The news & observer., 1895-08-25
-ritten for Sunday News and Observer.

Jackson more than once in these
sketches; bnt it is eminently proper
that he should have a conspicuous place
among them. He was a North Caro-
linian by birth, and by early training.
He was, IN greatness of mind, in strength
Of purpose, and integrity, the peer Of
the greatest The people of North Car
Dina have reason to be proud of him,
and they are proud Of him. He was born
in that part of old Mecklenburg which
was cut off many years ago, and
formed into the county of Union
This fact was placed beyond contro
versy by Mr. Parton. in his highly val
liable biography of General Jackson
nearly forty years ago, AS this point
in his history is one of particular inter
est to the people of North Carolina, l
proceed to lay the evidence of it before
them in some detail.
In order to thoroughly inform himself,
Mr.. Parton, in 1858, visited, not only
the Waxhaw settlement, which lies on
both sides of the border line which di-
vides the two states of North and South
Carolina, but the whole country around,
including Tennessee, that he might meet
with old people who had known the
General in his youth and early man
hood. This was not, by any means, an
impracticable undertaking, for he had
then been dead only thirteen years, and
he died at the age Of seventy eight years.
The father Of General Jackson, whose
name was Andrew, emigrated to Amer
lea in the year 1865, from the
north of Ireland. He was of Scotch
Irish ancestry, as was his wife, whose
maiden name was HutchinsOn-B Betsy
Hutchinson, a most excellent, resolute
woman, and probably the superior, in
tellectually of her husband. As rule,
it is the mother who impresses her per
sOnality upon the children, in greater de-
gree than the father, probably because
she has more to do in rearing them. 1t
was finely said by Theodore Parker, that,
when virtue leaps high in the public
fountain, you seek for the lofty spring
of nobleness, and find it far off in the
dear breast of some mother, who melted
the SHOWS of winter, and condensed the
summers dew into fair sweet humanity,
which now gladdeps the face of man in
all the city streets" The Jacksons land
ed at Charleston, with two children,
Hugh and Robert, and at once proceeded
to move up the country. Relatives
came with them sisters of Mrs Jack
son, who were married, the one to a Mr..
Orawfor and the other to Mr.. McCamie
or McKamy. They stopped on the bor-
der of the two colonies, North and
South Carolina, and located in what is
known as the WaXhaw settlement. Mr.
Crawford and his family bought land on
the South Carolina side of the line The
JacksOns and Mechanics ''squatted" only
only a mile or two further north, and
north Of the colonial line, In North Caro-
lima.
Other family connections came with,
or preceded them. A Mrs. Leslie is
spoken of as the aunt of Gen. Jackson,
and a resident of the neig borhood when
he was born She may have been a sis
ter Of Mr.. Jacks n.
Andrew Jackson, Senior, died a
short time before the birth of his
ilustrious son and namesake, leav-
ing his wife pregnant with the future
hero OF New Orleans, and President of
the United States.
The son was born in Mccklenburg
county, North Carolina, March IS. 1867.
Mr Parton presents an array Of facts in
support of this statement which can
leave no doubt upon any rational mind.
Mrs. jackson followed the remains of
her husband to the grave in the country
church yard; and without returning,
with her Two little children, to her desc
late home, she went to the ~ouse of her
brother-in-law, Mr.. McCamie, and there
remained until after her confinement.
This event took place, as above stated,
March Is, 1867.
The first statement in support of these
facts is that of Benjamin Massey, an
old resident of the vicinity, who gives
his recollection of what he heard Mrs.
Lathen, who was present at the birth,
say of the circumstances. She said
THAT she was about seven years older
than Andrew Jackson; that when
the father of Andrew Jackson died, Mrs.
Jackson left home, and came to her
brother-in-law's, Mr.. McCamie's, previous
to the birth of Andrew After living at
Mr. McCamie's a while, Andrew was
born, and she was present at his birth.
AS soon as Mrs. Jackson was restored to
health and strength, she came to Mr..
James Crawtords in South Carolina,
and there remained"
John Carnes says: "Mrs. Leslie, the
aunt Of General Jackson, has often told
me that General Jackson was born at
George Mechanics, in North Carolina, ="
and proceeds to state further particulars,
like the above
James Faulkner, second cousin of
General Jackson, states:
THAT old Mr.. Jackson died before the
birth of his son, General Jackson; and
that his widow, Mrs. Jackson, was quite
poor, and moved from her resi-
dence on Twelve Mile Greek, North Car
olina, to live with her relatives on Wax
haw Creek: aad while On her way here,
she sruppeG with her sister, Mrs. Nc
Cam e, ln North Carolina, and was there
delivered Of Andrew. afterwards Presi
de It f the United States; that he
learned this from various old persons,
and particularly heard his aunt, Sarah
Lathen, often speak Of it, and assert
that she was present at his, Jackson
birth; that she said that her mother,
Mrs. Leslie, was sent for on that occa
sion, and took her, Mrs. Lathen, a
small girl, about seven years of age, with
her; and that she recollected well going
the near way, through the fields, to get
there; and that afterwards, when Mrs.
Jackson became able to travel, she con-
tinued her trip to Mrs Orawford's, and
took her son Andrew with her, and