The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-12-22
THE HERMITAGE.
A VISIT TO THE OLD HOME OF
GENERAL JACKSON.
"Old Hlckory's" Dwelling Place in
Life and Death Near Nashville
Historic T.elics-Tomb
of Husband and Wife.

LII tuC fclf VI IuO WY Oh q
commanding elevated site, stands the old
Polk residence, and in its grounds q
modest tomb, beneath which repose the
ashes of James K. Polk. the President OF
whom it could trutbfully be written:
The beauty of virtue was illustrated in his
l. life;
The excellence of Christianity exempliaed in
his death.
The crowding steps of the business
world are fast appro aching this locality,
and it is only t.u:stion of time when
tho valuable grounds will be covered by
handsome residences. A general desire
is expressed by the older citizens that
the remains of Tenncssee's three Presi.
dents-Jackson, Polk and Johnson
should be placed on Capitol Hill, AID al.
though there are at present some diff.
culties in the way, yet the fitness of such
placement of these sacred astes will
some day become ilnperatively manifest
and such an appropriate disposition OF
them will be made.
Some twelve miles out of the Lebanon
turnpike q narrow road turns abruptly
to the left, in the woods, and following
it for few minutes double gate is
reached the entrance to the Hermitage
grounds. A semi-circular drive through
an avenue of cedars, leads to the historic
old house. Nearly all of these cedars
are dead aad their bare limbs and black
ened trunks are in keeping with the tone
of moulder and decay which permeatps all
the surroundings. The frost has already
touched the living trees, and the ground
is deeply carpetcd with fallen leaves, to
which additions are constantly being
made by every whisper of the cssing
breeze. The house is an ancient two
story building; wide porch, above and
below, runs across the entire front; six
large fiuted wooden columns, crowned
by capitals of carved leaves, give an Dir
of imposing solidity, and brick one-story
wings some twenty feet square, on either
side, with doors opening from the porch,
show that comfort AID convenience rather
than architectural effect was consulted
in the erection.
At the broad centre door is met cd
Alfred, the well known colored servant
of the General. H., was born slave on
the estate, March 10, 1903, and is the
only living landmark of the "Tackson
times" Slavery or freedom is all the
same to him. He 'always belonged to
the Jacksons," and desires to die on the
old ground. He shows us through the
great hall, into which the centre door
opens. This hall i, papered with an an.
cient material, illustrating landscapes
and NEUROLOGICAL scenes, the colors Of
which are still bright here and there, hut
the paper is crum:oling surely to decay.
In this hall is al armchair formerly
owned by General Washington, husts of
Chancellor Livingstone and Lewis Cass,
portrait of Thomas Jefferson, the old
fashioned mahogany sofas and chairs and
the once elegant chandeliers with their
lamps tor burning lard oil.
In large room to the left, and the
only one shown to visitors, are collected
the many relics of the past. Portraits of
the General by Earl and Healy (the latter
one finished but Jour days before the
Presidents death) and marble bust,
together with an equestrian portrait
gives a correct idea of the features Of
IL.
foreign make and exquisite workman
ship, in the shape Of iulaid tables, cabi.
nets, chairs, vases. urns, clocks, silver
ware, etc., evidence the esteem offriends
at home and abroad, while pipes, war
clubs and curiou sly braided Indian
handiwork show that the dusky red men
remembered Andrew Jackson. In little
cabinet with glass doors are maIy relics,
prominent among which are British
bayonet, partly inbedded in solid oak,
taken from tree after the battle of New
Orleans, and snuff-box, on the lid of
which is a bullet received by the General
in duel. The floor is tover1d with a
velvet carpet of the old times, which
still retains its bright colors, elasticity
and richness. A Gilbert piano of 1882
gives but broken and mournful re-
Sponse to the touch, but the black mar
bio mantels, facings, and tables are as
beautiful to-day as ever. A Latin Bible
of 1888 and one in Sanscrit, written by
monks on vellum, are worthy objects OF
interest.
Near the Hermitage stand three old
log houses, now used as negro quarters,
but which formerly were all together and
for many years the headquarters and
home of the General, beforethe Hermit
age was built. T. short walk through
the tangled garden, with its fences fall
ing to decay. and the corner is reached,
where number OF graves are marked Dy
small monuments aud headstones.
On one of these we read: "In memory
of r. E. w. Earl, artist, friend and com
panion of Gener ! Andrew Jackson, who
died at the hermitage, the 10th Septem-
ber, 1881"
Cn another: "Andrew Jackson. adopted
SON of General Andrew Jackson, who
died at the Hermitage, April L., 1865,
in the 5,,th year of his age"
'Another: Captain amuel Jackson,
son of Andrew and Sarah Jackson, born
at the Hermitage, June @, 1887; died
September 90, 1858, of wounds received
at the battle Of Chickamauga."
Near these stands the tomb, pagoda
shape, with eight pillars, and three steps
leading to the floor, beneath which rest
the remains of Andrew Jackson and his
wife Rachel In the centre of the floor
stands a modest monument, cn either
side Of which is plain slab, on one OF
which is simply inscribed:
GENERAL ANDREW JACKSON,
Born March Is, 1857.