"To the commissioners appointed by the worshipful court of Davidson to apportion & divide the Estate of Severn Donelson deceased amongst his heirs. My desire is that Andrew Jackson, my adopted son, should not be considered in the Division of the Estate as one of the heirs of the said deceased. Mrs. J[ackson] & myself having adopted him as our son, we intend to educate and provide for him, I therefore obligate myself to give him as much property as will fall to the share of any of the Legatees of the said S. Donelson deceased, and to secure him this I hereby bind myself my heirs Executors &c &c under my hand & seal, this 31st day of Jan'ry 1823."
Published in the Papers of Andrew Jackson, ed. Moser, Hoth, and Hoemann, Vol. 5, 1996.
with--Manuscript document, in an unknown hand, signed by court commissioners Robert Butler, Francis Saunders, and John Donelson, Sr., listing the heirs of the estate and the names and values of the slaves apportioned to each heir: "The following is the result of apportionment made of the Negroes of the Estate of Severn Donelson Dec'd by the Undersigned commissioners appointed by the Worshipful Court of Davidson County, except two negroes called Peter & Molly which are so old, that they are left in the possession of Mrs. Donelson to be supported by her for what little labour they can perform. . . ." 1 page, folio. Np, 31 January 1823.
Severn Donelson (1773-1818) was Jackson's brother-in-law and the biological father of Jackson's adopted son, Andrew Jackson, Jr.