The
Peggy Eaton affair
The Peggy Eaton affair,
also known as the Petticoat affair, scandalized the nation and
changed the events of American history. Read about the life and
loves of Peggy Eaton and the events surrounding the Peggy Eaton
affair that led to the resignation of
Jackson's entire cabinet, Jackson's informal "Kitchen
Cabinet", the
downfall of some politicians and ultimately the election of Martin
Van Buren as President of the United States.
Biography of Peggy Eaton: Her Childhood
Peggy Eaton biography -
her childhood: Margaret (Peggy) O’Neale Timberlake Eaton was born in
Washington D.C. on December 3, 1799. Peggy came from a working class
background and was the daughter of Rhoda Howell and Irish immigrant
William O'Neale. Her father was the proprietor of Franklin
House, a large boarding house (also described as tavern or hotel).
She enjoyed a liberal and sociable childhood as the daughter of the
prosperous and popular inn keeper. At the age of 12 she performed a
dance for
First Lady
Dolley Madison. Although her upbringing was a far cry from the
social sphere of upper class Washington society, her father had
money to provide Peggy and her 5 siblings with a good education and
she was able to converse in French.
Biography of Peggy Eaton: Her Early Life
Peggy Eaton biography -
her early life: Petted and spoilt by the hotel guests she
grew into a confidant, vivacious, flirtatious girl who enjoyed
playing the piano and serving drinks to the guests. The Franklin
Hotel was a favorite boarding house and social center for military
men and politicians (at the time few congressmen purchased second
houses in Washington). She was highly attractive with dark hair and
eyes, a well-rounded, voluptuous figure, peachy complexion and full
sensuous lips. Not surprisingly, Peggy became an object of desire
and the center of attention of many of the men who stayed at the
hotel. At the age of 15 she failed in an attempt to elope with
Important Francis Smith Belton, an aide to General Winfield Scott.
Biography of Peggy Eaton: Marriage to John Timberlake
Peggy Eaton biography -
her early life: In 1816, at the age of 17, she met John
Timberlake, a 39-year-old purser in the United States Navy and
within a month the couple were married. The hasty marriage must have
brought a few surprises to her father. John Timberlake turned out to
be in massive debt. William O'Neale
father bought the newlywed Timberlake's a townhouse opposite the
hotel. Timberlake turned his hand to running a store and the couple
had a daughter, Mary Virginia Timberlake.
Biography of Peggy Eaton: John Timberlake's Debts
Peggy Eaton biography -
John Timberlake's debts: As a purser in the US Navy he handled the
ship's finances. He purchased groceries and other items to sell to
the crew and the officers at a profit. He sold the goods on credit
and subtracted what was owed on pay day. The first loss he
encountered was on the USS United States when sailors deserted
without paying off their credit. Then during the
War of 1812 his ship, the President,
was captured by the British. They seized all the ledgers containing
details of the amounts owed on credit. Timberlake had no proof of
the debts of the sailors and he ended up with a massive financial
shortfall. His venture running the store resulted in even more
debts.
Biography of Peggy Eaton: John Eaton
Peggy Eaton biography - John Eaton:
The couple continued to socialize with the guests and two years
later met Senator John Eaton. John Eaton was just 28 years old,
handsome and ambitious with a glittering political career ahead of
him. Her husband and Senator John Eaton became close friends and
Timberlake confided about his massive debt problems.
Biography of Peggy Eaton: Timberlake's Senate Petition
Peggy Eaton biography - Timberlake's
Senate Petition: In the spring of 1820 John Eaton introduced
a petition from Timberlake to the Senate for relief from his naval
debts, asking to be indemnified (covered) for his losses. The
petition was referred to the Senate's Naval Affair Committee. His
petition was refused on two counts. The losses from the sales of
goods for profit was his own responsibility and secondly the
Committee believed that Timberlake should have made copies of his
ledgers and made more effort to recover them from the British. In
1821, after his petition was dismissed and his store business had
failed, John Timberlake had no
alternative but to resume his naval career. He returned for short
periodic visits between voyages.
Biography of Peggy Eaton: The Gossip, controversy and scandal
surrounding the Peggy Eaton affair
Peggy Eaton biography - the gossip,
controversy and scandal surrounding the Peggy Eaton affair: With her
husband away at sea Peggy played a high profile role in the running
of the Franklin Hotel and as a grown woman participated with guests
in their political debates. Peggy met Andrew Jackson in December
1823 when he was the new junior senator from Tennessee and boarded
at the Franklin House. Jackson referred to her as "the smartest
little woman in America." and his wife Rachel Jackson was equally
impressed with Peggy when she met her in Washington in 1824. On
March 16, 1825 Peggy gave birth to a daughter Margaret Rosa
Timberlake. The relationship between her and John Eaton had grown
even closer in the absence of her husband and Eaton often acted as
Peggy's escort on social occasions. The gossips had a 'field day'.
Peggy was viewed as a woman of loose morals who served in a bar and
thrived on the attentions of the male guests. The rumors became
uglier and there were suggestions that not only were Peggy
Timberlake and John Eaton lovers but that she had also had a
miscarriage from a pregnancy that could only have resulted from
another man as her husband was away at sea - Timberlake had
left for a 4 year voyage on the USS Constitution. Timberlake died of
pulmonary disease on the voyage in April 1828 at the age of 51.
Rumors then started that he had committed suicide, some said he was
ashamed of his wife's behavior and alleged affair with John Eaton.
Biography of Peggy Eaton: The
Marriage
Peggy Eaton biography - the marriage:
The minimum acceptable period of mourning at the time was 1 year.
But John Eaton married Peggy on New Year’s Day 1829. The couple had
received the blessing of their close friend President Jackson.
Andrew Jackson had recently lost his wife, Rachel Jackson and his
niece,
Emily Donelson,
had assumed the role of First Lady. President Jackson had appointed
John Eaton Secretary of War. Friends of Jackson had counseled him
not to make the appointment because of Eaton's scandalous
association with Peggy. He ignored all the warnings. With her
marriage to John, Peggy Eaton entered the highest society in America
of the Cabinet social circle.
What year was the
Peggy Eaton affair?
The Peggy Eaton affair
exploded in 1830. The social etiquette of 'paying calls' was a
firmly established ritual in polite society. As protocol dictated,
John and Peggy Eaton paid a call on Floride Calhoun, the wife of
Vice President John C. Calhoun. Floride refused to return the call.
This was a most terrible snub. The young First Lady,
Emily Donelson followed suit. She showed the greatest great respect
and a strict sense of propriety when mixing with the older, wealthy
women who were wives of Cabinet members. The women of the cabinet
treated Peggy Eaton with disdain but had to mix socially with her at
public events such as the inaugural ball and the state banquet held
in honor of the Marquis de Lafayette.
The dispute escalated when Peggy
Eaton greatly offended Emily Donelson by apparently remarking that
Emily’s relationship President Jackson was inappropriate. Emily
Donelson refused to ever associate with Peggy Eaton again. Emily Donelson and her husband
left the White House during the summer of 1830 and refused point
blank to ever to return to the White House again if she had to
associate with Peggy Eaton. She only relented when John Eaton was
appointed the U.S. Minister to Spain when he and his wife were
required to move to Spain to live. Emily Donelson returned to the
White House as First Lady in September of 1831. The Peggy Eaton
scandal didn't stop with the women...it led to a massive political
controversy
The
Peggy Eaton affair: The Political Controversy
The political
controversy surrounding the Peggy Eaton affair erupted in the
cabinet. The press made the Petticoat affair public and savaged the Jackson
administration. The juicy, scandalous gossip was mulled over across
the country. Andrew Jackson continued to support his Secretary of
War. Andrew Jackson was furious at the way that he and the Eaton's
were being treated.
Secretary of State,
Martin Van Buren realized that the
affair had become a liability for the Democrats and a heavy burden
to Jackson. In April 1831 Martin Van Buren offered to resign his
cabinet position and suggested that John Eaton did the same. This
action would allow the President to ask the remainder of the Cabinet
to resign their seats. The President called a Cabinet meeting at the
White House (without John Eaton). He got the resignations from all
the members and completely reorganized his Cabinet. The capital and
the country was shocked at this turn of events. Many believed it
would result in the collapse of the government. It didn't. The press
turned on the spiteful women of Washington and referred to the
scandal as the 'Petticoat Affair'. Martin Van Buren remarked:
"I would rather
have live vermin on my back, than the tongue of one of these
Washington women on my reputation."
Andrew Jackson replaced Vice
President John C. Calhoun with Martin Van Buren as his vice
presidential running mate in his re-election campaign and the
history of the country was changed forever. Andrew Jackson then
abandoned official cabinet meetings for meetings with his friends
that was referred to as his
Kitchen
Cabinet.
The
Significance of the
Peggy Eaton affair for kids
The Peggy Eaton affair
was extremely significant.
● It reversed the political
fortunes of several politicians
● It resulted in Jackson's
informal "Kitchen Cabinet" and the wide use of the
Spoils System
●
Martin Van Buren was elected
president, rather than John C. Calhoun
Peggy Eaton affair
The info about the Peggy Eaton affair provides interesting facts and
important information about this important event that occured during the presidency of the 7th President of the United States of America.
What happened to Peggy Eaton?
The controversy
surrounding the Peggy Eaton affair continued. In
1840 John Eaton returned from Spain and despite all
Jackson had done for him, he turned on him, showing
the greatest disloyalty and supported Martin Van
Buren's rival, William Henry Harrison. John Eaton
died in 1856 leaving Peggy Eaton and extremely rich
widow. Three years later, on June 7, 1859, Peggy
Eaton hit the headlines again by marrying handsome,
young Antonio Gabriele Buchignani, an Italian
dancing instructor and music teacher. Peggy Eaton
was 59 years old and Antonio Gabriele Buchignani was
just 19 years old. The marriage did not last and
within seven years her third husband and most of her
money was gone. More scandal and controversy.
Antonio Gabriele Buchignani had ran off with her 17
year old granddaughter, Emily Randolph, who he
married after Peggy divorced him in 1869. Peggy
O'Neill Timberlake Eaton Buchignani died penniless
at a home for destitute women on November 8, 1879 at
age of 79 years old.
Cigar Box
Advertisement depicting Peggy Eaton
|
The portrayal of Peggy Eaton
The picture opposite is
an advertisement depicting the young Peggy Eaton (as
Peggy O'Neal) on a cigar box lid.
The centre image is a likeness of
Peggy and the picture on either side show Andrew Jackson
presenting her with flowers at a social event and the
other depicts men fighting over her. This is the image
of Peggy Eaton that appealed to the cigar-smoking men of
the day.
Peggy Eaton: The Gorgeous Hussy
'The Gorgeous Hussy' a 1936 movie,
starring Joan Crawford and Robert Taylor, was loosely
based on the life of Margaret O'Neill Eaton and the
Peggy Eaton affair. (The word
'Hussy' was used to describe a loose woman.) So the
scandalous story of the woman that resulted in the
resignation of an entire U.S. Cabinet continued to
fascinate people - the movie grossed a total of
$2,019,000.
The
Peggy Eaton affair for kids - President Andrew Jackson Video
The article on
the Peggy Eaton affair provides an overview of one of the Important issues of his presidential term in office. The following
Andrew Jackson video will
give you additional important facts and dates about the political events experienced by the 7th American President whose presidency spanned from March 4, 1829 to March 4, 1837.
Peggy Eaton affair
● Interesting Facts about
the Peggy Eaton affair for kids and schools
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Key events
about the Peggy Eaton affair for kids
●
Peggy Eaton affair, a Important
event in US history
●
Andrew Jackson Presidency from March 4, 1829 to March 4, 1837
●
Fast, fun, interesting
facts
about Important events
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President Andrew Jackson and Biography of Peggy Eaton
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