Elizabeth Jackson and the Mystery of her Remains

Before we can delve into the mystery of why Elizabeth Jackson was buried right on our own campus we must first learn about who she was. Elizabeth Jackson was the mother of the 7th president of the United States, Andrew Jackson. According to the History of American Women Blog, Elizabeth was an Irish immigrant born in Country Antrim around 1740. Elizabeth and her husband Andrew Senior immigrated to the United States in 1765 with their two sons Hugh and Robert. Shortly after the families arrival to the Carolinas the Jacksons obtained 200 acres of land in the Waxhaws settlement.

Courtesy of Professor Hardwood's blog

President Andrew Jackson or Andrew the second, was born March 15, 1767 just three weeks after Andrew Senior, his father, passed away. After his passing Elizabeth and her children moved into her sister and brother in-law's house in present day South Carolina. Elizabeth worked as a housekeeper and nurse for her very sick sister. Finally when Andrew was 14 Elizabeth passed away due to small pox. 

According to the Post and Courier Andrew was devastated over the missing remains of his mother, “The uncertainty over the fate of her remains was a matter of concern to Jackson even in his White House years,” But where is Elizabeth? The marker on campus states she is "near this spot", the Post and Courier claims that her grave marker was moved to campus from a place 2 1/2 miles away...the location of Elizabeth's remains is a mystery, but her memory lives on through her now distant relatives and history fanatics.