"I was born for a storm, and a calm does not suit me"
~ Andrew Jackson
By the time of his death, Andrew Jackson was one of the most popular Presidents of the United States. Only George Washington and Thomas Jefferson ranked higher then Jackson. He was admired by Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Harry S. Truman.
Yet, he remains one of the most controversial Presidents that our country has had. During his lifetime he was both admired and despised. His friends were fiercely loyal and his enemies carried a strong hatred towards him.
His marriage to his wife Rachel was surrounded by controversy that would haunt the couple for the rest of their lives. When Jackson moved to Nashville Tennessee, he met a young woman named Rachel Donelson Robards. Rachel was married to a Lewis Robards of Kentucky and stuck in a loveless married. Jackson courted her, and with the blessing of Rachel's parents the two traveled to Natchez Mississippi, where they eloped.
When the two returned to Tennessee, Robards learned of the wedding, and filed for divorce in Kentucky. When the divorce was finalized, Jackson and Rachel were then re-married in a quiet ceremony in Tennessee.
Jackson's critics and enemies would accuse Rachel of committing adultery against her husband. This was a serious accusation during the 18th Century, one that basically condemned Rachel to being labeled a harlot. During Jackson's time, American women were legally the property of their husbands and it would have been impossible for Rachel to divorce Lewis on her own. The rumors and whispers about Rachel and Jackson would follow the couple for years. Jackson would fight several duels defending the honor of his Rachel.
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