(04-14-2018 10:35 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Uh-oh, Donna has the same resource info we have! Right again. In reading Feisty First Ladies, I got a surprise about Rachel (and yes, I know she didn't quite make it to the White House). I knew that she was somewhat of a social pariah, who smoked an occasional pipe and married Andy without knowing that she really wasn't officially divorced. However, the book describes her as being very overweight and almost slovenly. Does anyone know if that is correct?

(04-15-2018 03:55 PM)Steve Wrote:  I know Booth threatened Jackson over the pardon of some pirates, does anybody know why Booth wanted them pardoned?

(04-15-2018 04:11 PM)L Verge Wrote:  

(04-15-2018 03:55 PM)Steve Wrote:  I know Booth threatened Jackson over the pardon of some pirates, does anybody know why Booth wanted them pardoned?

This was covered in posts here on this forum in 2013: Another Booth threatens assassination
If the photocopy of the letter is hard to read, here's the transcript:

Brown's Hotel, Philadelphia
July 4th, 1835
You damned old Scoundrel if you don't sign the pardon of your fellow men now under sentence of Death DeRuiz & DeSoto, I will cut your throat whilst you are sleeping, I wrote to you repeated Cautions so look out or damn you I'll have you burnt at the Stake in the City of Washington.

Your Master
Junius Brutus Booth

You know me! Look out!

There's a bit of a story here, however, that many books don't tell you. Mike Kauffman makes it a little clearer in American Brutus: Shortly after coming to America, Junius became friends with both Sam Houston and Andrew Jackson (both of whom were characters in their own right!). He occasionally visited Jackson at his home even. Bill Richter brings this out in Last Confederate Heroes, also. When President Jackson began to change to more autocratic politics, Booth turned against him.

BTW: Jackson did commute the death sentence of those two (accused of piracy), but there were five others in the group who were hanged. Can we say "favoritism?"

Steve - I think others have attributed the letter to Booth's growing inclination towards heavy drinking. Someone even compared his feelings to the anger that arose with many during the OJ Simpson trial.

(04-15-2018 02:26 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I remember either a book or a movie ca. 1955 about the Jacksons' love affair - just can't remember the title. I do remember the story of Peggy Eaton, however, and how President Jackson took up for her when other "socialite wives" tried to smear her with mud also. See http://www.womenhistoryblog.com › Scandalous Women

The story of the fiasco at the White House followed Jackson's inauguration, I believe. He was very popular and hordes of common folk showed up to party. One version has Jackson actually escaping through a window and going to a hotel for sanctuary.

On a side note, I have been told that Jackson was friends with both Sam Houston and Junius Booth, Sr. and that the three of them had some wild times together out West I once was told that Senior Booth's drinking habits were encouraged by Jackson and Houston and that their familiarity also led to the threat that Booth made against Jackson regarding a stay of execution (?).

(04-15-2018 06:56 PM)Donna McCreary Wrote:  

(04-15-2018 02:26 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I remember either a book or a movie ca. 1955 about the Jacksons' love affair - just can't remember the title. I do remember the story of Peggy Eaton, however, and how President Jackson took up for her when other "socialite wives" tried to smear her with mud also. See http://www.womenhistoryblog.com › Scandalous Women

The story of the fiasco at the White House followed Jackson's inauguration, I believe. He was very popular and hordes of common folk showed up to party. One version has Jackson actually escaping through a window and going to a hotel for sanctuary.

On a side note, I have been told that Jackson was friends with both Sam Houston and Junius Booth, Sr. and that the three of them had some wild times together out West I once was told that Senior Booth's drinking habits were encouraged by Jackson and Houston and that their familiarity also led to the threat that Booth made against Jackson regarding a stay of execution (?).

Irving Stone made a career out of writing novels about presidents and their wives. In addition to LOVE IS ETERNAL about the Lincolns, Stone wrote THE PRESIDENT'S LADY about Andrew and Rachel Jackson. The movie (same title) was made in the early 1950's. Charlton Heston played Andy Jackson. Susan Hayward played Rachel.