The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-12-02
ANDREW JACKSON.

ANDREW JACKSON.
somcthiug About His Early Life tn North
Carolina.
Foremost among the distinguished men
who resided for q season, i'll Salisbury
was Andrew Jackson. The reader, ac-
euainted with his public career as a
soldier and statesman, will not object
to brief account of his sojourn in Sails
bury. IL 1865 Andrew Jackson, with
his wife, two sons and three neighborss,
John Robert, and Joseph Crawford emf
Grated from Carrick fargus, Ireland, to
America, and settled at the "Waxhaws,", !"
on the boundary between North and
South Carolina. While some ofthe conf
pany settled on Twelve Mile Creek, in
Mecklenburg (now Unior) County
North Carolina. In the spring OF !ol'
Andrew Jackson died, and in rude farm
wagon his body was carried to the Wax
haW church and deposited in.the grave
ward. The family did not return to their
home on Twelve, Mile creek, but went 10
the house of George Mckenzie, broth
er.in-law, not far from the church ana q
nuarter Of a mile from the boundary OF
the States but in North Carolina. Ihere
Andrew Jackson, the younger, was porn
the night after his fathers funeral, Marcn
18th. i767. Evidence for all this most
conclusive and convincing, was collected
by Gen. Sam'l H. Walkup, of. Union
county, in 1858, and may be found in the
first volume of Parton's Life of Jackson.
Three weeks after his birth, his mother
removed with the family to the residence
of her brother-in law, Mr.. Crawford, in
South Carolina. Here Andrew grew up,
wild; reckless, daring, working on the
farm, riding horses, hunting, going to
old.feld schools, and picking up a little
education here and there. He also at
tended school of a higher grade at Wax
haw church, kept by Rev. .<Dr. Hum,
nhr;es. and he claimed to have attended
the Queens Museum College in Char
lotte, N. G. In these schools ne ac'
eouired the rudiments of an English ed,
ucation, and perhaps little Latin and
less Greek. Though only fifteen years
old at the close of the Revolution, young
Andrew Jackson took part in several
skirmishes and other adventures in his
neighborhood. At the close of the war
he was. an orphan, without; brother
or sister without tortune-a sick and
sorrowful orphan. After a year
or two of reckless life, he began to look
at life in earnest and prepare for it He
taught school for awhile, and gaining q
little money, he came to- Salisbury IN
,l7Y5. aud entered as a law student in the
Office Of Spruce Macay. Esq; he lodged
in the "Rowan House" but he studied IN
the Office of Mr.. Spruce Macay, along
with two fellow students, Crawford and
McNairy. The reader. may remember
this little effice on Jackson street, as it
stood until four years ago, Immediately
in front of the residence Of the Hon.
Nathaniel Boyden. Parton describes 1t
as 90 little box of house, fifteen by six-
teen feet, and one story high" and built
of"shiugles," e., q framed and weather.
boarded house, covered with shingles.
This little house was purchased by an
enterprisipg individual and carried to
Philadelphia to, the centennial exposi-
tion,s in 1876, as speculation, though 1t
proved to be a very poor investment:
while Jackson certainly devoted good
part of his time to study, yet he was no
doubt, as Parton describes him., "a roar
ING, rollicking fellow, owraowing with
life and spirits, rejoicing to engage
in all the fun that was going"
"He played cards, ran horses, threw the
long bullet Cannon ball, slung in a
strap, aud thrown as trial of strength
carried off gates, moved out.houses to
remote fields, and occasionally indulged
in q down right drunken debauch."
Upon certain occasion the three law
students and friends held banquet at
the tavern. At the conclusion it was
resolved that it would be improper that
the glasses and decanters that had pro-
NOTED the happiness of such an evening
should ever be profaned by any baser
use. Accordingly they were smashed:
The same reasoning led to destruction OF
the table, the chairs and. the bed, were
all broken and torn to splinters and rib.
bons. and the combustible parts heaped
on the fire and burned. Of course there
was big bill TO settle next day. But
it is said that Jackson's landlord was
fond of cards, and Jackson won large sums
from him, which entered as credits against
his board bill. Jackson was certain
ly not model young man, and not one
in ten thousand yonng men who began
life as he did ever attain to distinction.
But there was in him indonitable will,
,ireless energy, and unflinching courage"
He was always willing to take the respon-
sib;lity, and he moved on to his aims
with a purpose that could not be turned
aside. After spending less than two
wears in the Office of Spruce Macay,
Jackson completed his studies for the
bar in the office of Col. John Stokes, q
brave soldier of the revo!u ian. After this
he lived awhile at Martinsville, in Gull
ford county, and from that place he re.
moved TO Tennessee, in l7Ss, and
settled in Nashville. The reader may
follow his course in the legal profession,
in The battle of New Orleans, in tie
presidential chair, in the racy and
readable volumes that record his life, by
James Parton.
49,, W., C1cc .rroN p,opr