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Sarah Yorke JacksonNiece of US President Andrew Jackson
Date of Birth: 16.07.1803
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Early Life
- Marriage and Life in the Hermitage
- Co-Mistress of the White House
- Sole Mistress of the White House
- Post-White House Life
Sarah Yorke Jackson: The Hermitage Hostess and Co-Mistress of the White House
Early Life
Sarah Yorke was born into a wealthy Philadelphia family on July 16, 1803. Her father, Peter York, was a sea captain and successful merchant. Her mother, Mary Haines York, passed away during a trip to New Orleans, leaving Sarah and her two sisters orphaned at a young age. They were raised by their two aunts.
Marriage and Life in the Hermitage
On November 24, 1831, Sarah married Andrew Jackson Jr., the adopted son of President Andrew Jackson. After an extended honeymoon at the White House, the couple relocated to the Hermitage, the Jacksons' plantation in Tennessee. They managed the estate until a fire destroyed the main house in 1834. The couple and their two young children then moved into the White House to reside with President Jackson.
Co-Mistress of the White House
Sarah Yorke Jackson arrived at the White House on November 26, 1834, and immediately assumed co-hosting duties with the president's niece, Emily Donelson, who had been serving as the unofficial First Lady since the beginning of his term. President Jackson referred to Sarah as the "Mistress of the Hermitage" rather than the White House, likely to avoid potential conflicts between the two women. This arrangement, while initially awkward, gradually became harmonious. It marked the only instance in history where two women shared the role of White House hostess.
Sole Mistress of the White House
Sarah Yorke Jackson took on full hosting responsibilities following Emily Donelson's death from tuberculosis in 1836. She remained at the White House until the end of Jackson's term in 1837, making several extended visits to the reconstructed Hermitage.
Post-White House Life
Sarah and her husband resided at the Hermitage with her uncle until the former president's death in 1845. The couple continued to live at the estate until shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War, when they relocated to Mississippi. The state of Tennessee later acquired the Hermitage as a memorial to Andrew Jackson and allowed Sarah to reside there until her death.
