These old court records at Jonesboro disclose the fact that Jackson was in the town and in attendance on the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, at its November term, 1788. Under the law at that time, bills of sale of slaves and horses and deeds to land had to be proven in the court mentioned. A bill of sale was presented to this court by Jackson, at its November term, 1788. This bill of sale is given below, for reasons hereafter to be stated. It is as follows: “A Bill of Sale from Micajah Crews to Andrew Jackson, Esquire for A Negroe Woman named Nancy about eighteen or twenty years of Age was Proven in Open Court by the Oath of David Allison a Subscribing Witness and Ordered to be Recorded.”
The court records for the years 1788 and 1789, kept in Washington, Sullivan, Greene and Hawkins counties, establish the fact that Jackson was practising law in those counties during the two years mentioned. He could not, in the very nature of things, have attended court in those counties, if he had been residing at Nashville or practising law in Davidson, Sumner and Tennessee counties, which at that time constituted the “District of Mero.”
It has been stated without qualification by some writers that Jackson was present in Morganton, North Carolina, when Governor John Sevier escaped from the authorities there and returned to “the western waters.” Parton says that “Jackson may have witnessed the celebrated rescue of Governor Sevier, as, about the time of its occurrence in 1788, he was at Morganton, on a visit to Colonel Waightstill Avery, on his way to the western wilds of Tennessee.” Sevier, for having organized and been elected Governor of the “lost state of Franklin,” was arrested near Jonesboro, in October, 1788, and taken to Morganton; but there was no such “celebrated rescue” or escape of Sevier as that pictured in the various accounts of this affair which have been given. Sevier, on reaching Morganton, was met by Generals Charles McDowell and Joseph McDowell, who became his bondsmen until he could make a visit to a brother-in-law who resided some miles from the town. Sevier made this visit, returning to Morganton on the second day after leaving, and reported to the sheriff of Burke county, who permitted him to go where he pleased without requiring bond. In the meantime, Sevier’s two sons, James and John, together with Major Evans, Mr. Crosby and probably others from “the western waters,” had arrived in Morganton; and, in consequence of what was then told to Sevier by his sons and friends (which need not be stated here), he left Morganton, quietly and openly, in broad day, and returned with them immediately to Washington county. All of these occurrences took place during the month of October, 1788; and Jackson could not have been, during this month, in Morganton, in Jonesboro and in Nashville. He was, as before stated, at Jonesboro, familiarizing himself with the country and getting acquainted with the people in the counties mentioned.
It has been written of Jackson that he came into the “new settlements” on foot, or that he walked from Morganton to Jonesboro. This is incorrect. More than twenty-five years ago, the writer made it his business to investigate the truth of that statement, and also other incidents and facts in reference to the early life of Jackson while he made his home at Jonesboro. There were then living in Washington and the surrounding counties several aged native-born citizens who had known Jackson personally, and who had heard much concerning him. These old gentlemen, who ranged in age around eighty-five years, delighted to talk of what they knew and had heard of Jackson when he came to Jonesboro, and while he lived there during the years 1788 and 1789. All that has been or will be stated herein is from notes of conversations had with them, and either taken literally from or based on the old court records at Jonesboro. From these sources of information it can be asserted as truth that Jackson arrived in Jonesboro riding one horse and leading another; that the horse he was riding was a “race horse;” that he had a pair of “holsters” (pistols) buckled across the front of his saddle; and that on the led horse was a shot gun, a “pack” and a well-filled pair of saddle-bags, while following after him and by his side was a goodly pack of foxhounds. This is an inventory of his personal belongings, as given me by at least three of these old gentlemen,[A] each of whom had known Jackson personally, and had heard the story of his arrival in the community repeated often by fathers, mothers and others. It is reasonable to infer that he had some money also, or he could not, within a few months after his arrival, have purchased the slave shown, by the bill of sale set out above, to have been bought by him. The price of such a slave as that described was at that time about three hundred dollars. When one of the old gentlemen referred to was told by me that it had been said and “published” that Jackson had come to Jonesboro “afoot,” he fired up and his eyes fairly sparkled as he exclaimed: “Good God! Jackson never walked anywhere from necessity. He came here riding a race-horse and leading another first-rate horse.”
Jackson made his home, while he remained in the eastern part of what is now Tennessee, at the house of Christopher Taylor (father of Abram Taylor, before mentioned), about one mile west of Jonesboro, on the road that led from the town to the “Brown settlement” on the Nolichucky river. The old house is still standing, and can be seen from the passing trains on the Southern railway. A view of it, as it appeared some years ago, is given.
RESIDENCE OF CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR.
Where Andrew Jackson boarded during years 1788-9. Showing port-holes. Erected about 1773. From a photograph taken in April, 1897.
Christopher Taylor was a slaveholder and a large landowner, and had some race-horses which were fairly good for the times, together with a pack of the “finest and fastest hounds” in the country. While every one knew that Jackson was a devotee of the race-course, a lover of the chase and not averse to a cock-fight, still he was admired and esteemed by all, from the time he came into the country.
It is not probable that he had a law-office in Jonesboro, the tradition being that he received and consulted with his clients at Christopher Taylor’s, when court was not in session. When he was consulted by a client, his first effort was to compromise or adjust the difference, if possible; failing in this, he was most stubborn and unrelenting on behalf of his client, never, however, resorting to anything not in keeping with the strictest rules of propriety and fairness, and always courteous, manly and open in his bearing toward court, jury and opposing counsel, and exacting from every one the most respectful and courteous treatment, whether in court, at the race-course or elsewhere. He never insinuated anything—he spoke it out plainly. He despised deceit and treachery, and he held in the highest esteem the bold, open loyalty of a man to a friend or a conviction. He loathed any man who was guilty of a little mean, or mean little, act. He had a profound contempt for the narrow-minded and penurious or niggardly man. He himself was not extravagant, but his heart and hand seemed to open spontaneously to a deserving object of charity. Strange to say, while he did not know what fear was, he was often heard to express great sympathy for cowards or the timid, and he would never allow such an one to be imposed on in his presence.
It is not necessary to recite evidence or narrate circumstances to show that such a man as Jackson had the most exalted opinion of woman, and that he was always her champion and defender; but an incident which occurred at Rogersville, in Hawkins county, will be related here. A most estimable widow kept the “tavern” at Rogersville. Her house was generally full during court week. One day, a stranger came into the public or reception room, shortly before supper, and asked for entertainment or a room. The landlady in person showed him a room, with two or three beds in it, and told him that he could, if he wished, occupy that room with two other gentlemen, having a bed to himself, explaining that, on account of it being court week, her house was so crowded that she could not give him a separate room. The stranger was not pleased with this arrangement, and so told the landlady. As they returned to the public room, the stranger, just as they entered it, made some insolent remark about a country and a town which could not afford a gentleman a separate room. Jackson, who was sitting in the room, heard the remark. Springing to his feet, he seized the stranger by the arm, exclaiming, “Come with me, sir—I’ll find a separate room and bed for you!” The stranger, observing Jackson’s tone and manner, hesitated, and asked him what he meant. The only answer he received was, “Come on, sir!” and he reluctantly went with Jackson, who was still holding him by the arm. Jackson took his captive out the “back way,” and brought him up in front of a corn-crib, in which were some corn and shucks. Opening the door of the crib, he commanded the stranger to “climb in,” at the same time displaying in his right hand an argument that so overcame all desire of resistance that prompt obedience was the immediate result. The stranger “climbed in,” apologizing and begging at the same time, and Jackson closed the door upon him. After looking at his prisoner for some minutes with great satisfaction, Jackson asked him if he was willing to go back to the house, apologize to the landlady, and accept the room which she had offered him. The stranger readily expressed his willingness to do this, which he did, and so the incident closed.