The town of Jackman derives it names from James Jackman, who was a resident of Solon, Maine when he was hired in the early 1830's by the State to supervise the construction of the road from The Forks through to the Canada line. By some accounts, James was in charge of as many as one hundred men working on the road.

When the road was completed, James was given some land by the State and erected a public house just south of what is now the town of Jackman. From an early date, this spot was known as Jackmans Field, or, by the 1840 census, simply "Jackmans."

James was married to Betsy Whipple and their children were: Hannah, James M., Martha, Cephas W., Abel, Josiah, John, and Betsey. They lived at Jackmans Field until about 1864, when James went to California for a time. The 1870 census shows him living back in Solon with his daughter, Hannah Jackman Ward, and her family. James Jackman died in 1872.

James Jackman was born in Salisbury Massachusetts in 1789, the son of Enoch and Hannah French Jackman. His father was a Revolutionary War soldier who moved to Solon, Maine from Massachusetts along with several other settlers from the same town.

The family's genealogy, as given in the History of the Moose River Valley, is as follows:

James Jackman, Newbury, Mass. m. Mary French, Salisbury, MA, Dec. 8, 1720.

Enoch Jackman, son of James and Mary French Jackman, b. Oct 13, 1752. He m. Elizabeth Fills, Nov. 17, 1774. They had no children. Enoch m. second Hannah French, Nov 13, 1781. They had the following children:

Betty, b. Oct 1782 in Salisbury, m. Capt. Josiah French
John, b. March, 1784 in Salisbury
Molly, b. Oct. 1785 in Salisbury, m. Enoch Ames of Exeter
Hannah, b. June, 1787 in Salisbury, m. James Powers
James, b. July 1789 in Salisbury
Mercy, b. March 1791 in Salisbury, m. David Whipple
Nabby, b. July 1792 in Salisbury, m. ? Saunders
Otis, b. 1794 in Solon, ME
Martha, b. 1796 in Solon, m. Heman Hunnewell
Sally, b. 1798 in Solon