Detail (front)	Detail (back)

 

Navy Homespun Wool Morning Coat
and Narrow Drop-front Cossack Trousers
Made by Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson (Mrs. Andrew Jackson)
at The Hermitage in Nashville, Tennessee, ca. 1827-1828.
Worn by Moses Dawson in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Collection of the Ohio Historical Society, H18941.

 

Accessorized with:
Black Leather Booties with Elastics on Sides
Unknown maker and place of origin, ca. 1835-1845.
Collection of Bruce and Susan Greene, 95.071ab.

Reproduction Shirt and Neck Stock.

   

This suit is a treasure to the followers of American history, Ohio history and women's history. In addition to being a rare example of a surviving textile item produced by the wife of a president, the fabric was also made by hand in an era when manufactured cloth was increasingly replacing homespun textile. The link between Dawson and the Jacksons is also telling of the emerging importance of the state of Ohio in national politics.

Moses Dawson was the newspaper editor of the Cincinnati Advertiser whose main competitor in 1826 was Charles Hammond of the Cincinnati Gazette. Both used their columns to plead vigorously for the political candidate of their choice. Hammond scourged Andrew Jackson and his Democratic followers while Dawson zealously defended them. As the race leading to the 1828 presidential election was perhaps one of the most unscrupulous in American history, no smearing technique was out of bounds and Hammond latched on to the possibilities of adultery and bigamy surrounding the divorce of Rachel Donelson Robards Jackson to discredit the candidate and caused in the process tremendous torment to both Rachel and Andrew. Rachel's gift to Moses Dawson of items laboriously made by her can be seen as a sign of deep gratitude, a heartfelt appreciation of his defense of the Jacksons, which contributed to Andrew Jackson's rise to power as, by this time, Ohio was a swing state that was essential to the formation of a Democratic victory.