Rock Castle (Hendersonville, Tennessee) - Polly Smith Donelson

Polly Smith Donelson

Polly was the daughter of Daniel and Sarah. She was scheduled to leave for boarding school in Philadelphia where she was expected to learn the crafts required of ladies. However, she did not want to leave because she had fallen in love with a local man. This man was the brother of Rachel Jackson. Samuel Donelson was also madly in love with Polly. For some reason Polly’s father was not interested in this couple. So, an elopement was planned and carried off. The great thing for these two was that Samuel’s brother-in-law was a romantic. Jackson assisted Polly by helping her down a grapevine ladder from her bedroom window to the arms of her lover. Andrew Jackson, Samuel Donelson and Polly Smith traversed down the river to the Jackson’s home where a minister was waiting and had the two married immediately. Later, two children of this match grew up at The Hermitage (Nashville, Tennessee) under Rachel and Andrew Jackson’s care.