Andrew Jackson

Early Life and Family

Who was Jackson’s wife?

Jackson married Rachel Donelson, the youngest child of prominent native of Nashville, Tennessee, John Donelson. Jackson became interested in Rachel while he rented a home from Donelson’s widow. When he first met Rachel, she was married to Lewis Robards. Jackson did not like how Robards treated Rachel and confronted him about it.

Robards returned to the state of Kentucky and filed for divorce—or so Rachel and Andrew thought. Andrew and Rachel married in 1791, but apparently Robards had not obtained a divorce. Robards obtained a divorce in 1793 on the grounds that Rachel had committed adultery (with Jackson). Jackson and Rachel then officially married again in January 1794.



Andrew Jackson’s wife, born Rachel Donelson, in an engraving by John Chester Buttre.

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