The Forgotten Grave

Walking through Cougar mall students notice a lot of things. For starters, the beautiful scenery, with paths surrounded on all sides by historic buildings and incredible trees. Of course there is also the College of Charleston's iconic cougar mascot statue. However, possibly the most interesting thing in Cougar mall is a plain, unremarkable headstone. This headstone belongs to none other than Elizabeth Jackson, mother of the seventh president of the United States, Andrew Jackson.

A photo of Elizabeth Jackson's grave in Cougar Mall

You might wonder "Why is this grave marker in Cougar mall of all places?" The logical answer would be that she was buried beneath this headstone, but that proves not to be the case. Not only is this not Mrs. Jackson's grave but no one really knows where she's buried.

According to the Downtown Charleston Graveyards blog Mrs. Jackson was traveling with friends from Waxhall, North Carolina delivering medication to a British prisoner ship when she fell with fell ill with cholera and didn't recover.

The original grave marker was placed "in and about the forks of Meeting and Kingstreet Roads." This is according to a letter written to Andrew Jackson written by James H. Witherspoon. The information in this letter was reported by Post and Courier journalist, Robert Behre.

There is clearly plenty of mystery surrounding Elizabeth Jackson's death especially because there are no pictures of her. The details around her death are conflicting with one source, roadside america claiming that she died of smallpox not cholera. Yet another source, Women History blog agrees that is was cholera.

Women History Blog also states that Mrs. Jackson died in the home of Agnes Barton in her best dress. The claim continues saying she was buried in a simple unmarked grave on a hill. Andrew Jackson was desperate to find his mothers bones in order to bury them beside his father and mother but he never succeeded. 

In 1949, a marker was placed in Old Waxhaw Presbyterian Cemetery. Her death is commemorated not only by her headstone but also by a statue erected of her in Charleston.