James E. Jacklin

James E. Jacklin

1 January 1847 - 24 November 1943
Conference Cane: 1941
Age at death: 96 years, 10 months


James Edward Jacklin

James Edward Jacklin was born in Blissfield, Michigan January 1, 1847. When Brother Jacklin was sixteen years of age he joined the Central Methodist Church, after his conversion at a revival conducted by the Reverend Edward Payson Hammond. In this Church was nourished his Christian life. He was baptized by Bishop Ames. Dr. James M. Buckley, pastor of Central Church, and later editor of the Christian Advocate, received this boy into the membership of Central Church. It was Dr. Buckley who recognized the talents of this young man, and loaned him the money to enroll in the University of Michigan. Brother Jacklin's first full time employment after college was with a Detroit bank where for five or six years he held a lucrative position. Later he entered the teaching profession as an instructor in Greek and Latin in the Detroit High School which stood on Broadway where the present Board of Education building now stands. In a sermon preached by his Pastor, at that time, Dr. Edward X. Ninde, and later a Bishop of the Church, were a few sentences which awakened the conscience of James Jacklin; it profoundly stirred his soul and directed his feet toward the Christian Ministry. He promptly resigned his position as a teacher and entered the Boston University School of Theology, graduating in 1876, and at the time of his death was the oldest alumnus of that school. Brother Jacklin was our oldest minister, having joined the Detroit Conference in 1875 and was appointed the Zilwaukee, Carrolton and Ames Circuit, Saginaw.

In 1877 he became Pastor at Northville, followed by pastorates at Monroe, Washington Avenue Church, Bay City, now the Madison Avenue Church. The erection of the present church began during this tenure. Then came his last pastorate, Court Street, Flint, and this church building was completed during his stay there.

The Michigan Christian Advocate of May 17, 1890, reports these words: "After mature deliberation the Methodist Publishing Company, through its Board of Directors, has unanimously elected the Reverend James E. Jacklin to be the Associate Editor of the Michigan Christian Advocate." To this task he brought gifts and graces developed and disciplined in the pastorate, and during the twenty-three years he sat in the Editor's chair he maintained the pastoral viewpoint and interest.

His name will ever be linked to our Old People's Home at Chelsea. This institution is his monument, through his diligence and patience, writing unnumbered postcards and letters to people everywhere, he set forth the importance and mission of this institution.

Dr. Jacklin's funeral was held in the Cass Avenue Church, Detroit, conducted by Dr. S.D. Eva, Dr. Marshall R. Reed preached the sermon, other ministers taking part in the service were the Revs. W.H. Perkins, H.A. Field, B.L. Holmes and W. Paul Nicholas. Burial was in Elmwood Cemetery, Detroit, Friday, November 26, 1943.

- Detroit Annual Conference minutes of 1944, pp. 142-143

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