The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-06-22
General Jackson.

lihhClSlcT bSulCt, june iOtn.
While at Lancaster G. H., saw in the
Charleston Mercury, copied from the Ma
tiona, lnteIigencer, letter hom Mr. w.
Marshall Anderson of Seven Oaks, near
Circleville, Ohio, to Mr. John Ii. James,
in which ar account is given Of visit by
President Monroe to his father a, Soldiers
Retreat in 1917, accompanied by Gen.
Jackson. Mr.. Anderson states that to his
fathers question "Gen. Jackson, where
were you born e. he replied, Il was born,
sir, at sea, otf the coast of North Carroll,
ma, about fifteen miles from shore" This
is intended as refutation Of Gen. S. Ii.
Walkup's claim for North Carolina as
the birth place Of jackson. | am not well
informed Of the arguments which Gen.
Waikup uses to substantiate this claim.
1 believe that thoy are mostly traditional,
and therefore uncertain. In the life of
Gen. Jackson. by Amos Kendall, a work
which was discontinued after few mum.
bers, it is stated upon the authority o:
Gen. Jackson himself that he was born
at the house of James Crawford in Ian.
caster Dlstrict-subsCquenty known as
the Wren place-about half mile of
The road from Lancaster TO Charlotte, and
one mile west of the North Carolina line.
which there runs nearly north and south.
This place, at present owned by Mrs. 7.
X. Cureton, lies about a mile and half
above the plantation of NJ. p. Crawford,
Esq, in which is now included the place
OF Major Crawford, brother of james
Crawford. Kendalrs Life contained
very correct nap of the Waxhaw region
of country, and these different localities
are all accurately laid down in it,
Old land grants and deeds show that
this portion Of Lancaster District was
once included in "Anson County, Pro
vince of North Carolina" 1t may be, and
1t is likely that the boundary was not de
termined as early as Gen. Jackson's birth,
and so a question may arise as 20 wheth-
er the spot of his birth was, at the time
of its occurrence in the one Sta'e or the
other. II hardly admits Of dispute in any
.otbor point OF view. have been obliging
ly shown by Col. James Ii. Witherspoon,
Commissioner in Equity for this District,
several interesting letters Of Gen. Jack
son, to his father, the late Col James II.
'Witherspoon. From these letters make
some extracts bearing upon the point in
question. In May, 1928, Col. Wither
spoon, DIR. Jones, VIM. McKenna and
others, invited Gen. Jackson to unite
with the citizens Of the District in the
celebration Of the 4th of July. In his re
ply, dated Hermitage, June Q, he says,
"Be pleased, gentlemen, to accept for
yourselves Individually, and convey to
those you represent, my gratitude for
your tender recollection Of me rs citir
zen OF Lancaster. This obligation is heigt
ened by the consciousness on my part,
that absence and time have not weaken.
ed the ardor Of the sentiment which con
socrates the memory of the place which
gave me birth" In May 25, 1929, he
writes from Washington, II yet cherish
The nope that | shall have an opportunity
of seeing again the land of my birth, but
not until the PUBLIC service can permit
my absence from this place without in.
jury. in the mean time, sir, be assured
of my great regard for you and all that
concerns the prosperity OF old Waxhaw."
In another letter, dated Washington,
December IL, 1896 lie spe ks Of not
being able to visit his "nalive place on
his return in March following :"nothng,"
he continues, "coull afford me equal
qualification as to visit the sacred spot
that holds ths rem aims OF father and bro.
theirs, and which would afford me the
plasure 70 meet with my much esteemed
friend Mrs. Dunlap, the companion of my
youth, to whom and family present me
atfectionately." 1t may be proper to state
that Mrs. Dunlap was daughter of Ma.
jor Robert Crawford. 1t will be noticed in
the latest extract.that Gen. jackson does
not include his mother in speaking Of the
sacred spot that held the remains of those
dear to Rim. learn from an estimable
neighbor Of mine, John Foster, ST., Esq,
.hat she, accompanied by Mrs. VIM Bar
ton, went to Charleston to see her son
Robert and Andrew, who had been i'm
prisoned there, and had the small pox.-
Mrs. jackson died on her way back, and
Mrs. Barton cav her buried. Gen. Jack
son knew that his mothers remains were
separated from those of his father and
brothe:s. IL was cherished wish o: his
TO visit South Carolina, and under the
guidance Of Mrs. Barton to find the place
where his mother was bnried.
It seems also from Mr. James letter,
accompanying that Of Mr.. Anderson, that
a Mr.. Kenton had asserted that he had
seen Gen. jackson in kentucky in 1910.
Gen. Walkup disproves this by the testi
Inony of living witnesses, and 10y account
books Of gentlemen in Salisbury and
Charlotte, showing dealings with Andrew
Jackson between l779 and 1888. Among
the papers Of Major Robert Crawford,
kindly shown me by Hon. George McC.
Witherspoou, Senator from Lancaster
District, find evidence that Gen. Jack.
son WAS in Lancaster District as late as
1887. His name is signed as one Of the
witnesses to deed. given by Robert
Crawford, and Jane Crawford his wife, to
David Lockwood, of Charleston, for land