Jackson was born in Newton, Massachusetts to Timothy Jackson, who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later built the Jackson Homestead in Newton. Siblings included Edmund Jackson, George Jackson, Stephen Jackson, Lucretia Jackson, and politician William Jackson, who was also against slavery. Francis Jackson served on the Boston City Council in 1823–1824 and 1826. In 1832 he held the position of "Land Commissioner" for the city ofBoston. He lived on Washington Street, Tremont Street and Hollis Street. He worked for the South Cove Corporation c. 1833–1840. In Boston "by 1830 the population had increased so much that it was felt that the time had come when more room was needed, and soon afterwards the first grand real estate enterprise was inaugurated by the filling up of the South Cove. The company was chartered Jan. 31st, 1833, and $415,000 was subscribed. The work was begun May 3rd, 1834, under the management of Mr. Francis Jackson, and finished in November 1837. Seventy-seven acres of good land were thus added." As an abolitionist, Jackson assisted fugitive slaves: "he sheltered many in a room of his house, at Number 31 Hollis Street." He was involved with the trial of Anthony Burns in 1854. In 1854 and 1856 he "was called upon to preside" over the New EnglandAnti-Slavery Convention held at the Melodeon. In his will, Jackson left considerable funds to abolitionist and women's suffragist efforts, and wrote about Massachusetts: Jackson also left money to fellow abolitionists and activists Charles C. Burleigh, Lydia Maria Child, Stephen S. Foster, Francis Jackson Garrison, William Lloyd Garrison, Oliver Johnson, Parker Pillsbury, Charles Lenox Remond, Lucy Stone, Robert F. Walcott and Charles K. Whipple. Slavery would be legally abolished in the US just four years after Jackson's death through the 13th Amendment. Some of his relatives, led by his brother Edmund, tried to demolish his anti-slavery trust. However, citing the cy-près doctrine, Justice Horace Gray denied the relatives' claim and converted the trust into an educational charity for former slaves and to better their living condition. Jackson had three children. His daughter Eliza F. Meriam Eddy had two sons and a daughter from her first marriage. One of them, Francis Jackson Meriam, was also in the anti-slavery cause. He joined John Brown in his insurrection against slavers despite being already blind in one eye. Eliza's daughter was the photographer and suffragette, Sarah J. Eddy.
