Judge Overton's Narrative

"In the fall of 1787, I became a boarder in the family of Mrs. Robards, the mother of Lewis Robards, in Mercer county, Kentucky. Captain Robards and his wife then lived with old Mrs. Robards.

I had not lived there many weeks before I understood that Captain Robards and his wife lived very unhappily, on account of his being jealous of Mr. Short. My brother, who was a boarder, informed me that great uneasiness had existed in the family for some time before my arrival. As he had the confidence and good will of all parties, a portion of his confidence fell to my share, particularly the old lady's, than whom, perhaps, a more amiable woman never lived. The uneasiness between Captain Robards and lady continued to increase, and with it great distress of the mother, and considerably with the family generally; until early in the year 1788, as well as now recollected, I understood from the old lady, and perhaps others of the family, that her son Lewis had written to Mrs. Robards' mother, the widow Donelson, requesting that she would take her home, as he did not intend to live with her any longer. Certain it is, that Mrs. Robards brother, Samuel Donelson, came up to carry her down to her mother's, and my impression is, in the fall or summer of 1788. I was present when Mr. Samuel Donelson arrived at Mrs. Robards, and when he started away with his sister; and my clear and distinct recollection is, that it was said to be a final separation at the instance of Captain Robards; for I well recollect the distress of old Mrs. Robards, on account of her daughter-in-law Rachel going away, and on account of the separation that was about to take place, together with the circumstance of the old lady's embracing her affectionately. In unreserved conversations with me, the old lady always blamed her son Lewis, and took the part of her daughter-in-law.

During my residence in Mrs. Robards family, I do not recollect to have heard any of the family censure young Mrs. Robards, on account of the difference between her husband and herself; if they thought otherwise, it was unknown to me; but recollect frequently to have heard the old lady and Captain Jouett, who married the eldest daughter of the family, at that time, express the most favorable sentiments of her.

Having finished my studies in the winter of '88-9, it was determined to fix my residence in the country now called West Tennessee. Previously to my departure from Mrs. Robards, the old lady earnestly entreated me to use my exertions to get her son Lewis and daughter-in-law Rachel to live happily together.

Their separation for a considerable time had occasioned her great uneasiness, as she appeared to be much attached to her daughter-in-law, and she to her Captain Lewis Robards appeared to be unhappy, and the old lady told me he regretted what had taken place, and wished to be reconciled with to wife. Before I would agree to concern myself in the matter, I determined to ascertain Captain Robards disposition from himself, and took occasion to converse with him on the subject, when he assured me on his regret respecting what had passed; that he was convinced his suspicions were unfounded; that he wished to live with his wife, and requested that I would use my exertions to restore harmony.

I told him I would undertake it, provided he would throw aside all nonsensical notions about jealousy, for which I was convinced there was no ground, and treat his wife kindly as other men. He assured me it should be so; and it is my impression now, that I received a message from old Mrs. Robards to Mrs. Lewis Robards, which I delivered to her on my arrival at her mother's, when I found her some time in the month of February or March, 1789. The situation of the country induced me to solicit Mrs. Donelson to board me, good accommodations and boarding being rarely to be met with, to which she readily assented.

Mr. A. Jackson had studied the law at Salisbury, N. C., as I understood, and had arrived in this country in company with Judge McNairy, Bennett, Searcy, and perhaps David Allison, all lawyers seeking their fortunes, more than a month or two before my arrival. Whether Mr. Jackson was at Mrs. Donelson's when I first got there in March, 1789, I can not say; if he was, it must have been but a little time. My impression now is that he was not living there, and having just arrived, I introduced him into the family as a boarder, after becoming acquainted with him. So it was we commenced boarding there about the same time; Jackson and myself, our friends and clients, occupying one cabin, and the family another, a few steps from it.

Soon after my arrival, I had frequent conversations with Mrs. Lewis Robards, on the subject of living happily with her husband. She, with much sensibility, assured me that no effort to do so should be wanting on her part; and I communicated the result of Captain Robards and his mother, from both of whom I received congratulations and thanks.

Captain Robards had previously purchased a preemption in this country on the south side of Cumberland River, in Davidson County, about five miles from where Mrs. Donelson then lived. In the arrangement for a reunion between Captain Robards and his wife, I understood it was agreed that Captain Robards was to live in this country instead of Kentucky; that until it was safe to go on his own land, which was yearly expected, he and his wife were to live at Mrs. Donelson's. Captain Robards became reunited to his wife sometime in the year 1788 or 1789. Both Mr. Jackson and myself boarded in the family of Mrs. Donelson—lived in the cabin room, and slept in the same bed. As young men of the same pursuits and profession, with but few others in the country with whom to associate, besides sharing, as we frequently did, common dangers, such an intimacy as might reasonably be expected.

Not many months elapsed before Robards became jealous of Jackson, which I felt confident, was without the least ground. Some of his irritating conversations on this subject, with his wife, I heard amidst the tears of herself and her mother, who were greatly distressed. I urged to Robards the unmanliness of his conduct, after the pains I had taken to produce harmony, as a mutual friend of both families, and my honest conviction that his suspicions were groundless. These remonstrances seemed not to have the desired effect. As much commotion and unhappiness prevailed in the family as in that of Mrs. Robards in Kentucky. At length I communicated to Jackson the unpleasant situation of living in the family were there was so much disturbance, and concluded by telling him that we would endeavor to get some other place. To this he readily assented; but where to go we did not know. Being conscious of his innocence, he said he would talk to Robards.

What passed between Captain Robards and Jackson, I do not know, as I was absent somewhere, not now recollected, when the conversation and results took place, but returned soon afterward. The whole affair was related to me by Mrs. Donelson, the mother of Mrs. Robards, and, as well as I recollect, by Jackson himself. The substance of their account was, that Mr. Jackson met Captain Robards near the orchard fence, and began mildly to remonstrate with him respecting the injustice he had done his wife, as well as himself. In a little time Robards became violently angry and abusive, and threatened to whip Jackson; made a show of doing so, etc. Jackson told him he had not bodily strength to fight him, nor would he do so, feeling conscious of his innocence, and retired to his cabin, telling him at the same time that, if he insisted on fighting, he would give him gentlemanly satisfaction, or words to that effect. Upon Jackson's return out of the house, Captain Robards said he did not care for him nor his wife -- abusing them both; that he was determined not to live with Mrs. Robards. Jackson retired from the family, and went to live at Mansker's station. Captain Robards remained several months with his wife, and then went to Kentucky in company with Mr. Thomas Cruthers and probably some other persons.  

Soon after this affair Mrs. Robards went to live at Colonel Hay's, who married her sister. After a short absence I returned to live with Mrs. Donelson's, at her earnest entreaty -- every family then desiring the association of male friends as protection against the Indians. This took place, the best of my recollection, in the spring of 1790.

Some time in the fall following there was a report afloat that Captain Robards intended to come down and take his wife to Kentucky. Whence the report originated I do not now recollect, but it created great uneasiness both with Mrs. Donelson and her daughter, Mrs. Robards -- the latter of whom was much distressed, she was convinced, after two fair trials, as she said, that it would be impossible to live with Captain Robards; and of this opinion was I, with all those I conversed with who were acquainted with the circumstances. Some time afterward, during the winter of 1791, Mrs. Donelson told me of her daughter's intention to go down the river to Natchez, to some of their friends, in order to keep out of the way of Captain Robards, as she said he had threatened to "haunt her." Knowing, as I did, Captain Robards unhappy jealous disposition, and his temper growing out of it, I thought she was right to keep out of the way, though I do not believe that I so expressed myself to the old lady or to any other person.

The whole affair gave Jackson great uneasiness, and this will not appear strange to one as well acquainted with his character as I was. Continually together during our attendance on wilderness courts, whilst other young men were indulging in familiarity with females of relaxed morals, no suspicion of this kind of the world's censure ever fell to Jackson's share. In this -- in his singularly delicate sense of honor, and in what I thought his chivalrous conceptions of female sex, it occurred to me that he was distinguishable from every other person with whom I was acquainted.

About the time of Mrs. Donelson's communication to the respecting her daughter's intention of going to Natchez, I perceived in Jackson symptoms of more than usual concern. I determined to ascertain the cause, when he frankly told me that he was the most unhappy of men, in having innocently and unintentionally been the cause of the loss of peace and happiness of Mrs. Robards, whom he believed to be a fine woman. In this I concurred with him, but remonstrated on the propriety of his not giving himself any uneasiness about it. It was not long after this before he communicated to me his intention of going to Natchez with Colonel Stark with who Mrs. Robards was to descend the river, saying that she had no friend or relation that would go with her or assist in preventing Stark and his family and Mrs. Robards from being massacred by the Indians, then in a state of war and exceedingly troublesome. Accordingly, Jackson, in company with Mrs. Robards and Colonel Stark, a venerable and highly-esteemed old man, and friend of Mrs. Robards, went down the river from Nashville to Natchez, some time in the winter or spring of 1791. It was not, however, without the urgent entreaties of Colonel Stark, who wanted protection from the Indians, that Jackson consented to accompany them; of which I heard before Jackson's conversation with me already alluded to.

Previously to Jackson's starting, he committed all his law-business to me, at the same time assuring me, that as soon as he could see Colonel Stark and family and Mrs. Robards situated with their friends in the neighborhood of Natchez, he would return and resume his practice. He descended the river, returned from Natchez to Nashville, and was at the Superior Court in the latter place in May, 1971, attending to his business as a lawyer and solicitor general for the government. About, or shortly after this time, we were informed that a divorce had been granted by the Legislature of Virginia, through the influence, principally, of Captain Robards brother-in-law, Major John Jouett, who was probably in the Legislature at that time.

This application had been anticipated by me. The divorce was understood by the people of this country to have been granted by the Legislature of Virginia in the winter of 1790 -- 1791. I was in Kentucky in the summer of 1791, remained at old Mrs. Robards, my former place of residence part of my time, and never understood otherwise than that Captain Robards' divorce was final, until the latter part of the year 1793. In the summer of 1791, General Jackson went to Natchez, and, I understood, married Mrs. Robards, then believed to be freed from Captain Robards by the divorce in the fall of 1791. They returned to Nashville, settled in the neighborhood of it, where they have lived ever since, beloved and esteemed by all classes.

About the month of December, 1793, after General Jackson and myself had started to Jonesborough, in East Tennessee, where we practiced law, I learned for the first time that Captain Robards had applied to Mercer Court, in Kentucky, for divorce, which had then recently been granted, and that the Legislature had not absolutely granted a divorce, but left it for the court to do. I need not express my surprise, on learning that the act of the Virginia Legislature had not divorced Captain Robards. I informed General Jackson of it, who was equally surprised; and during our conversation, I suggested propriety of his procuring a license on his return home, and having the marriage ceremony again performed, so as to prevent all future caviling on the subject.

To this suggestion, he replied, that he had long since been married, on the belief that a divorce had been obtained, which was the understanding of every person the country; nor was it without difficulty he could be induced to believe otherwise.

On our return home from Jonesboro, in January, 1794, to Nashville, a license was obtained, and the marriage ceremony performed.

The slowness and inaccuracy with which information was received in West Tennessee at that time will not be surprising, when we consider its insulated and dangerous situation, surrounded on every side by the wilderness, and by hostile Indians, and that there was no mail established till about 1797, as well as I recollect.

Since the year 1791, General Jackson and myself have never been much apart, except when he was in the army. I have been intimate in his family, and from the mutual and uninterrupted happiness of the General and Mrs. Jackson, which I have at all times witnessed with pleasure, as well as those delicate and polite attentions which have ever been reciprocated between them, I have long been confirmed in the opinion, that never existed any other than what was believed to be the most honorable and virtuous intercourse between them. Before their going to Natchez, I had daily opportunities of been convinced that there was none other; before being married in the Natchez country, after it was understood that a divorce had been granted by the Legislature Virginia, it is believed there was none."

Source:

James Parton, The Life of Andrew Jackson, Volume III (New York: Mason Brothers, 1861).