The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-12
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THE HERMITAGE.

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THE HOME OF yACKsoN-ITs PRESENT CON
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF THE HERO
BETTY, HIS OLD SERVANT. N--
On Saturday, November 10th, committee
of the Tennessee Legislature visited the
Hermitage. to ascertain its condition. From
the Nashville Times we take the following
statements in connection with the visit:
General Jackson left the estate to his
adopted son, Andrew jackson, who having
become involved in debt, offered the tract,
containing 500 acres to the State Of Ten
nessee. In 1856 the Legislature authorized
Governor Harris to purchase it for S49, 900
payable in State bonds, and the homestead
of jackson became the property of Tennessee.
Old Hickory was a good judge of land as
well as OF horses, and he selected for his
home one of the finest bodies of land in the
vicinity of Nashville. On this delightful
spot General Jackson built the Hermitage,
and made his home. He was good farmer,
and he raised fine crops and good stock
Mr. Jackson's dairy butter brought the best
price in Nashville. Jaekson's adopted son
drew was good natured, easy fellow, who
let things go to decay. He died in 1867
The Act of the Legislature of 1856 provided
that the property should be offered to the
General Government Oh condition that it
would establish military academy, similar
to the one at West Point; if the offer was
refused then fifty acres, including the
residence and tomb of jackson, were to be
reserved, and the remaining $50 acres were
TO be Sold Up to this time the property
has remained in the hands of the State.
The committee had fine day for their
journey Of twelve miles, and they came to a
fine old estate in ruins! The fences were
grown over with poison oak vines and
tumbling down; the grand park on whose
green lawn once grazed herds of sleek cattle,
was dense jungle of poke weeds and
brambles, the gates creaked unwillingly ON
rheumatic hinges the flower beds were de-
faced; the pavemcnts torn up; the out
houses dilapidated; the stately portico Of
the mansion apparently ng-sutfering for
lack of paint; while on every side pencil
scribblngs and hacked shrubbery showed
traces of the rcmorseless relic-hunters, who
had generously left their names to pay for
the mementoes which they had carried away.
Even the little copperroofed temple in the
corner of the garden, which shelters the
modest ObeliSk that stands between the
graves of Andrew and Rachel Jackson. has
severely felt the pitiless tooth of time. The
columns of the temple are made of an inferior
quality of Tennessee limestone, and the sun
and rain and frost have eaten out the chalky
particles which dot its composition, until
its surface is completely honey-combed-
The stables and barns were neglected, and
the dairy house and spring choked up. The
whole spectacle was enough to draw sigh
from frugal and tidy farmer. Mrs. jackson,
the widow of the last owner of the estate,
and her widowed sister, who resides there
with her, received the visitors at the house
with great courtesy. They examined the
tod Inv tEo
given by President Jefferson, Old Hickory's
ebony walking stick, the easy chair in which
he rcclined the day before his DEATH Mrs
jackson spoke of her destitution. and eX-
pressed an earnest desire to be able to pur-
chase back a portion of the old homestead.
AS the party passed by Il dilapidated brick |
cottage in the rear of the mansion, an aged I
negress made her appearance at the door
with parcel of hickory walking sticks,
which she was anxious to SELL Betty said
that she was eighty-three years old, and
lived with General jackson ever since he (
settled on the farm, and served as cook, was ::
with him at the battle of New Orleans, and /
at Washington while he was President
Her husband, Ned, is a helpless cripple. /
bed-ridden with rheumatism. Their son
lives with the old couple and supports them. }
He rents u few acres Of ground from the
estate, ut four dollars an acre. The little
cabin looked squalid and poverty stricken
A few rude articles of furniture stood in the
room, and print of General jackson, and
of the Saviour, whose pictures are more
numerous than his disciples, hung on the
dingy will. The old woman appealed
earnestly to the Committee: Gentlemen,
for the Lords sake, don't turn us off from
here. We have lived here all our lives, and
haven't much longer to live. A little while
longer, and we'll both be gone. Do let US
have few acres ofgroUnd here to spend the
rest OF our days on the old farm ~ Betty's
entire lot of canes were purchased bv the
party, who made u complete cleaning out of
the change for her relief, for which she cx-
pressed unbounded gratitue.