In an on-going search for more information regarding the house of Elias Ware of Wrentham, Massachusetts, Fred Button, whose family was one of the previous owners, has supplied the following newspaper article.  He believes that Mrs. Jackson may have lived in the old Elias Ware home at 296 Bennett St. Wrentham, Massachusetts, but the  information Mr. Button has sent me makes no mention of James Ware as a possible tenant or owner before the house was purchased by a lawyer named Ely after the death of the last surviving daughter of Elias Ware who inherited one half of the house.  Please read the previous article.

“Oldtimers Still Recall Anna Ware Jackson

‘One hears a great deal about changing methods in education; that teachers aren’t what they used to be; that school buildings have changed and even the pupils are different, think different things.’

You may have heard words similar to these as lately as yesterday.  However, this statement was made 40 years ago, by a woman whose name is known by every single resident of Plainville.

While sorting through some things that had belonged to her parents, Mrs. Helen Lovely Williams of North Attleboro found a yellowed full page from the Providence Sunday Journal, honoring Anna Ware Jackson at the time of her retirement in June of 1929.  It was here that the quotation was found.

There are still plenty of ‘old-timers’ in Plainville who remember Mrs. Jackson; but we wonder if the younger generation, especially the children who attend the school which was named in her honor, know very much about this little lady who is so much a part of Plainville.

Anna Ware Jackson was born in Wrentham on Nov. 13, 1859, the daughter of Carlos and Abigail Welch.  Her great-grandfather was Rev, William Williams, for 48 years pastor of the Wrentham Baptist Church and founder of the Willimams Academy of Wrentham.  He was graduated from the Rhode Island College, now Brown University in 1769 and he established the academy in 1773.  Two of his most famous pupils were Dr. Johnathan Maxcy, 2nd president of Brown University, and Dr, Horace Mann who has such great influence  on the school systems not only of Massachusetts, but of the entire United States.

When Anna’s parents died she was adopted by James Ware, whose forefathers settled in Wrentham soon after the coming of the Pilgrims.  When Mr. Ware died in 1877, Anna inherited his house where she lived until her death.  The house would be about 250 years old by now, and still stands about four miles north and east of Plainville center.  It is said that king Philip used to rest under the huge elm trees after the forays of his Indians.

Anna first taught school when she was not quite 17 years old.  It was the typical one-room schoolhouse, with a large wood-burning stove which was cared for by the older boys.  Her pay was five dollars a week.

She taught in Sheldonville for four years, boarding in the village, and then in the Blake’s Hill and Gaines Schools in Wrentham for a few years.  She tried the Tingley School in Cumberland for a year, but that was a long trip by horse and buggy.  In 1865 she accepted a position in the primary department of the Plainville School and there she remained until her retirement in 1929.

Anna Ware was married to George F. Jackson in 1919 and had no children of her own.  It would be impossible, however, to count the number of children whose characters she helped to form.  Her record of 53 years consecutive years of teaching is believed unequaled in New England.  She wasn’t a bit above rapping the knuckles with a heavy book, but the ‘old-timers’ will tell you about ‘changing methods in education’ and ‘Teachers aren’t what they used to  be.’  “