Andrew and Rachel adopted a son. The author of this paper asked Mrs. J. C. Symmes, a granddaughter of Andrew Jackson, Jr., to write to her what has been handed down in the family as the true story of how the adoption took place. An extract from Mrs. Symmes’ letter is fully descriptive, and it is quoted as follows: “_... They (Andrew and Rachel) were happy in each other, but there was no child in the house. No little one to call their very own. Rachel had seven brothers. One, the youngest, the seventh son, Severn Donelson by name, had always been her favorite. She had more or less mothered him. At this time he was living with his wife and family on their plantation about a mile or more distant, located back of where the recent ‘Old Soldiers Home’ was located. One morning in 1809 the old slave servant, (not ‘Uncle Alfred’) came into their room early at the break of day, as was his custom, to make the fire in the spacious fireplace. As he puffed and blew the embers into flame, he said, ‘Marse Andrew, Marse Severn Donelson and Miss Betsy done had twin boys borned last night!’ Andrew Jackson roused up as if he had received an electric shock! ‘What,’ he said, ‘twin boys!’ Turning to Rachel he said, ‘Dear, we must have one of those boys!’_” “_No time was wasted. A call to battle could not have been more urgent! After a hasty breakfast the carriage was at the door, and the buoyant couple filled with a great longing and a prayer in their hearts hastened to the home of Severn Donelson. Sure enough there were the two tiny boys!_” “_Just what was said is unknown. But in the light of the mother’s delicate health, and the father’s great love for his sister, Rachel, and their admiration and respect for Andrew Jackson, they consented. A blue ribbon was tied around the wrist of the one of their choice, and with great pride he was named Andrew Jackson, Jr. The parents asked that Jackson suggest a name for the other little boy. He therefore named him Thomas Jefferson Donelson.... After three days they returned to the home of Severn and Elizabeth Donelson to receive their son, brought him home and enthroned him in their hearts._” “_The Legislature was in session at this time in Nashville, Tennessee. Andrew Jackson went immediately and had all legal papers drawn up and signed—legally changing his adopted son’s name from ‘Donelson’ to ‘Andrew Jackson, Jr.,’ thus making him his son and heir...._”