The Hermitage, Home of General Andrew JacksonDorris, Mary C. (Mary C. Currey)
History
The Hermitage, Home of General Andrew Jackson
Dorris, Mary C. (Mary C. Currey)
Hermitage (Hermitage, Tenn.); Jackson, Andrew, 1767-1845 -- Homes and haunts -- Tennessee -- Hermitage
Portrait of Mary Donelson Coffee, wife of General Coffee,
daughter of John Donelson and niece of Rachel Jackson. These
portraits were presented by Hon. Alexander Donelson Coffee,
son of General and Mrs. Coffee.
_Kitchen_
The restoration of the furnishings of the old kitchen to its oldtime
glory of yawning chimney piece, its crane and pothook, its ovens and
skillets, its candle molds and spinning wheels, brings back
reminiscences of the cook, “Betty,” and the old regime of Jackson’s day.
The large stone hearth is as it was in General Jackson’s day.
Spinning wheel and reel, over 100 years old. Presented by Andrew
Jackson Baker, former custodian, who was born at the
Hermitage.
Table of the period, given by Mrs. W. H. Wemyss.
Candle molds. Presented by Miss Louise Baxter, Mrs. W. J. McMurray,
Mrs. M. A. Spurr, and Mrs. George L. Cowan.
Pothooks and Flax Hacker. Used in Revolutionary days. Presented by
Miss Louise Baxter and Miss Louise G. Lindsley.
Some of the original kitchen utensils. Presented by Mrs. Andrew
Jackson III.
Copper kettle given to Rachel Jackson by Peggy O’Neal.
Old grease lamp, given by Mrs. W. A. Hargis.
Original water cooler. Always used in the pantry.
Brass kettle. Presented by Mrs. Whitefoord Cole.
Original churn of Jackson’s. Loaned by Miss Emma Hoffstetter. Six
dish covers, pair tongs of Major Andrew Jackson Donelson’s.
Presented by Mrs. Bettie M. Donelson.
Original old wafer irons. Presented by Mrs. L. D. Hill and Mrs John
K. Maddin.
Original kitchen “safe,” for keeping food.
Pie tins and custard cups, used by Aunt Betty, the cook.
Original spice jars, brought from China.
Original flour and meal chest.
Original chest which contained Decatur silver (see letter in
Museum).
Original brass kettles, used for preserving.
Plate given by Mary Hook, once used at the Hermitage.
Iron spit, given by Mary Felice Ferrell.
The bells overhead on the back porch were rung from the parlor and
front door.
_The Old Smokehouse_
A remnant of days long gone by, when the smokehouse was the most
important house on a plantation. Built in 1831.
Original trough for salting meat made from one log, presented by Mrs.
Cleves Symmes, granddaughter of Jackson’s adopted son.
The iron kettle, used for rendering lard, was given by Mrs. E. W.
Graham, great-great-grandniece of Rachel Jackson. The imitation hams
show how they were hung from the beams.
A normal supply of meat for the 100 slaves, family and guests when hogs
were killed was from 20,000 to 25,000 pounds.
_The Garden_
To the east of the mansion is the flower garden which General Jackson
had laid out in 1819 for his wife, Rachel, whose chief interest it was.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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