General Notes

Name Prefix:<NPFX> President
Ancestral File Number:<AFN> 8QRR-TM
#
# Occupation: President of the United States, March 4, 1829 - March 3, 1837
# Occupation: Cotton farmer, School Teacher, Soldier, Lawyer, Judge, TN Congressman & Senator
# Military Service: American Revolution, War of 1812
# Religion: Presbyterian
# Burial: The Hermitage, Nashville, TN
# Event: Political Party Democrat
# Reference Number: 362
# Note:
Andrew Jackson
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Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), was seventh president of the United States; hero of the War of 1812 and a cotton farmer near Nashville. Jackson was born to a poor Scots-Irish immigrant couple in the backwoods of South Carolina. By the age of 14 he was a wounded veteran of the American Revolution and an orphan. His formal education was slight, but he found a career by reading law with a number of lawyers in North Carolina. Jackson married Rachel Donelson, the daughter of a Nashville founder, and with her came the large, extended family he had lost in his youth. Follow this link to find out more about Rachel Donelson.
Jackson became the first holder of Tennessee's lone seat in the House of Representatives when the state was admitted to the union in 1796, and later served a short term as Senator. The War of 1812 made Jackson a national idol. His defeat of the Creek Indians in 1813 and his routing of an experienced British force at the Battle of New Orleans made Jackson the only bonafide military hero of an unproductive war. Jackson first ran for president in 1824. Although Jackson won the popular vote, he did not have enough electoral votes. The election was thrown into the House of Representatives which elected John Quincy Adams. He did win the presidency in 1828 and again in 1832.
Jackson's presidency is noted for its redefinition of the office: vigorous legislative leadership; liberal use of the veto power; belief in the permanence of the Union, even to the point of military enforcement of the law; and the concept of the president as the only spokesman for all of the people. Having seen his own vice president, Martin Van Buren, into the White House, he returned to his farm, The Hermitage, in 1837 and lived an active 8 year retirement as an esteemed elder statesman.

Important Dates in the Life of Andrew Jackson

1767, March 15 Born, Waxhaw settlement, South Carolina (father died several months previously)

1779 Older brother Hugh, died after the Battle of Stono Ferry, South Carolina in 1779

1780-1781 Serves in American Revolution, captured with brother Robert
and wounded by British officer, imprisoned, released in exchange.
Both brothers contracted smallpox. Robert died a few weeks later.

1781 Death of mother, Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson
Betty Jackson went to Charleston to nurse American prisoners of war.
Shortly after she arrived Mrs. Jackson fell ill with either ship fever or cholera
and died. Andrew found himself an orphan and an only child at fourteen.

1782-1873 Jackson spent a year and a half living with relatives
and for six of those months was apprenticed to a saddle maker.

1784 Jackson went to Salisbury, North Carolina where he studied law for several years.

1787, Sept. 26 Licensed an attorney in North Carolina, practices law

1788 Appointed public prosecutor for the Superior Court, Nashville, TN
which at that time was a part of the Western District of North Carolina.

1788, Oct. 26 Arrives in Nashville

1790/1791 Marries Rachel Donelson Robards

1794 Discovers that Rachel’s first husband had not obtained divorce.
Remarries Rachel.

1795/1796 Elected to Tennessee Constitutional Convention

1796 Elected to U.S. House of Representatives

1797 Elected to U.S. Senate

1798 Resigns Senate seat; elected judge of Superior Court of Tennessee

1802 Elected major general of Tennessee militia

1804 Purchases The Hermitage property

1806 Kills Charles Dickin