| Book Review | The Journal of American History, 95.1

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| Book Review | The Journal of American History, 95.1 | The History Cooperative

Book Review

Old Hickory's Nephew: The Political and Private Struggles of Andrew Jackson Donelson. By Mark R. Cheathem. (Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 2007. xvi, 371 pp. $45.00, ISBN 978-0-8071-3238-8.)

In Old Hickory's Nephew, Mark R. Cheathem articulates the accomplishments of Andrew Jackson Donelson, a man often remembered for his name rather than for his contributions to nineteenth-century political history. Donelson's lengthy résumé indicates that perhaps he should be recognized on his own account, for he served in a variety of important positions, including presidential advisor to his uncle Andrew Jackson, editor of the Washington Union—a key national Democratic paper—diplomat involved in negotiating the annexation of Texas, and vice presidential candidate for the Know-Nothing party in 1856. Cheathem ably describes how Donelson, throughout his political career, struggled with his desire to escape from his namesake's shadow and make a name for himself, while simultaneously realizing that his most valuable political asset was his connection to his uncle. The author convincingly demonstrates that Donelson adhered to the ideology of republicanism and, in a typical southern manner, maintained a commitment to both slavery and the Union. Additionally, Cheathem contends that a study of Donelson as a southern slave owner can also shed light on such themes as the roles played by honor, masculinity, and kinship in the ante–bellum South.

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