Daughter of Major Andrew Jackson Donelson and great niece of Mrs. Andrew Jackson. Born in the White House in Jackson's first administration; sister-in-law of Mrs. Bettie M. Donelson of Nashville, Tennessee, who was one of the five founders of the Ladies Hermitage Association of Tennessee,and who for thirty years was a member of the Board of Directors of the Association.

CHAPTER 11.

Mary Emily Donelson Wilcox on Rachel Donelson Jackson, wife of General Jackson, and on numerous facts and incidents connected with Jackson, the Donelson family and Jackson's two Administrations.

The matter in this chapter was written by Mary Emily Donelson Wilcox, and is reproduced as an authoritative statement from the standpoint of Mrs. Andrew Jackson's family-the Donelsons-of many things connected with Jackson, Mrs. Jackson, the Donelsons, and Jackson's two administrations. Coming from Mrs. Wilcox what is set out is historically very valuable, and, allowing for her warm advocacy of Mrs. Jackson and everything pertaining to Andrew Jackson, it can be accepted as throwing great light on matters which it undertakes to treat. There are statements in it which were first given to the public by Mrs. Wilcox by whom it was prepared for Leslie's Magazine about twenty-five years ago. When Hon. Horace Maynard, deceased, formerly member of Congress from the Knoxville District, United States Minister to Turkey and Postmaster General, was holding the latter office, he gave Mrs. Wilcox an appointment in the postoffice department at Washington. She was a sister-in-law of Mrs. Bettie M. Donelson now of Nashville who was one of the founders of the Ladies Hermitage Association of Tennessee, and, for about thirty years, a member of the Board of Directors.

Major Andrew Jackson Donelson was a nephew of Mrs. Andrew Jackson and son of Mrs. Jackson's brother Samuel Jackson, who was a law partner of Andrew Jackson. Major Donelson was raised and educated by Gen. Jackson, graduated at West Point and accompanied Jackson as aide-de-camp to Florida in the Seminole War. He resigned his position in the Army when Jackson became President to perform the duties of his private secretary, which he did through the entire eight years of his presidency with the exception of a few months when the Peggy O'Neal differences were up.

In the first presidential term a daughter, Mary Emily Donelson, the author of this chapter, was born in the room of the White

House that fronts on Pennsylvania Avenue, and the christening of the infant was made a brilliant function. Representatives in Congress, Senators, Members of the Cabinet and the Diplomatic Corps, and prominent citizens were present at the cermony which was performed in the East Room by Rev. Mr. Gallaher, a Presbyterian Minister. The ritual of the protestant Episcopal Church was used. Miss Cora Livingston, daughter of the Secretary of State, was GodMother, and Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren were GodFathers. Robert E. Lee then a young lieutenant of engineers, was present with Mrs. Lee.

At the close of Jackson's second term, Major Donelson and family went back to the Hermitage and remained there for a period; and in 1846 he took his family with him to Prussia where he went as minister by appointment of President James K. Polk, and remained abroad five years, returning to the United States in 1851. On May 27th, 1852, his daughter Mary married John A. Wilcox, a member of congress from Mississippi, who had served as Lieutenant-Colonel in the Mexican War. The cermony was performed by Rev. Mr. Gallaher, the same who had christened the bride. Col. Wilcox subsequently moved to Texas and represented that State in the Confederate Congress.

PART I

"To few women has history been so unjust as to Andrew Jackson's wife, and a review of her life, disproving the misstatements of her husband's enemies, and showing her claims to the respect and admiration of her compatriots, seems demanded by right and justice. Well born, highly endowed, both mentally and personally, she enjoyed every educational advantage then attainable, and was the equal in culture and refinement of any mistress of the White House, not excepting Mrs. Washington and Mrs. Madison, and she was superior to these two in individual charm and native wit. Many of her letters still extant compare favorably in spelling, diction and entertaining information with any known to have been written by prominent women of her day. She inherited a musical ear, sang sweetly, and took great delight in playing on a piano similar in size and design to the one at Mount Vernon said to have belonged to and been used by Nelly Custis, which Jackson had obtained on one of his Eastern trips. He had a flute and violin, and playing duets was a favorite evening recreation. My father, who went to live with them when quite young, often mentioned his childish pleasure at hearing them play "Campbells are Coming" and "Money Musk," himself stowed away for the night in a corner trundle-bed, a pet cat and dog dozing on the hearth, forming delighted auditors of an enjoyable if not artistic concert. There are interesting traditions of her as an inimitable entertaining raconter.

"Mrs. Jackson's father, Colonel John Donelson, was the only son of John Donelson, a successful London ship-merchant, who emigrated to America in 1716, settled on Delaware Bay, and married Catherine Davis, a sister of the famous Presbyterian divine. Their son, born in 1720, early gave promise of the energy, integrity and executive ability prominent in his after career. Having studied. surveying and engineering, he married Rachel Stockley, of Maryland, and removed to Virginia, where the Colonial Government appointed him Surveyor of Pittsylvania County. Many lines and charts surveyed by him are still recognizable on maps, and some treaties negotiated by him as Colonial Agent with Indian tribes were never abrogated. Elected, in 1764, Colonel of a Colonial regiment, he served, in 1765, '66 and '67, in the House of Burgesses, where his speeches on finance and taxation elicited favorable comment. Washington, Jefferson and Patrick Henry were personal friends. and occasional guests at his comfortable Dominion home. Owning valuable iron works and large tracts of land, he was considered one of Virginia's most respected and influential citizens; but becoming involved, by reason of some unfortunate securityships, he was forc ed to sacrafice much valuable property, and concluded to emigrate West. He built, in 1779, mostly by his own means and labor, a flotilla of boats, accompanied by about forty emigrant families, embarked in December for the Cumberland settlements, Captain James Robertson, with a pioneer party, having preceded them to build cabins, plant corn, and otherwise provide for their comfort and safety. Colonel Donelson kept a diary, the first entry of which reads: "Journal of a voyage intended by God's permission in the good ship Adventure, from Fort Patrick Henry, on the Holston River, to the French Lick Salt Springs, on the Cumberland"which is noteworthy not only because well spelled, well penned, well expressed, it describes geographically a remarkable expedition; but also because it is the only diary ever kept by a Western pioneer (those men, so brave and wise, seldom wielding pen or pencil), the only document illustrating the domestic life of those who subdued the wilderness and founded that great empire now leading and controlling national civilization. Conspicuous among the "good ship Adventure's" voyagers was Rachel, the youngest of Colonel Donelson's thirteen children, born in 1867. There are pleasant pictures of her leading the flatboat dance, steering the helm, while her father and brothers answered the fire of Indians lining the river banks, and of nursing the sick, cheering the disheartened, always bright and helpful.

"The little colony encountered innumerable hardships and dangers. Indians were numerous and aggressive; provisions scarce; peace, comfort, pleasure impossible. Their brave leader, active and indefatigable, seemed almost ubiquitous-now crossing to Clover Bottom to plant the first corn and cotton grown south of the Ohio River, now locating lands in widely separated sections. now journeying to Kentucky. Returning from his second Kentucky trip about 1784, he was murdered, supposedly by Indians.

After his death his widow, accompanied by her younger children, removed to Kentucky and settled in a neighborhood in which there lived a Widow Robards, who, having built a large handsome house, rented to Mrs. Donelson the one just vacated.

"If historic injustice to Mrs Jackson be regretable, historic neglect of her first husband is equally so, and it seems unaccountable that, in the century in which he has been quoted as the unworthy husband of an injured wife, none of his relatives, many of whom were rich, influential and ditinguished, should have volunteered a word in his defense. About 1750 William Robards, a well-to-do Welchman, immigrated to America, settled in Goochland County, Virginia, and married Sally Hill, related to the Mosby, Lee, Imboden and Carter families. Two of their sons enlisted in Colonial regiments and became captains. When the war closed they emigrated to Kentucky, buying with the scrip accepted for military service land in Mercer County. Their sisters, noted for beauty and social tact, made brilliant marriages, the eldest marrying Thomas Davis, first Congressman from Kentucky; the second, Floyd, Territorial Governor; the third, John Jouett, ancestor of the artist and Admiral Jouett; the youngest, William Buckner, ancestor of General Simon Boliver Buckner. Their mother, proud and high-spirited, was considered the most influential personage in the Blue Grass region. Rachel Donelson's wit, beauty and vivacity attracted many suitors, among whom was Lewis Robards. A speedy marriage, sanctioned by his mother and sisters, followed an ardent wooing. That she should have been welcomed to such a household is proof positive that the charges of her illiteracy, coarseness and levity were unfounded. He was handsome, well educated, polished in manner and conversation, far superior to any man of her acquaintance in those attributes supposed to have facination for women; but, high-tempered, jealous-hearted, he proved a cruel, tyrannical husband.

"There are men-and men not altogether bad-with whose affections there mingles a strain of singular perverseness. If they havepets-cats, dogs, birds and horses-they tease and torment them, and their wives and children are alternate victims and idols. Robards belonged to this category. He doubtlessly loved his wife, but with a passion that blighted, violent love scenes would end in jealous wrangles, cruel taunts and upbraidings follow flattering endearments. The first object of his jealousy, Peyton Short, a young lawyer boarding with his mother (in those days, inns being scarce, private houses accomodated boarders) hearing of his suspicions, swore in court that he believed her to be a faithful wife, and that he had never addressed her an improper word. Surprising them chatting together on his mother's porch, Lewis Robards sent a messenger to Mrs. Donelson, lately returned to the Cumberland, to send for Rachel, as he was convinced of her infidelity. He had often threatened to do this, but Rachel, conscious of her innocence, paid no heed to him and, even when her brother came, laughingly said: 'Lewis is not in earnest-he could not live a day without