Regardless if modern accounts recommend that George was at Andrew Jackson’s front when he died, which Currier & Ives printing and other common depictions of the president’s deathbed get-off your out.
Our best evidence about their lifetime is inspired by Jackson’s interaction having a prospective client to possess Charlotte additionally the three students. Inside November off 1830, the guy blogged two characters so you’re able to Robert Johnstone Chester, offering Charlotte and also the about three college students to him for $800. Jackson composed one to Charlotte had especially requested to appear in order to Chester, “becoming disconted [sic] in which she now’s.” 13 Jackson showcased exactly how it product sales would be on finest focus of your own enslaved anybody in it. He’d simply purchased Charlotte to start with, the guy composed, once the Charles had expected your to help you, and he was just ready to offer her now just like the Charles had accessible to they. “I didn’t desire to separate her & her pupils, out of charles, particularly their children,” Jackson penned, overlooking the fact he had currently broke up them because of the getting Charles to help you Arizona, D.C. and you may leaving the rest of the relatives into the Tennessee. Jackson got had every aim of delivering Charles household up to he observed that it consult: “We enquired out-of charles if or not he had been contented so you’re able to part with their unique & the youngsters; he replied about affirmative.” 14
Charlotte along with her people appear in Hermitage ideas throughout the 1840s and you can 1850s, long-past the fresh day with the advised exchange. fifteen With no lead number from Charles’ or Charlotte’s viewpoints, we must believe in Jackson’s characters to speculate how they believed in regards to the entire disease and you will what would possess altered. Even the expanded separation lay eg a-strain on the relationships one to Charles manage willingly get off his spouse, but the guy balked at the thought away from abandoning about three youngsters under the age of 7. Or maybe Jackson and you can Chester only could not agree with good rate for a woman exactly who Jackson entitled “one of the best servants We actually ever watched, were they perhaps not to have her ungovernable mood, and you can language.” sixteen Regardless of the facts could well be in this situation, it appears that Charles’ friends was spared the newest permanent break up that a sale would have created. Almost every other people in Andrew Jackson’s household just weren’t very fortunate.
In reality, numerous members of Jackson’s enslaved professionals came into this new White Family using purchase, in the place of travel away from Tennessee. Historian William Seale debated one to Jackson enhanced how many enslaved anybody and you may decreased the amount of 100 % free, leased servants inside the house over the course of his presidency to save money, so he may has actually viewed the purchase out of extra enslaved laborers since the an installment-cutting size. 17 It actually was a heightened resource initial than rented work, nonetheless it yielded a longevity of labor towards chairman.
Excerpt from Andrew Jackson’s bank book getting April 16, 1832, proving a check so you can their followed nephew Big A good.J. Donelson to possess “a mulato girl, servant, bought because of the him to have Andrew Jackson, Panaman nainen he gave so you’re able to Mary Rachel, child off An effective. J. and you can Emily Donelson”
A separate enslaved youngster, an enthusiastic seven-year-dated girl called Emeline, arrived to the newest Light Domestic at the beginning of 1832. She are purchased since something special to have Mary Emily Donelson, Jackson’s grandniece, by the his nephew, Big Andrew Jackson Donelson. Donelson made the purchase into president’s behalf and you can Jackson refunded him into girl afterwards. 20
Mary Emily lived in the fresh new White House or apartment with their particular father, whom served given that president’s individual secretary, and additionally of a lot people in their unique extended loved ones. Emeline, at exactly the same time, most likely never existed with her family members once again.