The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-08-21
WIFE KILLED BY SLANDER.
Mrs. Andrew Jackson Was Driven to
Her Grave by False Stories.

Roosevelt's libel suit against Michi-
gan editor brings back memories of
other presidential candidates to whom
the gods have been less kind in this
regard. SANDER, like death, loves
shining mark, and there have been
few of our presidents, from Washing
ton down, who have been able to es-
cape it's Shiny fingers. But perhaps
the most pathetic case of all is that
of Andrew Jackson, whose wife was
literally driven into the grave by the
false stories circulated by her hus-
bands enemies.
Mrs. Andrew Jackson was the
daughter of Tennessee pioneer, Col.
John Donelson, who came from Vir-
ginia in 1779, floating down the Hol-
ston and Tennessee rivers and up the
Ohio until he reached the present
site of Nashville. His daughter,
Rachel, black-eyed child of 12, was
with him, and the Donelsons, accus-
toned to all the luxries of Virginia,
settled down to life in a log cabin.
A few years afterward they were liv-
ing on a plantation in Kentucky,
country not quite so rough and with
a few less Indians to the square mile.
Still, the civilization of Kentucky was
by no means effete.
They married early in those vigor-
Gus times, and when Rachel Donel-
son was II, she became the wife of
Lewis Robards, man who bore the
title of captain and the distinction of
belonging to first family" That
was about all that could be said for
Lewis, however. Robards had bear
ish disposition, continually found
fault and was insanely jealous of his
wife. Whenever Robards heard of
mans speaking pleasantly to his wife,
he went home and started a family
row. That there was not the slight
est reason for his miserable attitude
every one agreed-even Robard's
mother.
Three years after the wedding,
however, the churlish captain wrote
to his wife's mother, telling her to
come and take her daughter home.
A year later there was a reconcillia-
ton, brought about by Judge Over
ton, who was a boarder in the Ro-
bards home, and Mrs, Robards came
back. This time, in addition to the
Judge, she found a young lawyer
named Andrew Jackson also living
there. Almost at once the quarrels
began again, and both Jackson and
the judge left the house.
Jackson was particularly distressed
by the whole business. He liked and
admired Mrs. Robards and the
thought that he had been the cause,
though innocently, of trouble between
her and her husband, cut him tremen-
dously. But Robards had once more
sent his wife away.
Two years later it was reported
that the legislature of Virginia had
granted the captain a divorce, and a
few months later Jackson married
Mrs. Robards. Not until two years
later did it become known that the
Virginia decree was not final, and
that Robards had not procured his
decree until after Jackson had es-
poused his ex-wife. There was no
mails in Tennessee or Kentucky in
those days, and news was slow and
At once Jackson hasten
ed to have a second marriage cere-
mony performed.
The story of the Jacksons' home
life in Tennessee is delightful one.
Mrs. Jackson, having found haven
at last for her troubles, blossomed
out like thirsty wild flower after a
rain, finding the keenest delight in
all the simple pleasures of the rural
home. Those were the days of Law
ish hospitality, and the Jackson plan
tation was the centre of neighbor--
hood gayeties. Particularly did Mrs.
Jackson delight in having young peo-
pie around her, and there were
host of boys and girls to whom she
was Aunt Rachel.
The general was the prince of
one of his neighbors
said, mot because he entertained a
great many people, but because the
poor belated peddler was as welcome
as the president of the United States
and made so much at ease that he
felt as though he had got home"
And as for Mrs. Jackson-"no
bashful youth or plain old man,
whose modesty set him down at the
lower end of the table, could escape
her cordial attention any more than
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