Jackson, William, 1759-1828

William Jackson was a military officer in the U.S. Revolutionary War from South Carolina. He was the secretary of the U. S. Constitutional Congress in 1787 and a secretary to George Washington (1789-1791). He was the national secretary for the Society of Cincinnati from 1800-1828.

William Jackson (1759-1828) was George Washington's aide-de-camp and private secretary, and the secretary general of the Society of the Cincinnati.

William Jackson was born in England and was brought to South Carolina as a ward of Owen Roberts. From 1782-1785 he served as an aide to Major General Benjamin Lincoln. Jackson was a secretary at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and was secretary to George Washington from 1789-1791. In 1795 he became a surveyor of customs at Philadelphia. Jackson served as secretary of the Society of the Cincinnati from 1800-1828.

William Jackson was born in England and was brought to South Carolina as a ward of Owen Roberts. From 1782-1785 he served as an aide to Major General Benjamin Lincoln. Jackson was a secretary at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, and was secretary to George Washington from 1789-1791. In 1795 he became a surveyor of customs at Philadelphia. Jackson served as secretary of the Society of the Cincinnati from 1800-1828.

William Jackson was born in Cumberland, England, on March 9, 1759. Orphaned in early youth, Jackson was brought to South Carolina where he was raised under the guardianship of Owen Roberts. During the Revolutionary War Jackson served in the First South Carolina Regiment and later as an aide to Major-General Benjamin Lincoln. He subsequently served as Assistant Secretary of War under Lincoln (1782-1783). In 1787 he was appointed secretary of the Constitutional Convention and in the following year was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar. From 1789 to 1791 Jackson served as personal secretary to President Washington and in 1796 was appointed Surveyor of Customs at Philadelphia. After losing his customs post in 1801 Jackson founded and edited the Philadelphia Political and Commercial Register (1801-1817).

Among his other notable activities Jackson was secretary of the Society of the Cincinnati from 1800 to 1828 and in this capacity was appointed by the surviving officers of the Continental Army to obtain for them an equitable adjustment of their promised half pay.

Jackson died in Philadelphia on December 18, 1828. For further information on his career see the Dictionary of American Biography .