Samuel D. Jackson

American politician

Samuel Dillon Jackson (May 28, 1895March 8, 1951) was an American attorney and politician from Indiana. He was the Attorney General of Indiana from 1940 to 1941, and briefly served as a United States Senator in 1944.

Jackson was born in Lafayette Township, Allen County, Indiana on May 28, 1895, the son of Reverend Isaiah H. Jackson and Minnie (Whitterberger) Jackson. He attended the public schools of Fort Wayne and graduated from the city's Central High School in 1914. Jackson received promotion to first lieutenant and captain during the war, and was mustered out in April 1919. In 1919 and 1920, Allen served as assistant supervisor of the U. S. census for Indiana's 12th Congressional District. A Democrat, Jackson served as prosecuting attorney of Allen County from 1924 to 1927. Jackson remained active in politics as a Democrat and was head of Indiana's Democratic Party speaker's bureau in 1934 and permanent chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party's 1936 convention. In 1944, he was the unsuccessful Democratic nominee for Governor of Indiana, losing to Republican Ralph F. Gates, 50.97 percent to 48.18. In this position, Jackson oversaw the development of a comprehensive program of self regulation for commodity exchanges and boards of trade in Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City, Missouri, and New York City.

Jackson participated in several organizations associated with Freemasonry, including the York Rite, Shriners, and Scottish Rite. He attained the 33rd degree of the Scottish Rite, was a member of Indiana's Supreme Council, and served as Deputy for the District of Indiana. As part of his career as an attorney, Jackson maintained memberships in the American Bar Association, Indiana Bar Association, and Allen County Bar Association. He served a term as a member of the state association's advisory board, and a term as president of the Allen County Bar Association. Jackson was an active member of the American Legion following his Army service. In the early 1920s he became a charter member of legion Post 47 in Fort Wayne. The Izaak Walton League, an environmental conservation advocacy organization, included Jackson as a member. He was also a member of Fort Wayne's Quest Club, an organization created to provide members a forum for presenting original research on current events and social, economic, scientific, cultural, political, and historical subjects.

He died in Fort Wayne on March 8, 1951. Jackson was buried at Lindenwood Cemetery in Fort Wayne.

In 1914, Jackson married Anna Fern Bennett. They were the parents of three children—James W., Robert I., and Samuel D. Jr.