Emily
Donelson
1807-1836
Emily Donelson was the acting
first lady of the
United States from 1829 to 1834 during the presidency of her uncle
Andrew Jackson.
Jackson's
actual wife, Rachel Donelson Jackson, died
mere weeks
before her
husband's presidential inauguration. She had been
married first to Lewis Robards, but they split up.
About
1791, while living in Nashville she eloped with Andrew Jackson,
believing that Mr. Robards had already secured a divorce. It was later
revealed that he had not, meaning that her marriage to Jackson was
accidentally bigamous. It all got
straightened out soon enough, but Andrew Jackson was known to fight
duels with anyone who insulted his wife or implied that their marriage
was too hasty, so obviously I won't be posting nude pictures of Mrs.
Jackson. I'd be afraid that the president would return from the dead
just to
give me a horsewhipping.
Hosting duties at the White
House fell to Emily Tennessee Donelson, the
daughter of Jackson’s wife's brother.
Life expectancy in the Olden Days was so short that sometimes
you'd have to reach across several branches of the family tree before
you found a living relative to cover wifely responsibilities.
See also the Petticoat Affair.
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First Ladies of the U.S.