Podcast Summary

Podcast: Here’s Where It Gets Interesting

Episode: The Scandalous Second Marriage of Rachel Jackson
Host: Sharon McMahon
Release Date: October 6, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Sharon McMahon explores the dramatic, often misunderstood story of Rachel Jackson—the woman who would have been First Lady to President Andrew Jackson, had she not died before his inauguration. Sharon delves into Rachel’s tumultuous first marriage, her scandalous union with Andrew Jackson, and the public shaming she endured during Jackson’s campaign. Through engaging storytelling, the episode uncovers not only their personal saga but also how Rachel’s fate shaped Andrew Jackson’s presidency and the politics of the era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The “First Lady Who Wasn’t”

• Rachel Jackson died after Andrew Jackson’s election but before his inauguration (02:00).
• Raises the question: Can we call her a First Lady?
• Her life and reputation were central to the political era, even though she never set foot in the White House.

2. Rachel’s Early Life & First Marriage

• Born into a prominent Virginia family; youngest of 11 children (04:00).
• Family moved through the Tennessee frontier, involved in establishing what became Nashville.
• Married Captain Lewis Robards at 18; moved in with his mother.
• Lewis was “the jealous type” and became emotionally abusive, accusing Rachel of infidelity, leading her to flee (06:10).

3. Rachel Meets Andrew Jackson: Scandal Begins

• Andrew Jackson, then a boarder at Rachel’s mother’s house, became her protector (07:00).
• Sharon’s Commentary:
  • “He was immediately sympathetic to Rachel’s plight and in their version of the story, he chivalrously escorted her to Natchez, Mississippi to keep her safe...” (07:25).
• Questionable timeline: Did Rachel and Andrew run off to force a divorce, or was it a misunderstanding?
  • “Historians tend to agree with the Robards.” Sharon cites Jon Meacham’s biography, noting that the couple chose to “live in adultery...to provoke a divorce from Robards.” (08:40)

4. Divorce Disaster & Bigamy Allegations

• Complications:
  • The divorce got caught in the chaos as territories changed hands; neither Rachel nor Lewis were aware the divorce hadn’t been finalized when she married Andrew (09:30).
• Two years later, when everyone realized the error, Robards sued for divorce on grounds of bigamy and adultery, and the court sided with him (10:15).
• Rachel’s choice to leave an abusive marriage “would haunt her for the rest of her life.”

5. The Jacksons’ Married Life & Their Household

• Quietly remarried in a small, legal ceremony after the divorce (13:21).
• Built The Hermitage, grew from 9 enslaved people to 150 by Andrew’s presidency.
• Unable to have biological children, but adopted and raised many—including Rachel’s great-nephew, Andrew Jackson Jr., and Lyncoya, a Creek Indian boy (15:00).
• “Andrew Jackson is known for, shall we say, his more temper driven tendencies. So it may surprise you to learn that he loved children.” (14:10)

6. Infamy, Duels, and Social Ruin

• Gossip about Rachel’s divorce remained largely private until 1806 when Nashville lawyer Charles Dickinson publicly insulted Rachel’s honor (18:30).
  • Andrew Jackson challenged Dickinson to a duel—Jackson was shot and nearly died, but then killed Dickinson with a technically illegal second shot (20:30).
  • “Andrew had technically won the duel, but...he brought into his life the smear of murder alongside the bigamy rumors his wife endured.” (23:29)
• Brought infamy and kept the scandals alive, affecting Jackson's political prospects.

7. The 1828 Presidential Campaign: Public Humiliation

• During Jackson's campaigns, Rachel’s honor became a national talking point (02:20, 23:29).
• “One newspaper ran an article asking its readers, ought to a convicted adulteress and her paramour husband be placed in the highest offices of this free and Christian land?” (24:20)
• Rachel became reclusive and depressed as public attacks escalated.

8. Rachel’s Decline and Death

• After Jackson’s victory, Rachel expressed dread at the thought of Washington:
  • “I would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of God than live in that palace in Washington.” (25:00)
• Suffered a heart attack and died, December 22, 1828, before Jackson’s inauguration (25:40).
• Buried “wearing the white dress she had picked out for the inaugural ball.” (25:55)
• Andrew Jackson’s grief and rage were profound; he blamed his enemies for her death:
  • "May God Almighty forgive her murderers, as I know she forgave them. I never, never can.” (26:15)

9. Who Filled the Role of First Lady?

• After Rachel’s death, Jackson’s niece, Emily Donelson (then just 21), became White House hostess (27:30).
• Emily transformed the White House’s social life, notably orchestrating the grand 1830 New Year’s event.
• Eventually replaced by Sarah York Jackson due to Emily’s illness and later, her own death (29:50).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On public perception:
  • Sharon (02:10): “Before Rachel, no one had really questioned the suitability of a presidential candidate’s wife… Rachel Jackson endured a full-fledged smear campaign.”
• On Jackson and Rachel’s relationship:
  • Emily Donelson, recalling Andrew’s affection: “General Jackson loved and admired Rachel extravagantly, finding his chief pleasure in her companionship and his greatest reward in her approval.” (16:55)
• Rachel’s heartbreak:
  • Rachel writing to her niece:
    • “Listening to them, it seemed as if a veil was lifted and I saw myself, whom you have all guarded from outside criticism and surrounded with flattering delusions, as others see me—a poor old woman, a hindrance instead of a helpmate to the man I adore.” (25:15)
• Jackson's grief after Rachel’s death:
  • “My heart is nearly broke. I tried to summon up my usual fortitude, but it is in vain.” (26:30)

Key Timestamps

• 01:58 – Episode begins, overview of Rachel Jackson’s unique First Lady status.
• 04:00 – Rachel’s childhood, family moves, and first marriage.
• 06:10 – Abuse in Rachel’s first marriage and her escape.
• 07:25 – Jackson meets Rachel and their relationship intensifies.
• 09:30 – Issues with the divorce, bigamy, and final court ruling.
• 13:21 – Rachel and Andrew Jackson’s legal second marriage; overview of adopted children.
• 18:30 – Charles Dickinson duel and its social fallout.
• 23:29 – Political impact of rumors as Jackson runs for president.
• 25:00 – Rachel’s depression and premonition about Washington.
• 25:40 – Rachel’s death and Andrew Jackson’s grief.
• 27:30 – Emily Donelson becomes White House hostess.
• 29:50 – End of Emily Donelson’s tenure and transition to Sarah York Jackson.

Tone & Style

Sharon maintains an engaging, accessible, and sometimes wry tone. She acknowledges the complexities of the Jacksons’ actions and the contradictory nature of their legacy, especially regarding issues like slavery and their relationships. Her narration balances empathy with critical analysis, making 19th-century scandals relatable to a modern audience.

Final Thoughts

This episode provides a vivid look at how personal relationships, scandal, and political ambition intertwined in the early U.S. presidency. Through Rachel Jackson’s story, Sharon McMahon illuminates the burdens and scrutiny faced by women long before “First Lady” became an official title—and how the echoes of their struggles changed American political culture.