Evening star., 1909-04-19
TOF|X UP'HERM|TACE'
Association Will Repair Home
of Andrew Jackson.
CONGRESS VOTES MONEY
Property Belongs to an Organiza-
ton of Women.
STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS
State of Tennessee Buys the Estate
From Heir in 1855 for
$4,000.
STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS
BY WILLIAM F.. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald

Special Correspondence of The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
NASHVILLE. Tenn, April II. 1900.
The Hermitage. the home of Gen. An
drew Jackson Is twelve miles from the
city of Nashville by an almost straight
turnpike. which, however. is not kept in
first-class order Although this is pre-
eminently land of fine horses and many
automobiles are being brought in by
wealthy citizens, the good roads man has
kept away. The Hermitage belongs to an
association Of women. organized in 1889
to accept from the legislature Of Tennes-
see the title to the residence and tomb.
and twenty-five acres of land. and ITO
preserve. beautify and adorn, throughout
all coming years, in manner most be-
fitting the memory OF that great man
and commensurate with the gratitude Of
his countrymen.'
That was the language of the act. and
the legislature made munificent allow
ance of so month to pay caretaker
and maintain the place. The gratitude
Of his countrymen" is SO limited, how
ever. that they have refused to contribute
anything farther. so that the Ladies' Her.
mitage Association was compelled to ap-
peal to the Congress OF the United States
for an appropriation to repair and main
Jain the home of Andrew Jackson, and
year.
Becomes Heir to Property.
Gen. and Mrs. jackson adopted the in
FAINT son of her brother. Severen Donel-
son, who was named after the general.
and he became the heir to all his prop
erty. His son, Col Andrew Jackson, in
herited the property in turn, and sold
the house and its contents. with twenty
L. NA4N
nessee in 1855 for the sum Of $4,000. II
was intended to offer the property to
the government of the United States for
a branch Of West Point Military Acad-
emy, but the proposition was not con-
sidered favorably by Congress, and. when
the civil war came on, was abandoned.
A farmer and his wife lived at the Her
mitage. kept up the appearance Of things
and protected the property against DAM
age. until it was transferred to the La
dies Association.
The members OF that body have been
untiring In their efforts to secure funds
to keep up the place and to recover
the furniture and equipments of the
house. They have held fairs, balls. con-
certs, lectures and amateur theatricals,
and have made personal solicitations. for
which they have been poorly paid. The
people of Nashville and other parts Of
Tennessee take great pride in the achieve
ments of Andrew Jackson and in the
privilege of living in the neighborhood
OF his home, but they are not willing
to pay any money for 1t, and. as the
legislature would not do anything for
them. the ladies were compelled to appeal
10 Congress. They have. however, sue
ceeded in recovering. either by purchase
or presentation. 172 relics. the most i'm
portant Of which are the old stage
coach In which Gen. and Mrs. Jackson
Travelled several times between Wash
Ington and Nashville and a silver serv-
Ice which Gen Jackson purchased from
nj
Buildings Of Original Hermitage.
The original Hermitage was built after
Andrew jackson returned from Matches
with his stolen bride. 1t was q small
log house. and part Of II Is still stand
Ing. 1t was in that cabin that Aaron
Burr was entertained In 1905, and Mrs
Jackson lived there when the general
was fighting the battle Of New Orleans
To that humble cabin the conquering
hero and idol of the nation came home
to be crowned with laurels. In 1S19 after
he returned from the Seminole war. as
he supposed. to spend the remainder OF
on the banks OF the Cumberland, he
bull the present mansion Of brick made
on the place. Lafayette was entertained
there I'm 1925. The mansion was burned
to the ground in 1895 and rebuilt pre-
cisely as 1t was before. in 1895 Gen
jackson died there in 1916 at the age
OF seventy-eight years, and was buried
by the side of his beloved Rachael in
the garden where they now lie.
He had originally a thousand acres
and more than 200 slaves, but he sold on
part of the land. and at the time OF
his death there were only 800 acres.
The Hermitage Is built in the colonial
style OF architecture. with large verandas
in front and rear. wide central hallway
with double rooms on either side, and
wings supplementing them. The rooms
f-aex
in number. besides pantry. storeroom
kitchen, cellar, etc. On entering the hal
one sees at first glance the pictorial wall
paper which was ordered by Gen Jack.
soa from France when the house was re-
built. in 1896. II came by way of New
Orleans. up the Mississippi and Cumber.
land rivers. 1t represents the legend OF
Telemachus. and is that part of the stor,
Of the landing of Ulysses on the island
Of Calvoso.
Some of the Curios
Some of these curios are an oil painting
Of Christopher Columbus OF which Gen
Jackson was so proud; the apaulets, re
gala and stirrups used by Gen. Jackson
at the annual reunion I'm New Orleans. 4
music book used by Mrs. Emily DoneI
son, lady OF the White House durin5
Jackson's administration; clock thai
was at the Hermitage before the death o
Mrs. Rachael Jackson. a lace cap OF Mrs
Rachael Jackson that was worn when hei
miniature was painted, a painting Of th'
battle of New Orleans, the Decatur-Jack-
son silver, purchased by Jackson from
the widow OF Commodore Decatur. anC
used constantly at the Hermitage: a por
trait Of his wife upon which the dyini
gaze Of Gen. Jackson rested: a tobacco
box Used by the general, chair made
fiom wood Of the frigate Constitution, q
bookcase made of historic wood taken
from the building first used as state
house I'm Nashville. 1S12-15. used to pro-
tect the bound volumes of newspapers oi
Jackson's day: a picture OF the courtroom
in Royal street. New Orleans, where
Jackson was fined $1,000. which fine was
afterward expunged: facsimile Of Jack
sons message refusing to sign the bill
rechartering the United States Bank: the
first inaugural address OF jackson, print.
ed on silk: his first message to the Con.
gress of the United States, printed or
silk: a dressing robe worn during his las
Illness a sword used at the battle OF
New Orleans: canncn sight used at the
battle OF New Orleans, sword presented
To Gen. Jackson by the city of New Or.
leans. and bequeathed at his death to Col
Andrew j. Coffee. son Of Gen. Coffee. Thi.
Is costly sword. It's blade being beauti
fully wrought and its hilt made Of golC
and studded with precious stones.
The coach used by Jackson at the White