Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-02-21
GEN. JACKSON IN BOYHOOD.

In passing through Anderson District
some wears since, heard Of Mrs. Steven
son, a venerable matron, who bad been
the youthful acquaintance Of Gen. Andrew
Jackson. during the revolutionary war
was induced by curiosity, as we'll as re-
spect for the character Of this es;mable
old lady to visit one who had been the
companion Of our iIustrious ex-Presidenf,
in the days of his boyhood and obscurty,
| found Mrs. Stevenson all that she had
been represented to bean intelligent,
kind hearted, and fine looking old matron,
full Of conversation and anecdotes Of the
g old war" She was born in the neigh
borhoo6 Of the WaXlaws, in Leicester dis
trict, S. c.. and there grew up with the
future "Hero Of New Orleans" The
mo;her Of Andrew Jackson, and her three
sons, were we'll known TO Mrs 5. An
drew was the youngest and about her own
age. They were sent to the same school,
and their parents lived very near each 9TH
er. The father Of Gen. Jackson died be-
fore Mrs SIS recollection, and shortly al-
ter his settlement in South Carolina. He
and his wife were both from Ireland. At
the commencement Of the revolutionary
struggle in South Carolina, Andrew was
going to a &" grammar school" kept in the
meeting house Of the Waxlaw neighbour
hood. AS tho contest grew warm, the
school was discontinued, and the meet
ing house" was burnt down. In the mean
time, one Of Andrews brothers died, and
the other entered the service of his coun-
try. During the war, this other brother
also died of the small pox.
The Waxlaw neighborhood, at one Pc
rod Of the Revolution, was the seat of war
in the Southern, and was laid almost en-
tirely desola,e, and left without inhabitants
1t was during this distressing period that
! Andrew himself, then youth of fourteen
or fifteen wears old, joined the American
army The particulars Of his services
were unknown to Ms. Stevenson. She
understood, however, that he was taken
| prisoner by the British /; and heard thai
! he had received blow from an officer witt
/ his sword, for not performing some me-
( NAL office during his imprisonment. There
were two cousins Of Andrews in the army
! with him. One Of them was killed and The
! other taken prisoner.
! Whilst a prisoner Of war in Charleston
/ he was taken sick and his aunt, Mrs
/ Jakson. lost her life in attempting to visit
him. She fell victim to the climate anC
sorrow, and her nephew soon followed
/ This left Andrew without relation on this
side Of The Atantic-a boy and almost ;
/ stranger in new country. The little pro
perry which his family possessed had beer
! plunGered and destroyed. When The
country was restored to peace. he founC
himself in no very agreeable situation
/ destitute Of a home, relations, friends aaC
money. Under these circumstances, he
] made the house Of Mr. White his home.
| White was the uncle of Mrs. Stevenson,
and sadder by trade, Andrew remained
with him twelve or eighteen months, anc
during that time assisted him IN in working
at his trade. What progress the future
President Of the United States made in his
humble but respectable occupation, is not
known. Butthe fact of his being thus en-
gagged for that length of time.is well known
10 Mrs Stevenson. Becoming tired of the
business Of making saddles, and finding an
opportunity of doing better, he left Mr..
Whites and went to North Carolina,
where he afterwards commenced the study
Of law and was admitted TO the bar.