An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., The
Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893

THOMAS JACKMAN, one of the representative business men of Port Townsend, who has
taken an active part in the development of the city, was born at Dittisham,
Devonshire, England, February 14, 1834. He was the youngest of seven children
and is the only survivor of his family. His father was a sea captain and in
early life our subject became enamored of a like occupation, and at twelve years
of age left home and followed the sea for three years, leaving his ship at
Buenos Ayres, South America, where he became interested in the sheep business,
first as employee and later proprietor, continuing up to 1855. He then returned
to the sea, and, with a brief experience upon the great lakes, landed at San
Francisco in 1858. He then started for the scene of the Fraser river excitement,
but on arrival at Port Townsend in January, 1859, engaged in the revenue service
on the Jefferson Davis. In 1861 and 1862 he visited the Cariboo and Stickeen
mines, then returned to the revenue service as Master of the cutter, Joe Lane,
and continued until 1863, when he was offered a commission in the revenue
service, but decided to return to private life. He was then placed in charge of
the United States Marine hospital at Port Angeles, and one year later became
Inspector of Customs under Doctor Gunn, collector, and discharged the duties of
that office about eighteen months. He then purchased 160 acres of valuable land
at the head of Port Angeles bay and engaged in farming. In 1869 he entered into
mercantile life, was appointed Postmaster and also secured the mail contract
between Port Townsend, Dungeness and Port Angeles, making weekly trips. In 1873
he closed out all interests and removed to Port Townsend, where he engaged in
business, which he has continued at intervals with very great profit. In 1878 he
engaged in canning clams, but, without knowledge of the business, and associates
proving incompetent, the enterprise was not successful. In 1879 he tried
speculation in mining securities at San Francisco, through which he suffered
heavy loss, but through similar investments in later years he realized a very
large return. In 1889 he became a member of the Eisenbeis syndicate, composed of
Charles Eisenbeis, Henry Landes, H.C. Hill, Joseph A. Kuhn, and the subject of
this sketch. They purchased 800 acres west of town known as the Eisenbeis
addition, which has been cleared, platted, and much of it sold for building
purposes. They are also the builders of the Eisenbeis Hotel, and have brought
about many other notable local improvements. Mr. Jackman was one of the
directors of the Port Townsend Motor Railroad Company, which built the first
street railroad in the city. He is a director of the First National Bank
director of the Port Townsend Southern Railroad, and was an active organizer and
the first treasurer of the Port Townsend Steel Wire and Nail Company, besides
taking a foremost part in the many other enterprises of city development. He was
married at Port Angeles, in 1865, to Miss Cynthia J. Smith, native of Illinois
and sister of Hon. Victor Smith, who came to Puget Sound in the fall of 1861 as
Collector of Customs, by appointment of President Abraham Lincoln. Mr. and Mrs.
Jackman have no children surviving. At present (1893) Mr. Jackman is president
of the Mt. Olympus Water Company, a position he also filled two years ago.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in January 2004 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.