Hermitage, June 7th,
1843.
In The Name Of God,
Amen: — I, Andrew Jackson, Sen’r., being of sound mind, memory, and understanding,
and impressed with the great uncertainty of life and the certainty of death,
and being desirous to dispose of my temporal affairs so that after my death no
contention may arise relative to the same — And whereas, since executing my
will of the 30th of September, 1833, my estate has become greatly involved by
my liabilities for the debts of my well beloved and adopted son Andrew Jackson,
Jun., which makes it necessary to alter the same: Therefore I, Andrew Jackson,
Sen’r., of the county of Davidson, and state of Tennessee, do make, ordain,
publish, and declare this my last will and testament, revoking all other wills
by me heretofore made.
First, I bequeath my body to the dust whence it comes, and
my soul to God who gave it, hoping for a happy immortality through the atoning
merits of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. My desire is, that
my body be buried by the side of my dear departed wife, in the garden at the
Hermitage, in the vault prepared in the garden, and all expenses paid by my
executor hereafter named.
Secondly, That all my just debts to be paid out of my
personal and real estate by my executor; for which purpose to meet the debt my
good friends Gen’l J. B. Planchin & Co. of New Orleans, for the sum of six
thousand dollars, with the interest accruing thereon loaned to me to meet the
debt due by A. Jackson, Jun., for the purchase of the plantation from Hiram G.
Runnels, lying on the east bank of the river Mississippi, in the state of
Mississippi. Also, a debt due by me of ten thousand dollars. borrowed of my
friends Blair and Rives, of the city of Washington and District of Columbia,
with the interest accruing thereon; being applied to the payment of the lands
bought of Hiram G. Runnels as aforesaid, and for the faithful payment of the
aforesaid recited debts, I hereby bequeath all my real and personal estate.
After these debts are fully paid—
Thirdly, I give and bequeath to my adopted son, Andrew
Jackson, Junior, the tract of land whereon I now live, known by the Hermitage
tract, with its butts and boundaries, with all its appendages of the three lots
of land bought of Samuel Donelson, Thomas J. Donelson, and Alexander Donelson,
sons and heirs of Sovern Donelson, deceased, all adjoining the Hermitage tract,
agreeable to their butts and boundaries, with all the appurtenances thereto
belonging or in any wise appertaining, with all my negroes that I may die
possessed of, with the exception hereafter named, with all their increase after
the before recited debts are fully paid, with all the household furniture,
farming tools, stock of all kind, both on the Hermitage tract farms, as well as
those on the Mississippi plantation, to him and his heirs for ever.—The true
intent and meaning of this my last will and testament is, that all my estate,
real, personal, and mixed, is hereby first pledged for the payment of the above
recited debts and interest; and when they are fully paid, the residue of all my
estate, real, personal and mixed, is hereby bequeathed to my adopted son A.
Jackson, Jun., with the exceptions hereafter named, to him and his heirs for
ever.
Fourth, Whereas I have heretofore by conveyance, deposited
with my beloved daughter Sarah Jackson, wife of my adopted son A. Jackson,
Jun., given to my beloved granddaughter, Rachel Jackson, daughter of A.
Jackson, Jun. and Sarah his wife, several negroes therein described, which I
hereby confirm. — I give and bequeath to my beloved grandson Andrew Jackson,
son of A. Jackson, Jun. and Sarah his wife, a negro boy named Ned, son of
Blacksmith Aaron and Hannah his wife, to him and his heirs for ever.
Fifth, I give and bequeath to my beloved little grandson.
Samuel Jackson, son of A. Jackson, Jun. and his much beloved wife Sarah, one
negro boy named Davy or George, son of Squire and his wife Giney, to him and
his heirs for ever.
Sixth, To my beloved and affectionate daughter, Sarah
Jackson, wife of my adopted and well beloved son, A. Jackson, Jun., I hereby
recognise, by this bequest, the gift I made her on her marriage, of the negro
girl Gracy, which I bought for her, and gave her to my daughter Sarah as her
maid and seamstress, with her increase, with my house-servant Hannah and her
two daughters, namely, Charlotte and Mary, to her and her heirs for ever. This
gift and bequest is made for my great affection for her — as a memento of her
uniform attention to me and kindness on all occasions, and particularly when
worn down with sickness, pain, and debility — she has been more than a daughter
to me, and I hope she never will be disturbed in the enjoyment of this gift and
bequest by any one.
Seventh, I bequeath to my well beloved nephew, Andrew J.
Donelson, son of Samuel Donelson, deceased, the elegant sword presented to me
by the state of Tennessee, with this injunction, that he fail not to use it
when necessary in support and protection of our glorious union, and for the
protection of the constitutional rights of our beloved country, should they be
assailed by foreign enemies or domestic traitors. This, from the great change
in my worldly affairs of late, is, with my blessing, all 1 can bequeath him,
doing justice to those creditors to whom I am responsible. This bequest is made
as a memento of my high regard, affection, and esteem I bear for him as a
high-minded, honest, and honorable man.
Eighth, To my grand-nephew Andrew Jackson Coffee, I bequeath
the elegant sword presented to me by the Rifle Company of New Orleans,
commanded by Capt. Beal, as a memento of my regard, and to bring to his
recollection the gallant services of his deceased father Gen’l John Coffee, in
the late Indian and British war, under my command, and his gallant conduct in
defence of New Orleans in 1814 and 1815; with this injunction, that he wield it
in the protection of the rights secured to the American citizen under our
glorious constitution, against all invaders, whether foreign foes, or intestine
traitors.
I bequeath to my beloved grandson Andrew Jackson, son of A.
Jackson, Jun. and Sarah his wife, the sword presented to me by the citizens of
Philadelphia, with this injunction, that he will always use it in defence of
the constitution and our glorious union, and the perpetuation of our republican
system: remembering the motto — “Draw me not without occasion, nor sheath me
without honour.”
The pistols of Gen'l Lafayette, which were presented by him
to Gen’l George Washington, and by Col. Wm Robertson presented to me, I
bequeath to George Washington Lafayette, as a memento of the illustrious
personages through whose hands they have passed — his father, and the father
of his country.
The gold box presented to me by the corporation of the City
of New York, the large silver vase presented to me by the ladies of Charleston,
South Carolina, my native state, with the large picture representing the
unfurling of the American banner, presented to me by the citizens of South
Carolina when it was refused to be accepted by the United States Senate, I
leave in trust to my son A. Jackson, Jun., with directions that should our
happy country not be blessed with peace, an event not always to be expected, he
will at the close of the war or end of the conflict, present each of said
articles of inestimable value, to that patriot residing in the city or state
from which they were preented, who shall be adjudged by his countrymen or the
ladies to have been the most valiant in defence of his country and our
country's rights.
The pocket spyglass which was used by Gen’l Washington
during the revolutionary war, and presented to me by Mr. Custis, having been
burned with my dwellinghouse, the Hermitage, with many other invaluable relics,
1 can make no dispositon of them. As a memento of my high regard for Gen'l
Robert Armstrong as a gentleman, patriot and soldier, as well as for his
meritorious military services under my command during the late British and
Indian war, and remembering the gallant bearing of him and his gallant little
band at Enotochopco creek, when, falling desperately wounded, he called out — “My
brave fellows, some may fall, but save the cannon” — as a memento of all these things,
I give and bequeath to him my case of pistols and sword worn by me throughout
my military career, well satisfied that in his hands they will never be
disgraced — that they will never be used or drawn without occasion, nor
sheathed but with honour.
Lastly, I leave to my beloved son all my walking-canes and
other relics, to be distributed amongst my young re'atives—namesakes—first, to
my much esteemed name.t.ike, Andrew J. Donelson, son of my esteemed
nephew A. J. Donelson, his first choice, and then to be distributed as A.
Jackson, Jun. may think proper.
Lastly, I appoint my adopted son Andrew Jackson, Jun., my
whole and sole executor to this my last will and testament, and direct that no
security be required of him for the faithful execution and discharge of the
trusts hereby reposed in him.
In testimony whereof I have this 7th day of June, one
thousand eight hundred and forty-three, hereunto set my hand, and affixed my
seal, hereby revoking all wills heretofore made by me, and in the presence of
Marion Adams,
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Elizabeth D. Love,
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Thos. J. Donelson,
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ANDREW JACKSON. (Seal.)
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Richard Smith,
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R Armstrong.
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SOURCE: John Stilwell Jenkins, Life and Public Services of Genl. Andrew Jackson, p. 375-9
