Horatio Nelson Jackson
Encyclopedia
Horatio Nelson Jackson was a physician and automobile pioneer. In 1903, he and driving partner Sewall K. Crocker
became the first people to drive an automobile
across the United States
.
and Burlington
, Vermont
. He was married to Bertha Richardson Wells, the daughter of William Wells
, a Medal of Honor
recipient and one of the richest men in Vermont, a partner in Wells, Richardson & Co., manufacturer of Paine's Celery Compound, a popular cure-all that was twenty percent grain alcohol
.
Having no mechanical experience, Jackson convinced a young mechanic and chauffeur, Sewall K. Crocker
, to serve as his travel companion, mechanic, and backup driver. Crocker suggested that Doctor Jackson buy a Winton car. He bought a slightly used, two-cylinder, 20hp Winton, which he named the Vermont
, after his home state, bade his wife goodbye, and left San Francisco on May 23, carrying coats, canvas protective suits, sleeping bags, blankets, canteens, a water bag, an axe, a shovel, a telescope, tools, spare parts, a block and tackle, cans for extra gasoline and oil, a camera, a rifle, a shotgun and pistols.
Heeding the failed attempt by automobile pioneer Alexander Winton (founder of the Winton Motor Carriage Company, which manufactured Jackson's car) to cross the deserts of Nevada and Utah, Jackson decided to take a more northerly route. A route through the Sacramento Valley
and along the Oregon Trail
also allowed them to avoid the higher passes in the Rocky Mountains
.
The car was transported by ferry
from San Francisco to Oakland
and points eastward. But only fifteen miles into the journey, the car blew a tire. Jackson and Crocker replaced it with the only spare they had, in fact, the only right-sized spare tire they could find in all of San Francisco.
The second night of their journey, they replaced the side lanterns, having discovered on the first night that they were too dim. They stopped early in Sacramento
to accomplish this. The duo was assisted in Sacramento by bicyclists who offered them road maps. Jackson was unable to buy a new tire, but purchased some used inner tubes.
Going northwards out of Sacramento, the noise of the car covered the fact that the duo's cooking gear was falling off. They were also given a 108-mile misdirection by a woman so that she could send them to the spot where her family could see an automobile.
The rough trek towards Oregon
required them to haul the car across deep streams with the block and tackle. Somewhere along this route, Jackson lost his glasses. They were also forced to pay a $4 ($85.21 in 2005 dollars) toll by an entrepreneur in order to cross his property. When their tires blew out they were required to wind rope around the wheels. Jackson did manage to find a telegraph office and wired back to San Francisco for replacement tires to be transported to them along the journey.
Reaching Alturas, California
, Jackson and Crocker stopped to wait for the tires. They offered locals rides in the car in exchange for a "wild west show". When the tires failed to materialize, however, they continued on after a three-day wait.
On June 6, the car broke down, and they had to be towed to a nearby ranch by a cowboy. Crocker made repairs, but a fuel leak caused them to lose all of their available gasoline, and Jackson rented a bicycle to travel 25 miles to Burns, Oregon
for fuel. After suffering a flat tire on the bicycle, he returned with fuel, and they returned to Burns to fill up.
On June 9, outside of Vale, Oregon
, the Vermont ran out of oil. Jackson walked back to the last town to get oil, only to discover eventually that they had been stopped only a short distance outside of Vale. The next day they arrived in Ontario, Oregon, where supplies waited for them.
Somewhere near Caldwell, Idaho
, Jackson and Crocker obtained a dog, a Pit Bull
named Bud. Newspapers at the time gave a variety of stories of how Bud was acquired, including that he was stolen; in a letter to his wife, Nelson said a man sold him the dog for $15 ($383 in 2010 dollars). It turned out that the dusty alkali flats the travelers encountered would bother Bud's eyes so much (the Winton had neither a roof nor windshield) that Jackson eventually fitted him with a pair of goggles. At one point, Bud drank bad water and became ill, but survived.
At this point, the trio became celebrities. The press came out at every stop to take their picture and conduct interviews. At Mountain Home, Idaho
, citizens warned them that the Oregon Trail was not good further east, so Jackson and Crocker veered off their original course along the southern edge of the Sawtooth Mountains. At Hailey, Idaho
, Crocker wired the Winton Company for more parts.
On June 16, somewhere in Idaho
, Jackson's coat, containing most of the travelers' money, fell off and was not found. At their next stop, Jackson had to wire his wife to send them money to Cheyenne, Wyoming
. Before reaching Cheyenne, however, the car's wheel bearings gave out, and Crocker had to talk a farmer into letting them have the wheel bearings of his mowing machine.
The travelers eventually reached Omaha, Nebraska
on July 12. From there on, they were able to use a few paved roads, and their trip was much easier. They arrived in New York City
on July 26, 1903, sixty-three days, twelve hours, and thirty minutes after commencing their journey in San Francisco, and the first automobile to successfully transit the North American continent. Their trip expended over 800 gallons of gasoline.
After leaving New York City Jackson joined his wife and drove home to Vermont. Nearing 15 miles from home his car once again broke down. His two brothers came and offered to help him get going again, each driving his own automobile. Shortly after returning on the road, both of his brothers' vehicles broke down, and Jackson offered to tow them both with the Winton. Upon reaching the threshold of Jackson's garage, the Winton's drive chain snapped, one of the few original parts never replaced during the entire journey.
Jackson eventually settled in Burlington, Vermont
, with his wife Bertha and Bud the dog. When World War I
broke out, Jackson was considered too old, but he contacted President
Theodore Roosevelt
(whom he had met at some point in Burlington), and was commissioned an officer. Following the war, he became one of the founders of the American Legion
, and twice ran for Governor of Vermont
. He owned a newspaper, a bank and radio station
WCAX (now WVMT
). Ironically, at one point he was ticketed for exceeding the 6 mph speed limit in Burlington.
, Washington DC.
maker Ken Burns
has produced a film, Horatio's Drive, for PBS
. The film is based on the book of the same name by Dayton Duncan
. Tom Hanks
provided the voice-over narration for Horatio Nelson Jackson. The film features many old songs, framed by a popular number from 1914 called "He'd Have to Get Under — Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile)".
Sewall K. Crocker
Sewall K. Crocker was a former bicycle racer from Tacoma, Washington, who became the mechanic and co-driver who participated in the first cross-country automobile trip in 1903 with Horatio Nelson Jackson. He also may have convinced Jackson to use a Winton vehicle for the trip...
became the first people to drive an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Early life and medical career
Jackson was a wealthy physician who had practiced for a few years in the towns of BrattleboroBrattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro, originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States, located in the southeast corner of the state, along the state line with New Hampshire. The population was 12,046 at the 2010 census...
and Burlington
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
, Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
. He was married to Bertha Richardson Wells, the daughter of William Wells
William Wells (general)
-Medal of Honor:Wells commanded the Second Battalion, 1st Vermont Cavalry, in the repulse of Stuart's Cavalry at the Battle of Hanover during the Gettysburg Campaign...
, a Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipient and one of the richest men in Vermont, a partner in Wells, Richardson & Co., manufacturer of Paine's Celery Compound, a popular cure-all that was twenty percent grain alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
.
Wager and preparation
Besides his medical practice, Jackson was a 31-year-old auto enthusiast who differed with the then-prevailing wisdom that the automobile was a passing fad and a recreational plaything. While in San Francisco's University Club as a guest on May 18, 1903, he agreed to a $50 wager ($1,183.35 in 2008 dollars) to prove that a four-wheeled machine could be driven across the country. He accepted even though he did not own a car, had practically no experience driving, and had no maps to follow. Jackson and his wife planned to return to their Burlington, Vermont home in a few days, and both had been taking automobile driving lessons while in San Francisco. She returned home by train, allowing him to take his adventure by automobile.Having no mechanical experience, Jackson convinced a young mechanic and chauffeur, Sewall K. Crocker
Sewall K. Crocker
Sewall K. Crocker was a former bicycle racer from Tacoma, Washington, who became the mechanic and co-driver who participated in the first cross-country automobile trip in 1903 with Horatio Nelson Jackson. He also may have convinced Jackson to use a Winton vehicle for the trip...
, to serve as his travel companion, mechanic, and backup driver. Crocker suggested that Doctor Jackson buy a Winton car. He bought a slightly used, two-cylinder, 20hp Winton, which he named the Vermont
Vermont (automobile)
The Vermont was the first automobile to cross the United States. It traveled from San Francisco, California to Manhattan, New York. It was a 1903 Winton. The crew was owner Horatio Nelson Jackson, mechanic Sewall K...
, after his home state, bade his wife goodbye, and left San Francisco on May 23, carrying coats, canvas protective suits, sleeping bags, blankets, canteens, a water bag, an axe, a shovel, a telescope, tools, spare parts, a block and tackle, cans for extra gasoline and oil, a camera, a rifle, a shotgun and pistols.
Heeding the failed attempt by automobile pioneer Alexander Winton (founder of the Winton Motor Carriage Company, which manufactured Jackson's car) to cross the deserts of Nevada and Utah, Jackson decided to take a more northerly route. A route through the Sacramento Valley
Sacramento Valley
The Sacramento Valley is the portion of the California Central Valley that lies to the north of the San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta in the U.S. state of California. It encompasses all or parts of ten counties.-Geography:...
and along the Oregon Trail
Oregon Trail
The Oregon Trail is a historic east-west wagon route that connected the Missouri River to valleys in Oregon and locations in between.After 1840 steam-powered riverboats and steamboats traversing up and down the Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri rivers sped settlement and development in the flat...
also allowed them to avoid the higher passes in the Rocky Mountains
Rocky Mountains
The Rocky Mountains are a major mountain range in western North America. The Rocky Mountains stretch more than from the northernmost part of British Columbia, in western Canada, to New Mexico, in the southwestern United States...
.
Journey
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
from San Francisco to Oakland
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
and points eastward. But only fifteen miles into the journey, the car blew a tire. Jackson and Crocker replaced it with the only spare they had, in fact, the only right-sized spare tire they could find in all of San Francisco.
The second night of their journey, they replaced the side lanterns, having discovered on the first night that they were too dim. They stopped early in Sacramento
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
to accomplish this. The duo was assisted in Sacramento by bicyclists who offered them road maps. Jackson was unable to buy a new tire, but purchased some used inner tubes.
Going northwards out of Sacramento, the noise of the car covered the fact that the duo's cooking gear was falling off. They were also given a 108-mile misdirection by a woman so that she could send them to the spot where her family could see an automobile.
The rough trek towards Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
required them to haul the car across deep streams with the block and tackle. Somewhere along this route, Jackson lost his glasses. They were also forced to pay a $4 ($85.21 in 2005 dollars) toll by an entrepreneur in order to cross his property. When their tires blew out they were required to wind rope around the wheels. Jackson did manage to find a telegraph office and wired back to San Francisco for replacement tires to be transported to them along the journey.
Reaching Alturas, California
Alturas, California
Alturas is the county seat of Modoc County, California, United States. Alturas is located on the Pit River, east of the center of Modoc County, at an elevation of 4370 feet...
, Jackson and Crocker stopped to wait for the tires. They offered locals rides in the car in exchange for a "wild west show". When the tires failed to materialize, however, they continued on after a three-day wait.
On June 6, the car broke down, and they had to be towed to a nearby ranch by a cowboy. Crocker made repairs, but a fuel leak caused them to lose all of their available gasoline, and Jackson rented a bicycle to travel 25 miles to Burns, Oregon
Burns, Oregon
Burns is a city in and the county seat of Harney County, Oregon, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 2,806.-History:Burns was established in the early 1880s and incorporated upon Harney county's creation in 1889...
for fuel. After suffering a flat tire on the bicycle, he returned with fuel, and they returned to Burns to fill up.
On June 9, outside of Vale, Oregon
Vale, Oregon
Vale is a city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States, about west of the Idaho border. It is at the intersection of U.S. Routes 20 and 26, on the Malheur River.Vale was selected as Malheur's county seat in 1955, 68 years after the county was founded...
, the Vermont ran out of oil. Jackson walked back to the last town to get oil, only to discover eventually that they had been stopped only a short distance outside of Vale. The next day they arrived in Ontario, Oregon, where supplies waited for them.
Caldwell, Idaho
Caldwell is a city in and the county seat of Canyon County, Idaho, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the population to be 43,281, as of July 2009.Caldwell is the home of the College of Idaho. It is considered part of the Boise metropolitan area....
, Jackson and Crocker obtained a dog, a Pit Bull
Pit bull
A Pit bull is any of several breeds of dog in the molosser breed group.Many jurisdictions that restrict pit bulls, including Ontario, Canada,, Miami, Florida, U.S...
named Bud. Newspapers at the time gave a variety of stories of how Bud was acquired, including that he was stolen; in a letter to his wife, Nelson said a man sold him the dog for $15 ($383 in 2010 dollars). It turned out that the dusty alkali flats the travelers encountered would bother Bud's eyes so much (the Winton had neither a roof nor windshield) that Jackson eventually fitted him with a pair of goggles. At one point, Bud drank bad water and became ill, but survived.
At this point, the trio became celebrities. The press came out at every stop to take their picture and conduct interviews. At Mountain Home, Idaho
Mountain Home, Idaho
Mountain Home is the largest city and county seat of Elmore County, Idaho. The population was 14,206 at the 2010 census. Mountain Home is the principal city of the Mountain Home, ID Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes Elmore County....
, citizens warned them that the Oregon Trail was not good further east, so Jackson and Crocker veered off their original course along the southern edge of the Sawtooth Mountains. At Hailey, Idaho
Hailey, Idaho
Hailey is a city in and the county seat of Blaine County, in the Wood River Valley of the central part of the U.S. state of Idaho. The population was 6,200 at the 2000 census. Hailey is the site of Friedman Memorial Airport , the airport for the resort area of Sun Valley/Ketchum, north. The town...
, Crocker wired the Winton Company for more parts.
On June 16, somewhere in Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
, Jackson's coat, containing most of the travelers' money, fell off and was not found. At their next stop, Jackson had to wire his wife to send them money to Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
. Before reaching Cheyenne, however, the car's wheel bearings gave out, and Crocker had to talk a farmer into letting them have the wheel bearings of his mowing machine.
The travelers eventually reached Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
on July 12. From there on, they were able to use a few paved roads, and their trip was much easier. They arrived in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on July 26, 1903, sixty-three days, twelve hours, and thirty minutes after commencing their journey in San Francisco, and the first automobile to successfully transit the North American continent. Their trip expended over 800 gallons of gasoline.
After leaving New York City Jackson joined his wife and drove home to Vermont. Nearing 15 miles from home his car once again broke down. His two brothers came and offered to help him get going again, each driving his own automobile. Shortly after returning on the road, both of his brothers' vehicles broke down, and Jackson offered to tow them both with the Winton. Upon reaching the threshold of Jackson's garage, the Winton's drive chain snapped, one of the few original parts never replaced during the entire journey.
Later life
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
, with his wife Bertha and Bud the dog. When World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out, Jackson was considered too old, but he contacted President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
(whom he had met at some point in Burlington), and was commissioned an officer. Following the war, he became one of the founders of the American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
, and twice ran for Governor of Vermont
Governor of Vermont
The Governor of Vermont is the governor of the U.S. state of Vermont. The governor is elected in even numbered years by direct voting for a term of two years; Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every two years, instead of every four...
. He owned a newspaper, a bank and radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
WCAX (now WVMT
WVMT
WVMT is an English-language American radio station located in Burlington, Vermont.Owned and operated by local businessman Paul S. Goldman, it broadcasts on 620 kHz with a power of 5,000 watts as a class B station, using a directional antenna with slightly different daytime and nighttime directional...
). Ironically, at one point he was ticketed for exceeding the 6 mph speed limit in Burlington.
The Vermont
Today, Jackson's Winton, the Vermont, is preserved in the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
, Washington DC.
Documentary
Documentary filmDocumentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
maker Ken Burns
Ken Burns
Kenneth Lauren "Ken" Burns is an American director and producer of documentary films, known for his style of using archival footage and photographs...
has produced a film, Horatio's Drive, for PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. The film is based on the book of the same name by Dayton Duncan
Dayton Duncan
Dayton Duncan was the writer and co-producer of The National Parks: America's Best Idea documentary produced by Ken Burns, and has also been involved for many years with other series by Burns including The Civil War, Baseball and Jazz...
. Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks
Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks is an American actor, producer, writer, and director. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies, gaining wide notice in 1988's Big, before achieving success as a dramatic actor in several notable roles, including Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, the title...
provided the voice-over narration for Horatio Nelson Jackson. The film features many old songs, framed by a popular number from 1914 called "He'd Have to Get Under — Get Out and Get Under (to Fix Up His Automobile)".
External links
- Horatio's Drive
- Colonel Horatio Nelson Jackson and Orville Wright in 1945