Volume 13 , Issue 21

Biography of Andrew Jackson by Philo A. Goodwin, Esq.

Andrew Jackson was born at Waxhaw, District of Marion, in the state of South Carolina, 15 March 1767. His father was a native of Ireland; emigrated to America with his family, a wife and two sons, in 1765, to escape from oppressions which were heaped by the English government upon the middle and lower classes of that ill-fated country. Jackson's father was also known as one of the "United Men" and died about two years after his emigration, and escaped British tyranny.

Andrew was the youngest of three sons, who survived and were left in a strange land in infancy and childhood, to the care of their widowed mother, Elizabeth Hutchinson Jackson, who executed the arduous task of nurturing her children. Andrew's mother had plans of grooming Andrew for the ministry and Andrew was admitted as a student in an academical institution where Andrew commenced the study of the classics.

The eldest brother of Andrew joined the army, and was killed at the Battle of Stono Ferry (Ferry was an American Revolutionary War battle, fought on June 20, 1779, near Charleston, South Carolina). Andrew with his only surviving brother, joined the American forces soon after, in defense of their country and their homes, with Andrew Jackson being only fourteen years of age.

At age fifteen, Andrew Jackson found himself alone with the death of his brother and mother and was seized with the small pox, which nearly terminated his life. Because of the vigor of his constitution, Andrew Jackson triumphed over the disease and was restored again to health.

At age of sixteen Andrew resumed his literary pursuits under the tutelage of Mr. M'Culloch. He completed the study of languages, as a preliminary to his entrance at the university. At the age of seventeen he commenced the study of law at Salisbury, North Carolina, in the office of Spruce M'Kay, Esq., completing it under the supervision of John Stokes, Esq., and was admitted to practice at the bar of that state in 1786. Andrew practiced in the courts of that state for two years, but did not find the professional prospects sufficient to induce him to remain in North Carolina. He pushed his fortunes in the West towards the "South West Territory" (known as Tennessee today).

Tennessee was a territorial government of the United States, called the "South West Territory," having been recently organized by congress. This is where we find Jackson in 1788. Jackson and the honorable Judge M'Nairy arrived in the territory of Tennessee in the Fall of 1788 around October, when the first court was held. Jackson commenced the practice of law in Nashville at the age of 21 and soon distinguished himself among his competitors. Andrew Jackson was a man of stern integrity, unremitting attention to business, which recommended him to the notice of government and procured for him the appointment of Attorney General of the Territory.

In 1796, the "South West Territory" was admitted a sovereign and independent state into the Union, and took the name of Tennessee. Jackson was chosen a member of the convention that was called to discharge the forming of a constitution, as the supreme law of the state. Jackson had witnessed the operation of the American constitution, and those of the different states, from their first establishment to the period in which he acted. Jackson took lead in the debts upon the different articles of the proposed constitution. The people of Tennessee elected Jackson their first Representative in Congress. His popularity continued to increase. In 1797 he was elected to the Senate of the United States. His congressional life was distinguished for a firm adherence to Democratic-Republican principles; and in the senate he voted for the repeal of the alien and sedition laws.

Biography of Andrew Jackson
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