Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-09-11
general gael.son's Marriage.

This event in the history Of General Jackson has
been often alluded to- but the circumstances attending
1t are very little known The subjoined narrative is
from eulogy delivered at Natchez:
Miss Rachel Donelson, the daughter Of Col. Donel-
son. Virginia. had been celebrated for her gayety,
affabty and sweetness of disposition. Her father
emerated to tennessee, and dying, left her an Or
plan. She formed unhappy matrimonial connec-
ton with morose, jealous, and dissipaed character
by the name of Roberts. who soon abandoned her.
The difficulty was made up, and the welded pair
came together again after which Andrew Jack
son became transient border in the same house
where Roberts and his wife were residing. second
rupture soon occurred, and Roberts left his wife and
went to Kentucky Learning that he intended return
ing and taking her there, and dreading his inhums..
ly and bad treatment, she determined to seek asy
lam in Natchez. besotd his reach. Nachez was then
the Oregon of America In the spring of 1871 she
came here with COL Starke and his family. At the
earnest request Of COL Starke, Gen. Jackson poied
his family through the Indian country. After his re-
turn, Judge Oyerton communicated 10 him the as
founding intelligence that he was the unconscious
of the last separation that it from Rob
ers's jealousy of him; and the circumstance of his
accompanying COL Starke, TO protect his family from
the Indians, had been seized upon by Roberts as
ground of divorce, in petition TO the Virginia Le
gslature.
The thought that an innocent woman was suffer.
ing unluStly on his account made General Jack
sons sens tive mind most uneasy and unhappy. lie
Immediately sought out Roberts and expostulaed with
him the injustice and cruelty of his causelcss sus
pcion but the interview ended in mutual defances
At length came that the Virginia Legislature
had actually granted the divorce in accordance with
Roberts's petition. Forthwith Andrew Jackson has.
tened to Natchez, and offered his hand and heart &c
the innocent and amable woman, who had been made
so unhappy by false and unf0unded accusations. He
came Natchez, to give the world the highest evi
dence he could give of her innocence.
| Although free to form new connexion, Mrs. Rob
erts declined the profIered Offer But Andrew Jack.
son was not to be Uutdcue. He addressed her in the
language Of Ruth TO Naomi: ''Entreat me not &c
leave thee for where thou goest will 60, where thou
lodgest will lodge, thy people shall be my people
and thy God my God; where thou diest will die
and there will be buried" promise which be lit
orally fulfilled in refusing the sarcophagus of the En-
peror Alexander Severus that he might be buried by
her. At length, after three months, Mrs. Rob
erts being convinced that the chivalry which prompt
ed the proposal had become associated with genuine
love, accepted the offer, and they married in this
city Its vicinity, and returned TO Tennessee. On
arriving there finding that the divorce had not gone
through all the forms required by the laws of Vir
ginia at the time of their marriage here, the cere
mony was again performed there.