"Old Hickory"

Since I had just read Jon Meacham's The American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House, I was really eager to vist the Hermitage. What I particularly recall from the book is the description of a heartbroken Andrew Jackson leaving for Washington for his Inauguration, havng just buried his beloved Rachel who died after his election. He blamed her death on the stress she suffered during the campaign caused by opponents making a scathing issue of their marriage. (They may have married before she was divorced ~ major scandal.) Rachel is buried near their home where Andrew Jackson would later die and be buried.

The photo is of the gravesite memorial of President Andrew Jackson and his wife Rachel Jackson.

Even though Jackson never actually had children of his own, family was extremely important to him. He took with him to Washington Emily Donelson (Rachel's niece) and her husband Andrew Donelson. They both worked tirelessly for him in his administration, eventually getting into major conflicts with his Cabinet. Tense times.

Meacham's book also describes the lives and deaths of those he called his family, we well as of his slave Alfred. So I was really interested to see their gravesites, too. This made me more aware that they were real people, rather than just characters that I read about.

It may be said that Jackson's is the first "modern" presidency, because he expanded the prestige and power of the Executive branch. "Old Hickory" truly believed he was a "president of the people," elected by people from all states, and therefore had at least as much power, if not more, than Congress. He also believed in "limited" government.

A sad aspect of his presidency is the removal of the Native Americans to the West, and the resulting "Trail of Tears."

I did ask the guides whether there were any hickory trees at the Hermitage. I heard at least 3 different responses: "I'm embarrassed to say there are none." "Yes, there are a few, maybe near the entrance, I'm not sure where."  "There were some, but they were blown down by a storm years ago."

In memory of "Old Hickory" President Andrew Jackson, I do hope they plant some hickory trees at this national hisoric site.

Click on the title "Old Hickory" to learn more about the Hermitage.