First Ladies #7.5 (*): Sarah Yorke Jackson

“Sarah brought warmth, dignity, and harmony to a White House long marked by division.”
– A historical description of Sarah Yorke Jackson

Born: July 16, 1803 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA)
Died: August 23, 1887 (Hermitage, Tennessee, USA)
Years as White House Hostess: 1834 – 1837

Sarah Yorke Jackson was the second woman to serve as official White House hostess during Andrew Jackson’s presidency. She was Intelligent, gracious, and very devoted to family, and brought a softer and more harmonious atmosphere to the White House during one of the most emotionally difficult periods of Jackson’s life and political career.

Born Sarah Yorke in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she came from a well-connected and prosperous family. Unlike many women of the frontier South, Sarah enjoyed a refined upbringing and received an excellent education for her time. She was known for her beauty, warmth, and polished manners, qualities that would later make her highly admired in Washington society.

Sarah married Andrew Jackson Jr., the adopted son of President Andrew Jackson, in 1831. Through her marriage, she became closely tied to the Jackson family and eventually one of the president’s most trusted companions. Andrew Jackson grew deeply fond of Sarah and considered her almost like a daughter. 

Sarah entered White House society during a difficult time. President Jackson had entered office as a widower after the death of his beloved wife, Rachel, shortly before his inauguration. His niece by marriage, Emily Donelson, had initially taken over hostess duties. However, tensions stemming from the famous “Petticoat Affair” created divisions within the administration and strained several personal relationships within the White House.

By 1834, Sarah increasingly stepped into hostess responsibilities, sometimes serving alongside Emily Donelson and eventually assuming many of the social duties herself. Her calm personality and diplomatic nature helped ease tensions surrounding Jackson’s presidency for years. Visitors frequently praised Sarah’s kindness, elegance, and ability to make guests feel comfortable, regardless of political differences.

Sarah helped organize formal dinners, receptions, and social gatherings that played an important role in Washington political life. At a time when political alliances were often strengthened through personal relationships and social events, the White House hostess held far more influence than many people realize today. Sarah excelled at balancing formality with warmth, helping improve the tone of the presidential household during Jackson’s final years in office.

Unlike the sharp social conflicts that surrounded Emily Donelson’s tenure, Sarah’s years as hostess were generally more peaceful. She developed a reputation for tact, hospitality, and loyalty to family. Andrew Jackson deeply appreciated her steady presence, especially as his health declined during his second term.

After Jackson left office in 1837, Sarah and her husband returned to The Hermitage in Tennessee with him, where she continued to care for the aging former president until his death in 1845. She remained an important figure within the extended Jackson family for decades afterward and lived a long life that spanned nearly the entire nineteenth century.

Today, Sarah Yorke Jackson is remembered as one of the few women in American history to unofficially share the duties associated with the role of First Lady. Though never formally given the title, she helped guide White House society during a politically divisive era and brought grace, stability, and compassion to Andrew Jackson’s presidency.

Fun Fact:
Andrew Jr. and Sarah had five children: Rachel, Andrew III, Samuel, Thomas, and Robert. Thomas and Robert died as infants, and unmarried Samuel died from wounds suffered at the Battle of Chickamauga during the Civil War in 1863. Rachel was the only child during the time Sarah served as White House hostess. Granddaughter Rachel and husband, Dr. John Lawrence, had nine children. Andrew Jackson III and his wife, Amy Rich, had two sons, Andrew IV and Albert.

Note: The (*) in the title means Sarah was not an official First Lady, under the definition of wife of the President. She and Emily Donelson are both listed as #7 in the series because they both served under our 7th President, Andrew Jackson.

Carol Williams

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