill their tonic, throw their candy wrappers and banana skins, distribute popcorn all over the place." She then described an “occasion to be long remembered. A little boy came in from Sunday School, bought his penny candy and paid for it with his Sunday School drawings. 'These are for you, Mr. Jackson!’"
Belle passed away in 1968.
