The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-02-07
OLD BICKORY's ROMANCE.
Thrice Married TO One Wife-How He Res
euad an III-1r-atsd Woman from "a bru-
tai Husband, Procured for Her Di-
p0ros, aud Thtu Married Her Himself.


From the Denver Tfibune.l
While walking along the main
street of Santa Fe the other day, q
Tribune representative had his attention
called t0 an old man who was crossing
the street just in front. "There's an
item for you" said a gentleman with
whom the reporter was cOhyerslng
g That man was once private secretary
TO President Polk" BY the time the sen
tenee was completed the man had dis
appeared, and what really promised TO
be an interesting interview, was nipPeh
in the bud. A day or two afterward,
the man, known as old Col, Hopkins,
was, however, again seen on the street,
and to make sure, the Tribune repre-
sentative spoke TO him at first sight.
The man now lives near Santa Fe, and
certainly does not bear the marks that
fortune leaves when she uses her chill
dren we'll He is old and feeble, bent
half to the ground as he makes his way
leaning on his cane, looking a picture
of real distress and poverty. He wears
an old army Overcoat and the same
character of pantaloons, given to him
doubtless by some soldier at the post.
He carries with him, whenever in San
ia Fe, common meal-saek, which he
makes the repository of whatever is do
mated to him by those who feel disposed
to lend helping hand, for be it known
that this man Hopkins, he who was once
confidential secretary to James X. Polk,
when he was President of the United
States, is now street beggar in "The
City of Holy Faith"
The reporter shook hands with the
old man and asked him to go into the
room of the former in the Exchange
Hotel. Conserving, he walked in and
there talked for two hours. He showed
himself a man of good breeding and ex-
eellent manners after the fashion Of the
old school. He is running over with
"reminiscences of the men who figured
so prominently in the affairs of the ma
ton during the last generation. He
had known Polk for many years and
was in the Tennessee Legislature when
he was nominated for the Presidency.
Mr. Hopkins seems even more famil-
lar with the life of Jackson than with
that of Polk. Hopkins's uncle, with
whom he lived greater part of his ear
ly life, was a friend of JacksOn's when
the two were young, and even after that
time the family were on intimate terms
with Old Hickory. He tells about be-
ing at a reception given by Polk while
Governor of Tennessee, at the State
Capitol, at which Jackson was present !;
and tells, too, of how the old man lean
ed upon his shoulder for over an hour
as the women passed by and shook
hands with and kissed him-hundreds
of them, old and young, and of all de-
grees of beauty and reverse. To this
day Mr. Hopkins does not know wheth-
er he was more fatigued with sustaining
nearly the entire weight of the old Gen
eral, or disguised with seeing him get
all the kisses. -- ..r.
Here the reporter took occasion to
ask about Gen. Jackson's marriage. As
will be remembered by the reader, the
biographies of Jackson pass this by
with but slight and most unsatisfactory
illusions. Hopkins's version ought to
be authentic as he had the facts from
the family. jackson was young law
yer. He was on his way from Tennes-
see to some town in Kentucky to attend
court. He was passing through which
is now either Warren or Barren County,
in the Green River country, which was
then but thinly settled, and most of it
covered with forests. Approaching a
lone cabin in the road, he heard the
cries of a woman, which grew more and
more distinct the nearer he approached
the house. Squirting up the animal he
was riding, he soon reached the cabin,
and, alighting from his horse, entered
it, to find shoemaker beating his wife
with a strap of leather. The sounds he
had heard proceeded from her throat
Disregarding the old admOnitiOn, never
to interfere between husband and wife,
he caught the mans arm and compelled
him to deSiSt from his diabolical pas
time. Then half showing him, half
kicking him into the yard, he told the
fellow to clear out. g You COMPOUNDED
scoundrel!' he exclaimed; Sc leave the
country Immediately, and never let me
hear of you showing your ugly face to
this woman again. My name is Andrew
Jackson; l am a lawyer. I am going
up here to court, but Twill return to this
place every day or two, or until | am
sure you are SO far away that you can
cause the lady no more disturbance. If
she has no one else to protect her will
do it,
The positive manner of the young adj
vecate convinced the cowardly lord of
the last that his adversary meant what
he said. So he took Jackson's advice
and " cleared out.n Jackson visited
the woman as he had avowed he would,
and from becoming interested in her
caSe became interested in her, and she
in him. In the course of year he pro-
cured a decree of divorce for the woman
from her husband, and then married
her. The marriage was a quiet one, and
occurred near Nashville. The name of
his wife's first husband was Roberts, and
her own Donaldson. Hopkins says that
she was an illiterate woman, but had
very kind heart, and was always good,
true and worthy wife of jackson, wheth-
er as private citizen or general.
Soon after the marriage, Jackson de-
termined to cmigrate to what was then
the Territory of Mississippi. Here the
report became current that he had not
been married to the woman with whom
he was living. 81 was married to her,
he said, ''in Tennessee, in the presence
of two witnesses; but if it will be any
qualification to any of these people here
to have us married again, | am willing
EAnd sure enough" said Mr.. Hopkins,
SO off he goes and is married again.n .i
Some time afterwards Mr. jackson
and his wife went to Kentucky. There
they found that Roberts, Mr.. Jackson's
first husband, had been circulating the
report that they had never been mar
ried. Being willing that all parties
should be satisfied on this point, Jack
son went off and procured another
license and again was united in mar
rage with the woman he had rescued
from the wrath of an irate shoemaker.
Thus, though he never had but one wife,
Gen. Jackson was thrice married.
The knot so well tied never grew
slack. Jackson always loved his wife.
Mr.. Hopkins tells an incident illustrat-
- H. Jov,otion IN har HOnkinS had