JACKSON

Jackson Automobile Co. (1903-1923)

Jackson, Michigan

This is a Jackson radiator emblem (c1912)      mjs
Size: 95mm wide 50mm high    MM: Robbins

Byron J. Carter built his first gasoline automobile in 1899, and then went on to build a steam Stanhope in 1901 called the Michigan. In 1902 Byron Carter and others incorporated the Jackson Automobile Company for the manufacture of steam and gasoline cars. The steam car was called Jaxon and was built for 1903 only. Jackson gasoline cars continued to be manufactured but Byron Carter left to develop a friction-drive and to build the Cartercar.

The Jackson was a conventional but well-built and durable automobile. The first Jackson was a one-cylinder runabout but a two-cylinder model arrived in 1904, a four-cylinder model in 1906, a six-cylinder model in 1913 and a V-8 model in 1916. Jackson introduced light commercial vehicles, including vans, based on the passenger car chassis in 1907. Jacksons were marketed as Olympic, Majestic and Sultanic in 1913 to 1915, and as Wolverine models for 1917 and 1918.

In 1918 the factory was converted to include production of trucks for the First World War effort. As car production dropped, Jackson lost many of its dealers. In 1919 Jackson manufactured solely for the war effort and no Jackson cars were produced. Passenger cars returned to the line in 1920 but were not well made. Jackson was then in serious trouble over shortage of finance. In 1923 Jackson merged with the Dixie Flyer (see Dixie Flyer) and National (see National) to form Associated Motor Industries but by the end of the year Jackson was finished.

Emblems

The first Jackson cars did not carry an emblem but did display the Jackson name on a small cast metal  maker's serial plate attached to the body of the car similar to the example shown below:

This is a Jackson maker's serial plate (c1906)    mjs
Size: 89mm wide 27mm high

Some original photos from 1906 show a brass "Jackson" script attached to the radiator, see example below:

This original photo shows a Jackson radiator script (1906)     dpl

Radiator scripts were displayed on Jackson cars up to about 1910. Original Jackson radiator scripts are rare, see examples below:

This is a Jackson radiator script (c1906)     mjs
Size: 295mm wide

This is a Jackson radiator script (c1908)     dnc
Size: 303mm wide

The Jackson name was also displayed on the sill plates from about 1908, see examples shown below. Original Jackson sill plates are rare.

This is a Jackson sill plate (c1908-1912)    roc
Size: 330mm wide 44mm high

This is a Jackson sill plate (1911)    conceptcarz

The first diamond-shaped Jackson radiator emblem appeared in 1910, see original photo below:

This is a Jackson car showing a radiator emblem (1910)    dpl

There are several different versions of the diamond-shaped Jackson radiator emblem, presumably for use on the many different Jackson models, but it is not easy to identify specific dates of use with any real certainty. 

The following black on white enamel Jackson radiator emblem is seen on a surviving but original Jackson Model 41 from 1911 and also appears in a Jackson advertisement in 1920. This Jackson radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Jackson radiator emblem (1911-c1920)     ms
Size: 94mm wide 57mm high    MM: Unknown

The following white on black enamel Jackson radiator emblem is the same design as the emblem shown above and has been seen on a surviving Jackson cars from 1912 and 1916.  The same emblem has also been reported as being still in use in 1920. This Jackson radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Jackson radiator emblem (1912-c1920)    mjs
Size: 94mm wide 57mm high     MM: Whitehead & Hoag

The following blue on white enamel Jackson radiator emblem is seen on some other surviving but original Jackson cars from 1911. This Jackson radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Jackson radiator emblem (possibly 1910-1911)      mjs
Size: 90mm wide 50mm high     MM: Unknown

The following black on white enamel Jackson radiator emblem is seen on surviving but original Jackson cars from 1912. This Jackson radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Jackson radiator emblem (c1912)     mjs
Size: 95mm wide 50mm high    MM: Robbins

The following white on black enamel radiator emblem has the same basic design as the Jackson radiator emblem shown immediately above. It is possible that this Jackson radiator emblem was used for the first six-cylinder models introduced in 1913, but I cannot confirm this. This Jackson radiator emblem is very rare.

This is a Jackson radiator emblem (poss c1913)     mjs
Size: 95mm wide 50mm high    MM: Ford Metal Speciality

The following advertisement for the new Jackson eight-cylinder model in 1916 does not show any radiator emblem:

Jackson Eight ad showing no emblem (1916)   ms

If you can confirm the full dates of use of any of the Jackson radiator emblems shown above, please let me know, in order to update this post.