If you walk through the halls of The Hermitage in Nashville, you’ll see plenty of evidence of a busy, loud, and chaotic family life. There are bedrooms for kids, stories of a pet parrot named Poll who swore like a sailor, and records of a household that was always bursting at the seams. But here is the thing that catches most people off guard: Andrew Jackson had no biological children. None.
It’s one of those historical trivia bits that feels "wrong" because of how much he emphasized family. He was a man who famously fought duels to protect his wife’s honor, yet he never passed on his own DNA. Honestly, for a guy whose entire persona was built on being a "patriarch" and the "father" of the modern Democratic party, his actual family tree is way more complicated than a standard genealogy chart.
Instead of biological heirs, Jackson and his wife, Rachel, created a family through a massive web of adoptions, legal guardianships, and taking in orphaned relatives.
The Mystery of the Missing Heirs
History nerds and medical experts have spent years speculating on why Andrew and Rachel never had biological kids. It wasn't for lack of trying or lack of love. They were famously devoted to each other—a devotion that bordered on obsessive.
Some historians point to the physical toll of Jackson’s early life. He survived smallpox as a teenager, lived through malaria, and carried lead bullets in his body from various duels and skirmishes. Modern urologists have suggested that these illnesses, specifically smallpox or the heavy metal poisoning from the "medicine" of the era (like calomel), might have rendered him sterile.
Rachel, too, had a difficult history. Her first marriage was a nightmare, and the scandal of her "accidental bigamy" with Jackson haunted her until the day she died. Whatever the reason, the empty nursery at the Hermitage didn't stay empty for long.
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The "Official" Son: Andrew Jackson Jr.
In 1809, Rachel’s brother, Severn Donelson, had twin boys. Since the Jacksons were childless and the Donelsons already had a full house, the Jacksons basically "borrowed" one of the twins at birth.
They named him Andrew Jackson Jr.
He was the only child they legally adopted (though "legal" in 1800s Tennessee was a bit of a loose term) and the only one they considered their true heir. But if you think he was a "mini-me" of the battle-hardened General, you'd be wrong.
Basically, Junior was a bit of a disaster.
While his father was a master of discipline and grit, Andrew Jr. was... well, he was a spender. He managed to burn through a massive fortune and pile up nearly $100,000 in debt—a staggering amount for the mid-19th century. Jackson spent his retirement years constantly bailing out his son, frustrated that the boy he raised didn't have his "Old Hickory" toughness.
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The Lyncoya Story: A Complicated Legacy
The most controversial member of the Jackson household was undoubtedly Lyncoya.
During the Creek War in 1813, Jackson’s troops destroyed a village at the Battle of Tallushatchee. In the aftermath, a baby was found in the arms of his dead mother. Jackson, an orphan himself who lost his entire family during the Revolutionary War, felt a weird, sudden kinship with the boy.
He sent the child back to the Hermitage with a letter to Rachel: "He is a piteous object... I have a desire to have him brought up."
Lyncoya was raised alongside Andrew Jr. Jackson had big plans for him, even wanting to send him to West Point. But the reality was messy. Lyncoya was often treated as a "companion" for Andrew Jr. rather than an equal. He eventually died of tuberculosis at age 16, just as Jackson was ascending to the presidency. It’s a story that historians use to show Jackson's "paternalistic" side—he could destroy a nation one day and try to "save" its orphans the next.
The Household of Wards
Beyond Andrew Jr. and Lyncoya, the Hermitage was basically a boarding house for nieces, nephews, and wards. If a relative died, Jackson took the kids. It was sort of his thing.
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- Andrew Jackson Hutchings: The grandson of Rachel’s sister. Jackson became his guardian when the boy was five and raised him like a son.
- The Donelson Nephews: Specifically Andrew Jackson Donelson, who served as Jackson's private secretary in the White House. He was the "golden boy" Jackson wished Andrew Jr. had been.
- The "Pett" Children: There were other Indigenous children, like Theodore and Charley, brought to the household, though they didn't live long or disappeared from the historical record quickly.
Why the "No Kids" Fact Matters
Understanding that Jackson had no biological children changes how you look at his presidency. He viewed the United States through the lens of a Planter-Patriarch.
In his mind, he was the "Father" of the country, and the citizens—and especially Native American tribes—were his "children" who needed his (often brutal) guidance. This wasn't just a metaphor for him; it was how he ran his house. He demanded absolute loyalty and reacted with rage when his "children" (biological, adopted, or political) defied him.
He was a man who wanted a dynasty but couldn't create one naturally. This led him to be intensely protective of the few heirs he did have, even when they were clearly failing him.
Summary of the Jackson Family Tree
| Name | Relation to Jackson | The "Vibe" |
|---|---|---|
| Andrew Jackson Jr. | Adopted (Biological Nephew) | Loved deeply, but a financial nightmare. |
| Lyncoya | Orphaned Creek Child | A symbol of Jackson's complex, often contradictory racial views. |
| A.J. Donelson | Ward / Nephew | The brains of the operation; the "star" student. |
| A.J. Hutchings | Ward / Great-nephew | Raised at the Hermitage; basically a younger brother to Andrew Jr. |
What You Can Do Now
If you’re fascinated by the messy reality of the 7th President’s family life, there are a few ways to see the evidence for yourself:
- Visit The Hermitage: If you’re ever in Nashville, go. You can see the graves of Andrew and Rachel in the garden, with Andrew Jr. and other family members buried nearby. It feels much more like a family cemetery than a presidential monument.
- Read "The Papers of Andrew Jackson": If you want the raw, unedited version of his parenting, his letters to Andrew Jr. are brutal. He oscillates between "I love you" and "You are ruining my life with your spending."
- Explore the Donelson Connection: Look into the life of Emily Donelson, who acted as the surrogate First Lady. Her falling out with Jackson over the "Petticoat Affair" shows just how intense the family drama got inside the White House.
Jackson’s life proves that "family" is rarely just about blood. It’s about who you choose to bring into your house, whose debts you pay, and whose names you pass on—even if the results are anything but perfect.
Next Steps for Research:
Check out the Library of Congress digital archives for the Jackson-Donelson correspondence. It provides a vivid, sometimes heartbreaking look at a father trying to mold a son who simply wasn't built for the job. You can also look into the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) discussions surrounding the Hermitage to see how modern tribes view the "adoption" of Lyncoya today.