Donelson, Andrew Jackson, 1799-1871

Andrew Jackson Donelson was nephew, ward, and personal secretary to President Andrew Jackson throughout his administration. President John Tyler (1841-1845) appointed him chargé d'affaires of the United States to the Republic of Texas and he was U.S. Minister to Prussia from 1846 to 1849. Donelson was nominated as the vice-presidential candidate of former President Millard Fillmore on the American Party ticket in 1856, but they garnered only 8 electoral votes.

Lawyer, editor, army officer, diplomat, and presidential secretary.

U.S. Army officer and aide-de-camp to Andrew Jackson; Tennessee lawyer and planter; confidential secretary to Andrew Jackson, 1824-1836; represented the U.S. in negotiations with the Republic of Texas, 1845; Minister to Prussia and the German Confederation, 1846-1849; editor of the Washington Union, 1851-1852; vice-presidential nominee on the Fillmore ticket, 1856.

Soldier, lawyer, politician, and diplomat Andrew Jackson Donelson (1799-1871) was born in Nashville, Tennessee, to Samuel and Mary Donelson. After his father's death and his mother's remarriage, Donelson moved to the Hermitage, the Nashville home of his aunt and namesake uncle, Rachel Donelson and Andrew Jackson. Donelson served as General Jackson's aide-de-camp during the First Seminole War. A West Point Salutatorian, Donelson resigned from the army shortly after the Seminole campaign and studied law at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. In 1823, Donelson returned to Nashville to practice law and married his first cousin, Emily Tennessee Donelson (1807-1836). The Donelsons lived in Washington with President Jackson for most of his two terms while building their home, Tulip Grove, adjacent to the Hermitage. Donelson served as the president's private secretary, and Emily acted as the official hostess of the White House. Emily died in 1836, leaving four small children. Donelson remarried five years later and had eight more children with Elizabeth Martin Randolph.

After Donelson's return to Nashville, President John Tyler selected him to negotiate the annexation of Texas in 1844. His success led to Donelson’s appointment as minister to Prussia from 1846 to 1849. In 1851, he became editor of the Democratic newspaper Washington Union, but left this position as the party moved toward sectionalism. Donelson’s national political career ended in 1856 with an unsuccessful campaign for vice-president on the Millard Fillmore ticket, supported by the Know-Nothing Party. In 1858, Donelson sold Tulip Grove and moved his family and law practice to Memphis, where he remained active in local politics.

Source:

Wells, Camille. “ Andrew Jackson Donelson, 1799-1871 .” The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture . Accessed November 15, 2010.

Soldier, lawyer, politician, and diplomat Andrew Jackson Donelson (1799-1871) was born in Nashville, Tennessee, to Samuel and Mary Donelson.

After his father's death and his mother's remarriage, Donelson moved to the Hermitage, the Nashville home of his aunt and namesake uncle, Rachel Donelson and Andrew Jackson. Donelson served as General Jackson's aide-de-camp during the First Seminole War. A West Point Salutatorian, Donelson resigned from the army shortly after the Seminole campaign and studied law at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky. In 1823, Donelson returned to Nashville to practice law and married his first cousin, Emily Tennessee Donelson (1807-1836). The Donelsons lived in Washington with President Jackson for most of his two terms while building their home, Tulip Grove, adjacent to the Hermitage. Donelson served as the president's private secretary, and Emily acted as the official hostess of the White House. Emily died in 1836, leaving four small children. Donelson remarried five years later and had eight more children with Elizabeth Martin Randolph.

After Donelson's return to Nashville, President John Tyler selected him to negotiate the annexation of Texas in 1844. His success led to Donelson's appointment as minister to Prussia from 1846 to 1849. In 1851, he became editor of the Democratic newspaper Washington Union, but left this position as the party moved toward sectionalism. Donelson's national political career ended in 1856 with an unsuccessful campaign for vice-president on the Millard Fillmore ticket, supported by the Know-Nothing Party. In 1858, Donelson sold Tulip Grove and moved his family and law practice to Memphis, where he remained active in local politics.

Biographical Note