Throughout his life, family was important to Andrew Jackson.
While much is known of his political life, Jackson’s private life was equally fascinating
and turbulent.
Who was Rachel Jackson, and why did her marriage to Andrew cause so much controversy?
Rachel Donelson left Virginia at the age of 12.
She traveled west, along with her family, aboard a flatboat for almost 1,000 miles to
a new settlement called Fort Nashborough (later renamed Nashville).
Settling in 1780, the Donelsons were amongst the first white settlers of Nashville.
A prominent and influential family, Rachel’s relatives dominated much of the public and
political power base of early Nashville.
After her family moved to Harrodsburg, Kentucky, the 18-year-old Rachel married Lewis Robards.
Rachel’s marriage to Lewis proved to be an unhappy one.
Obnoxious and abusive, Lewis frequently accused Rachel of flirting with other men.
As divorce was very difficult and unusual at the time, Rachel and Lewis separated.
Rachel returned to Nashville where she met a budding young lawyer named Andrew Jackson.
Rachel and Andrew instantly fell in love.
During their courtship, Andrew and Rachel heard a false rumor that Rachel’s husband
had obtained a divorce.
The couple traveled together to Natchez, Mississippi and returned to Tennessee as a married couple
in 1791.
The Jacksons later discovered that a friend of Lewis Robards had intentionally printed
a false statement about Rachel and Lewis’ divorce being official and that the proceedings
had not been completed.
By law, this made the newlywed couple adulterers and the marriage invalid.
Lewis then charged Rachel with adultery, thus enabling their marriage to be terminated.
Rachel and Andrew remarried in Nashville in 1794.
Due to the bizarre circumstances of their weddings, Rachel’s previous marriage, and
charges of bigamy and adultery, Jackson’s relationship with Rachel sparked much gossip
and controversy throughout the course of his political career.
Jackson’s opponents were always quick to seize upon the scandal for political fodder,
and Jackson was always swift and severe in his defense of Rachel (even engaging in duels).
Rachel, unlike Andrew, never enjoyed being a part of the public arena.
She supported him in all endeavors, but consistently reminded her husband not to allow military
victories, political achievements, and public fame to rule over him.
After his victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans, Jackson’s popularity
soared to levels rivaling that of George Washington.
Rachel warned her husband against pursuing personal glory over the love of his family.
Although Andrew and Rachel never had their own biological children, they adopted three
and provided care and guardianship for many others.
During the time Rachel spent at the estate, children were a constant presence at The Hermitage.
After Rachel’s sister-in-law gave birth to twins, Andrew and Rachel adopted one of
the boys to raise as their own.
Given the name Andrew Jackson Jr., the boy grew up at The Hermitage and went on to father
five children of his own.
Lyncoya Jackson became the second adopted son of the couple as a result of Andrew Jackson’s
military campaign during the Creek Wars.
After intense fighting, the boy was found alive on the battlefield next to his deceased
mother.
When the surviving women of the Creek village refused to care for the boy, he was taken
to General Jackson.
Jackson, an orphan himself, took sympathy on the child and sent him to The Hermitage
to serve as a playmate and companion of Andrew Jackson Jr.
Over time, Jackson took a strong liking to the boy and hoped to send him to West Point
Military Academy, where Andrew Jackson Jr. also attended.
Unfortunately, like many young people of his time, Lyncoya died a tragic death before ever
reaching adulthood.
The third child to be adopted by the Jacksons was Andrew Jackson Hutchings, the grandson
of Rachel’s sister.
Orphaned before he reached the age of five, “Little Hutchings” was raised and educated
at The Hermitage alongside Andrew Jackson Jr. and Lyncoya.
Hutchings went on to attend college in Virginia and marry the daughter of Andrew Jackson’s
close friend John Coffee.
Although far from being a traditional family, the love Jackson, his wife, and three adopted
children had for one another has never been questioned.
Despite the vicious attacks hurled at Rachel throughout the course of their relationship,
Jackson loved his wife and children far too much to be ashamed of them.
During Jackson’s first two campaigns for president, Rachel’s past became a frequent
subject of political mudslinging.
Opponents described her as a “fat little dumpling”, criticized her country accent
and lack of education, and never backed off of their claims of adultery and bigamy. Jackson
thought she was perfect.