Rachel Jackson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Rachel Jackson, wife of President Andrew Jackson.
Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson, born Rachel Donelson (June 15, 1767 – December 22, 1828, aged 61) wife to the 7th President of the United States, Andrew Jackson.
Biography
Born in present-day Halifax County, Virginia, Rachel was the daughter of Colonel John Donelson, a surveyor and member of the House of Burgesses, and Rachel Stockley-Donelson. Her father moved the family to Tennessee and later to Kentucky. John Donelson co-founded the frontier fort of Nashborough in 1780, which would grow to become the city of Nashville
Although a dowdy, forlorn figure in middle age, famous for smoking a corncob pipe, Rachel Donelson in her youth was a comely, vivacious woman, known for her intelligence and wit. She was clearly able to "hold her own" in any conversation and very popular with the men she met.
At 18, Rachel Donelson married Colonel Lewis Robards of a prominent Mercer County, Kentucky family. His jealousy of a young boarder named Peyton Short, though, made him impossible for her to live with and they separated in 1790. Despite her pleas of innocence, he ordered her to return to her family (now in Tennessee) until he called for her. Soon after she had rejoined her mother, now a widow, near Nashville, Andrew Jackson arrived as a boarder at the Donelson's. Eventually they fell in love. Nevertheless, when Robards came to Nashville to reclaim his wife, Rachel dutifully returned with him to Kentucky. She soon learned, however, that he had not curbed his rages of jealousy. Told of her unhappiness, Jackson raced to Kentucky and rescued her.
In December 1790, Robards told her that he had filed for divorce with the state legislature and the divorce was final (Robards had actually asked the legislature to pass an enabling act permitting him to sue for a divorce). Andrew Jackson married Rachel Donelson-Robards in August 1791, at Natchez, Mississippi. They were both aged 24.
This marriage was later deemed invalid, because Rachel's divorce had not yet become final. They remarried, this time legally, on January 17, 1794. Unfortunately, their remarriage did not end the matter. The charge of adultery was to haunt the couple thereafter.
Andrew Jackson was devoted to his wife Rachel. He fought 13 duels to protect her honor, and even killed one opponent, Charles Dickinson. On October 1, 1803, he challenged John "Nolichucky Jack" Sevier (the first governor of Tennessee) to a duel after Sevier had dishonored Rachel by saying, "I know of no services you have rendered to this country other than taking a trip to Natchez with another man's wife!."
In 1809, Andrew and Rachel Jackson legally adopted one of her nephews (one of the twin boys recently born to Mr. and Mrs. Severn Donelson). They named him Andrew Jackson, Jr.
During the 1828 presidential campaign, the press found out about the premature marriage. Rachel was accused of adultery and attacked mercilessly. Although Jackson tried to keep such reports from his wife, who had a history of heart trouble, she heard enough to realize that her past was the target of muckraking by the press throughout the nation. In part, at least, as a result of her anguish, Rachel grew ill and then died suddenly of a heart attack on December 22, 1828. The date was just two weeks after Andrew Jackson had won the presidential election, but prior to his inauguration. Over 10,000 people attended the funeral. Rachel Jackson was buried on Christmas Eve in her white inaugural gown.