Mystery on Campus

Elizabeth Jackson

Walking down Cougar Mall it is odd to look around the beautiful campus and see a gravestone. It causes you to wonder first of all, Who that is? Why they are there? and of course, Am I walking on their body right now?

The headstone of Elizabeth Jackson is located in Cougar Mall, it is one of the most underrated headstones in Charleston in my opinion. Elizabeth Jackson was most obviously known for being Andrew Jackson's mother, but she was also a caring woman.

Close up of Jackon's Headstone

According to Patrick Harwood in his Clay the Cougar video he says that she came to Charleston to help her two nephews and other soldiers on the ship that they were on. Which explains the part of her headstone where it says "she gave her life cheerfully for her countries independence" she loved her country and family so much she would end up giving her life for it as she passed away due to the smallpox disease that was being carried on the boat according to Roadside America.

Once she passed away her headstone was in disrepair, the president at The College of Charleston, Ted Stern, heard of this and put his foot down. He asked for it t be repaired and when it got repaired he decided to place it on the Colleges campus. Making The College more historically relevant than it already was.

According to the Clay the Cougar video, when you walk over or near the headstone of Jackson you have no worries. You are not stepping on her for she is buried in the Magnolia Cemetery. Jackson was a great woman who had raised not just one great son but many. She was a great caring woman and tried to pass that along to her sons.