Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-18
Hermitage 4

THE HERMITAGE
Gen. jackson moved from North Carolina
to Tennessee in 17SS, and in 1904 he built the
hut where he lived so many years.
There is not in the whole country a log hut
so rich in historical associations. 1t was the
home of Jackson when his deeds as an Indian
fighter thrilled the young republic from ore
end to the other It was here that Burr Wis
tied him in 1905 and unfolded his famous
project of an empire in Mexico. Jackson
was living in this hut in 1872 when war was
declared against England, and it was from
this hut that he started out with his little
army Of 2,500 volunteers to sail down the
Cumberland, the Ohio and the Mississippi
one thousand miles to New Orleans
In this log cabin he heard the news of
the Fort MINIS massacre by che Greeks in
August, 1913, and from it he again took the
field at the head Of 5000 men, called out by
the government Of Tennessee. 1t was here
that he received his commission as major
general in the regular army, and from here
he again started on the march which ended
with his seizure of Pensacola, then belonging
to Spain. He returned to the hut after the
battle of New Orleans, and again set forth to
return conqueror from the Seminole war,
and to it after the Florida purchase came his
commission as first governor of the new ter
rltory.
In 1918 Gen. Jackson built handsome man
sion on the site of which is the present build
ing. This house was nearly all destroyed
by fire in 1896. In the same year the pres
ent structure, which is an exact copy of the
first one was erected Mr. Parton, in his
Life of Jackson thus describes it:
1T is not a very spacious building, and
very Tar, indeed, from being an elegant one.
A two story brick house with double piazza,
both in front and in the rear; the piazza
wooden and painted white, supported by
thick grooved pillars Of the same material
and color The floors Of the lower piazza are
of stone, and each end terminates in q wing
of the house.
'Just behind the edifice is large garden
with pebbled paths and beds bordered with
bricks. The rooms are lofty, rather small
and plainly furnished. The parlors are hung
with portraits of the general and his friends
Coffee, Bronaugh, Gadsden, Eaton and
others. There is portrait of Mrs. jackson
in white satin, topaz jewelry, low neck and
short sleeves; fat, forty and not fair. In the
hall are busts of Edward Livingston, Lewis
Cas- and Levi Woodbury."
=
OF the present movement to preserve the
Hermitage which is extreme interesting, and
from which we copy the following:
This is not the first attempt which has been
made to save the famous Hermitage, with all
the associations which cluster around the
home of the great soldier, patriot and presi-
dent In 1856 it was bought by the legisla-
ture of Tennessee for SIS, 200 from Andrew
a ~ Ia~ty-
son, and bonds, which are still part Of the
state debt, were issued for that purpose. Tie
property thus acquired included the mansion,
tomb and 500 Of the I 900 acres which Gen.
Jackson died possessed OF in 1s45. Mr.. Jack
son. after the sale had been effected, was al
lowed to reside in the place for two years
until he could make other arrangements
At the end Of that period he removed to
Louisiana with part Of his household goods
and negroes. leaving few of the old servants
behind to protect the property. Just before
the outbreak Of the civil wa he returned TO
the Hermitage at the request OF Governor
Harris, and again took up bis residence there.
Shortly afterwards, while hunting in the
Hermitage woods, he received a gunshot
wound in the hand, which resulted in his
death Though lockjaw.
Mrs jackson herself died about two years
ago, and then it was that the state authori-
ties resolved 70 resume possession Of the prop
erty. For two years the house and grounds
have been roldering in decay, Until last
spr.ag, when the question Of what should be
done With the Hermitage again came up for
consideration. Tie idea then occurred to
some Of the ladies Of Nashville to form an as
ISOLATION on the Mount Vernon model, raise
fund TO restore the house and grounds as
nearly as possible TO ttetr condition when
Gen jackson died, and 70 preserve them as
memorial 70 the man who was admired and
beloved By 20 many Of his oomtrynsn-
4 few Leading nea of the state who we're
consulted On the subject were In favor Of the
scheme as happy and patriotic solution Of e
problem which the authorities saw 10 clear
way Of solving, and Tire ladies' Of the Mount
Vernon association, who were written 70,
contributed out Of the stores Of their ripe ex-
rerisace Accordingly. these patriotic Sssh-
vile WOMEN took out a charter TO enable
them to accomplish IN Legal way their de-
syn TIE project did TOT arouse much en-
shux.zs-n u b-lst pewsn2p- paragraph cali
inE attention - !. was. cwsver- e-1ocgh ,or
&c srl--otu~.iou Il h5H IN The le~lsaz-r-e. r..
TIE instance OF the state bivouacs Of Cen
federass soldiers, asking for tie Hermitage
for period Of twenty-five years, As ho1r,e
fer disabled ex-Cou.sdesaie sold3e-1
This idea and bill became very popular,
especially as is was 20 wen known that Jack
son, In lis he, hsd done 20 much for tie
soId;sr, and the lAtt>s began 70 look uPoo
sbeir charter as 50 much waste paper. They
did not, ho~cver, gire up, and counter eiii
~ss introduced providing for tie pcrcnsss Of
the house, .u.ab and 80 acrA a tbs property.
A large number q influential citzssns rAAhed
to tie support Of IN. ladies and promised tsesr
co-ope-Assoc- This ras u ezak EscrsDen..
ard tie disposition d Tie Hxu1itags wsx bad