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Andrew Jackson, Jr. and Christian Koch that it is necessary to review his character and	? y/
personality, thereby giving insight to the other men.
This study will reveal on the one hand a man and his family who bore a great name, for which they were given extraordianary advantages but nonetheless ran hell-bent to failure. On the other hand, an immigrant sailor from Denmark persevered through years of adversities and raised a family about whom descendants can be justifiably proud.
The Jackson letters predate the Civil War; the Koch family exchanged most of their writings during the war. Not only in observation of chronology, but also because of the Claiborne connection, Jackson is treated first. And with respect to timing, it is probable that this story began long before the 1850?s, perhaps on the battlefields of the Creek War in Alabama in 1813.
J.F.H. Claiborne was bom of a famous father and was nephew of the governor of Mississippi Territory. His father, Brigadier General Ferdinand Claiborne, was commander of the southern wing of the army during the Creek War, serving with Major General Andrew Jackson. His uncle,
W.C.C. Claiborne, was appointed first governor of Louisiana by Thomas Jefferson.
J.F.H. Claiborne had a multi-faceted life. An educated lawyer, he was at various times a United States Congressman, orator, editor, historian, slave dealer, defender of Choctaw lands, grower of Sea Island cotton, anti-secessionist, buyer of Confederate bonds, spy for the Union, and father of a Confederate officer killed in battle.
Without question, Claiborne?s father and Andrew Jackson, Jr.?s adoptive father knew each other; any reading of the Creek War will attest to this fact. As will be explored, there were other connections which were not likely merely coincidental, and it is probable that John Claiborne and Jackson. Jr. also knew each other at a time previous to the latter?s move to south Mississippi.
What is known for certain is that Claiborne was the instrument of at least two purchases by Jackson in Hancock County, and that he offered his hospitality to the family during their transition. He also continued to be friendly and helpful to young Samuel Jackson, left by his father to oversee the plantation neighboring Claiborne?s.
It is an unfortunate detail of history that not long thereafter, Claiborne would be a party to a suit against Andrew Jackson, Jr.
A. The Family of Andrew Jackson Jr.
Relevance of Andrew Jackson, General and President
There must have been some serious changing of minds in Hancock County between 1856 and 1861, especially involving J.F.H.Claiborne, Asa Russ, and other locals, as well as W.R. Adams of New Orleans. Claiborne was instrumental in bringing down to the county the adopted son of President Andrew Jackson, and helping him to invest widely throughout the area. He was also the one who gave written references to his suppliers so that Jackson Jr. w'ould be readily accepted financially. W. R. Adams was to appear just a few short years later as the chief creditor in the suit in which all of Jackson?s land was sold in an 1861 sheriffs sale.
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