Emily Donelson
| Emily Donelson | |
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First Lady of the United States Acting |
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In role March 4, 1829 – November 26, 1834 |
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| President | Andrew Jackson |
| Preceded by | Louisa Adams |
| Succeeded by | Sarah Jackson (Acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
June 1, 1807 Donelson, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | December 19, 1836 (aged 29) Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse(s) | Andrew Jackson Donelson (m. 1824) |
| Relatives |
Rachel Donelson Jackson (paternal aunt) Daniel Smith Donelson (paternal first cousin) |
| Alma mater | Nashville Female Seminary |
Emily Donelson (June 1, 1807 – December 19, 1836) was the niece of Rachel Donelson Jackson, the wife of U.S. President Andrew Jackson. She served as White House hostess and de facto First Lady of the United States.
Emily Tennessee Donelson was born on her father's farm in Donelson, Tennessee. Her father, John Donelson, was the brother of Rachel Donelson Jackson, the wife of future President Andrew Jackson. Unlike many girls of her day, Emily was afforded a formal education. She studied at Nashville Female Academy in Nashville, with her niece Mary Ann Eastin, and was considered an accomplished student.
On September 16, 1824, seventeen-year-old Emily married Andrew Jackson Donelson. Donelson was Emily's first cousin and a ward of their mutual uncle and aunt, Andrew and Rachel Donelson Jackson. The couple would have four children.
It has been speculated that even before Rachel Donelson Jackson's death in 1828, Jackson had planned for Emily to accompany them to Washington to assist Rachel in the duties of White House hostess. The Jacksons had maintained a similar arrangement with Emily at The Hermitage, their plantation in Tennessee. The death of Rachel Donelson Jackson caused these plans to be abandoned and Andrew Jackson asked Emily to take over all the responsibilities of the White House hostess, which she did with the aid of her niece Mary Ann Eastin.
She arrived in Washington at the age of 21. Her husband, A. J. Donelson, served as President Jackson's private secretary. The first months of Jackson's administration marked a period of mourning for Rachel Donelson Jackson. The unofficial period of mourning ended when Emily hosted a New Year's party at the White House on January 1, 1830.
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