John Donelson | |
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Born | 17 March 1718[1] |
Died | 17 November 1785 (aged 67) |
Nationality | American |
Occupation(s) | frontiersman, ironmaster, politician, city planner, explorer |
Spouse | Rachel Stockley Donelson |
Children | 11, Jane Donelson Hays, Mary Donelson Caffery, Rachel Jackson, plus another sister and seven brothers |
Relatives | Andrew Jackson (son-in-law) Daniel Smith Donelson John Donelson Martin |
John Donelson (1718–1785) was an American frontiersman, ironmaster, politician, city planner, and explorer. After founding and operating what became Washington Iron Furnace in Franklin County, Virginia for several years, he moved with his family to Middle Tennessee which was on the developing frontier. There, together with James Robertson, Donelson co-founded the frontier settlement of Fort Nashborough. This later developed as the city of Nashville, Tennessee.
Donelson and his wife Rachel had eleven children, four of them girls. Their tenth, daughter Rachel, married Andrew Jackson who was elected United States president in 1828.