Husband
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Christened:
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Wife Mary Louise Jackson 1
AKA: Mary Louisa Jackson 1
Born:
Christened:
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Father: George Whitten Jackson (1801-1862) 2 3
Mother: Mary Beard (1813-1879) 3 4
• Residence: "Pennham": Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA.
• Memorial: SS. Anna and Mary Memorial Chapel of St. Andrew's Church: Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA. On Sunday, July 11, 1920, occurred the dedicatory service of the SS. Anna and Mary Memorial Chapel of St. Andrew's Church, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which had been erected by Miss Jackson as a memorial to her sister, a fitting memorial to the life and labor of a person whose every thought and controlling motive was to the alleviation of sorrow and need. A description of the chapel follows, copied verbatim from the order of service used on the day of dedication:
This Memorial Chapel which is just completed is the generous gift made to Saint Andrew's by Miss Mary L. Jackson. It was begun in June, 1919, after architectural plans prepared by Mr. Frank R. Watson, of Philadelphia, and the construction of it was given to Mr. Edward A. Wehr, of Pittsburgh. Throughout it is entirely fireproof, and its solidity of construction will make it endure throughout the centuries to come.
The Chapel consists of two bays, the axes of which coincide with the axes of the choir arches, giving a total interior length of thirty feet and a width of sixteen feet. Outside of the altar rail, it will seat forty people.
The Chapel is entered from the South Transept of the church, through an arch having a deeply moulded head and which is closed by a beautifully wrought iron screen and gate. The Sanctuary occupies one-half of the east bay, the floor being raised one step from the floor of the Chapel. The altar is elevated one step above the sanctuary, the predella consisting of an Indiana limestone step, covered with Kasota and Tavernelle marble. The sanctuary rail is richly carved oak touched with gold illumination, and is portable. The triptych, the crowning feature of the composition, is in carved oak enriched with color. The Biblical event specially treated is the Presentation of Christ in the Temple. Here are grouped St. Simeon, Joseph our Blessed Lord's foster father, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Prophetess Anna, all about the Holy Babe: S. Luke 2:21-39. The minor panels of the triptych bear the Angel of the Annunciation, Gabriel, and the guardian angel of the Church, the true Israel, Michael, "who is like God." The enrichment of the triptych introduces the lily of Mary, the Passion and Eucharist being suggested by the Passion Vine, also in the Altar Rail, as well as the grape surrounding the panels of the triptych. The figures of St. John the Evangelist and St. Francis of Assisi, under canopies, in the base of the triptych, recall revered memories of members of the family.
As the symbolism of the entire Chapel is based on the early life of our Lord and the Phophetess Anna, the western bay, known as the "Anna Bay," bears symbolism referring to her as she is spoken of in St. Luke, 2:36-38, and as the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher, Deuteronomy, 33:24-25. The subjects of the groups in the beautiful window of the "Anna Bay" are, in order, "Moses Blessing Asher," "The Fulfillment of Moses' Prophecy as to Asher," "The Prophetess Anna Approaching the Temple," and "Anna at Prayer in the Temple." The ceiling bosses of this bay, richly carved, all bear sacred monograms as well as the arms of the Bissell family.
The eastern bay, known as the "Mary Bay," is devoted to our Lord and the Virgin Mother. The subjects of the window groups in this bay are "The Annunciation," "The Visitation," 'The Nativity," and "The Adoration."
In the point of the arch of this window is dimly suggested the fearful vengeance which the wickedness of sinful men could wreak upon our Lord's earthly nature, when He had come to His Glorious Manhood, for there, faintly appearing, is the Cross.
The ceiling bosses of this bay present various features of the Passion, and one bears the arms of the Jackson Family.
These two beautiful windows, so full of Scriptural teaching, are resplendent in coloring and so suggestive of the scenes which they portray.
On the corbels of the piers, from the entrance of the Chapel to the Altar space, there are shown carved heads typifying the growth in grace, that is, the progress from that which is of the "earth earthy," to angel faces at the Altar, indicating the upward ascent of intelligent beings in their march onward to Paradise.
The lighting is of two especially designed lamps of bronze, unlacquered and unpolished, left in their natural state to become antique.
In general, it may be said that this Chapel partakes of the character of church building that went on in the Middle Ages,-it is all stone and marble. Even the ceiling is of stone vaulting, the intersecting ribs being ornamented with bosses at the intersections. The two windows are divided into two panels each surmounted by tracery of varied design. Both interior and exterior are of buff Indiana limestone the buttress gablets being crocketed. The main gable is finished with a Cross six feet in height somewhat enriched. The floor is of Kasota and the Altar of Tavernelle marble. It will be seated with antique oak rush bottomed chairs and kneelers of the same.
The Altar Cross, candlesticks, and vases are sacred to the memory of Frank Semple Bissell, long time Senior Warden of the parish.
Over the entrance Arch is the inscription carved in stone, "The SS. Anna and Mary Memorial Chapel, Erected 1920," and at the right of the entrance, on the Pillar, the inscription, "To the Greater Glory of God and in Loving Memory of Anna Margaret Jackson Bissell."
The Chapel supplies a long felt need. It will be used for Early Celebrations on Sundays, Holy and Saints Days. It is adapted for small religious assemblies as in Lent, or for the religious meetings of Parish societies. It would be most suitable for a place of meeting of Confirmation Classes, everything being in sympathy with the instruction being given. We will find that it will speedily make itself felt as a real necessity in our parish life, and that its teaching-power as a help to devotion and spiritual uplift will grow with each succeeding entrance within its beautiful gates. Its blessed influences and teachings will multiply with the speeding years, and what we give unto the hands of Christian people today will be passed on to succeeding generations in all its richness and beauty.
• Memorial: SS. Anna and Mary Memorial Chapel of St. Andrew's Church: Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA.
Children
General Notes: Wife - Mary Louise Jackson
She devoted her life to humanitarianism. Her name was synonymous with philanthropy and charity, her achievements and deeds in this labor were on a parity with those of her brother, John Beard Jackson, whose multitudinous philanthropic and charitable interests, after his death, were ably attended to by Miss Jackson, in addition to her own. Miss Jackson maintained the beautiful family home, "Pennham," which was built by herself and her brother. The SS. Anna and Mary Memorial Chapel of St. Andrew's Church, of Pittsburgh, was erected by Miss Jackson as a memorial to her sister, a fitting memorial to the life and labor of a person whose every thought and controlling motive was to the alleviation of sorrow and need.