The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-11
RELICS OF GENERAL JACKSON.
Preserved mt the Hermitage, His Old
Home.

Nashville Letter in New Orleans Times
Democrat.
The Hermitage, the old home of General
Andrew jackson, near here, has, through
the efforts OF the Ladies' Hermitage Asso-
citation, been almost restored to the condf-
ton it was in at the time of the death or
General Jackson In 1856 the State OF Ten
nessee purchased from Andrew Jackson,
jr., for s4S, 600, the Hermitage farm, which
then consisted of 800 acres of land, and IL
was intended TO offer IL to the United
Point Academy, but the civil war prevented
the contamination OF these plans. In 1893
the State Legislature of Tennessee con-
veyed to the Ladies' Hermitage Association,
through a board of trustees, the house,
tomb, all outhouses and twenty-five acres
land to preserve, beautify and adorn,
throughout all coming years, in manner
most beftting the Nemory of the great man
and commensurate with the gratitude or
his countrymen.
The association has put forth untiring
efforts to raise the funds necessary TO pur-
chase the furniture and relics that We're in
the house at the time of General Jacksons
death. 1t has inaugurated all kinds of en-
terprises, lectures. balls. concerts, theatre
calls, etc, anything that would net money
10 its treasury. The work of sustenation is
aided by the States appropriation of $50
some little repair work. The association
has succeeded in putting the place in its
present good condition and in replacing
those pieces OF relic furniture now TO be
seen in the house. and IL is its cherished
plan to purchase all the relics and furniture
and rehabilftate the house as it was In
Jackson'S life.
The original hermitage was built I'm 1904
1t was made of logs, and part of il is still
standing. Aaron Burr made his famous
visit to the Hermitage i'm 1906, and was en-
tertained in this log house General Jack
son was living in the log house when the
battle of New Orleans was fought, i'm 1915.
and returned to this humble home the CON
quering hero and idol of the Nation. The
present site was selected and built upon in
1919. and was of brick made on the place
Lafayette was entertained there in 1925
This house was burned in 1885 and rebuilt
in 1896 upon the same foundation as 1t now
stands. General Jackson died in 1916. at the
age of seventy-eight years, and was buried
by the side Of his wife in the tomb in the
garden.
In 1909 Andrew jackson and his wife
adopted the infant son of Severn Donelson
a brother OF Mrs. jackson, and named him
Andrew Jackson, jr.. and he bore the name
and became the heir TO all the estates. His
son, Colonel Andrew Jackson, after serving
gallantly as colonel of artillery in the Con-
federate army, returned to the Hermitage
and lived with his mother until the time
of her death, and by her will inherited the
of the old hero. 1t was from Colonel jack
son that the Ladies' Hermitage Association
purchased most of the relics.
The Hermitage is built in the old colonial
| style of architecture, with large verandas
| in front and rear, wide hallway with
double rooms either side. and wings sup
plementlng these. Inc rooms are large
spacious, and are eleven in number, be-
| side pantry, storeroom, kitchen. cellar, etc.
On entering the hall, which is large and
| commodious, one notes at first glance the
| pictorial wall paper. which was ordered by
General jackson from Paris. France, when
| the house rebuilt I'm 1886. IL came by
way of New Orleans up the Mississippi and
Cumberland rivers. 1t represents the
| legend of Telemachus, and is that part of
| the story of the landing of Ulysses on the
Island of Calypso
Although Colonel Jackson still has many
valuable curios that belonged to the 'old
has succeeded in acquiring, either by pur-
chase or presentation. no less than 172
separate and distinct relics. varying i'm size
and value from the celebrated Decatur sill
yer service, that General Jackson pur-
chased from the widow of Commodore De-
catur down TO the brass fender that had
no value whatever, except that il was once
| the property of the general.