The Missing Mother: Elizabeth Jackson

Every day in my past two months at College of Charleston I have walked through Cougar Mall. I have been oblivious to the fact there is a grave in plain sight! Today we went right outside our classroom to see Elizabeth Jacksons grave.

Elizabeth Jacksons Grave

"Here near this spot is buried

Elizabeth Jackson,

Mother of president Andrew Jackson

She gave her life cheerfully for

the independence of her country

on an unrecorded date in Nov. 1781

And to her son by this advice

'Andy, will never tell a lie, 

nor take what is not your own

Nor sue for slander

settle those cases yourself"

Elizabeth Jackson is the Mother of late president Andrew Jackson. She moved to Charleston South Carolina to help the Patriots. They were still prisoners of war on the British ships in the Charleston harbor. While helping these people she sadly passed away and her belongings were sent to Andrew. He never knew where his own mother was buried but it was believed to be somewhere in Charleston. The daughters of the American Revolution heard about this and donated their own monument to her. The president of the College of Charleston Ted Stern heard about her missing body and grave that was falling apart and asked for her resting place to be at the campus.