William Berkeley Lewis
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William Berkeley Lewis (1784 – November 12, 1866) was an influential friend and advisor to
Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...
. He was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, and later moved near
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the List of muni ...
, in 1809. Major Lewis served as quartermaster under General Jackson. Later, in politics, he was a manager of Jackson and retained considerable influence until Jackson's second term as
President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...
. Jackson appointed Lewis as second auditor of the Treasury, a position he was able to retain until the
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administration.


Political advisor

In 1822, Lewis and
John Eaton John Eaton may refer to: * John Eaton (divine) (born 1575), English divine *John Eaton (pirate) (fl. 1683–1686), English buccaneer *Sir John Craig Eaton (1876–1922), Canadian businessman *John Craig Eaton II (born 1937), Canadian businessman an ...
attempted to nominate a candidate before the New Hampshire legislature to oppose
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, who was openly against Jackson's candidacy for president in
1824 May 7: The almost completely deaf Beethoven premieres his Symphony No. 9 (Beethoven) , Ninth Symphony Events January–March * January 8 – After much controversy, Michael Faraday is finally elected as a member of the Royal Society, ...
. After being unable to find a viable candidate, they nominated Jackson himself. The strategy was successful, and Jackson won. The results took him by surprise, and although he did not wish to serve, he accepted the results of the election. Lewis played a crucial role in electioneering for Jackson during his campaigns for the presidency in 1824 and
1828 Events January–March * January 4 – Jean Baptiste Gay, vicomte de Martignac succeeds the Comte de Villèle, as Prime Minister of France. * January 8 – The Democratic Party of the United States is organized. * January 22 – Arthu ...
. Jackson lost in 1824 but won in 1828. Afterwards, his first inaugural address was composed at Lewis's home in
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
,
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
by Jackson, Lewis, and
Henry Lee IV Henry "Black-Horse Harry" Lee IV (28 May 1787 – 30 January 1837) was a biographer and historian, born in Stratford, Virginia, the son of Major-General Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee III and Matilda Lee. He was a half-brother of Confederate genera ...
. During Jackson's presidency, Lewis resided with him in the White House and served as his advisor. According to Jackson biographer
James Parton James Parton (February 9, 1822 – October 17, 1891) was an English-born American biographer who wrote books on the lives of Horace Greeley, Aaron Burr, Andrew Jackson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Voltaire, and contributed three bio ...
, "He almost alone retained to the last the friendship of General Jackson, without agreeing with him in opinion upon subjects of controversy." Lewis was seen as part of a group of unofficial advisors known as the "
Kitchen Cabinet Kitchen cabinets are the built-in furniture installed in many kitchens for storage of food, cooking equipment, and often Silver (household), silverware and Dishware, dishes for table service. Home appliance, Appliances such as refrigerators, dish ...
" who helped Jackson formulate policy. During the Bank War, Lewis, in contrast to Jackson, took a position moderately in favor of the Second Bank of the United States. Even so, in the fall of 1831, he warned its president, Nicholas Biddle, not to apply for recharter. He correctly predicted that Jackson would see the bill as a challenge to his leadership and veto it. At the 1830 Jefferson Day Dinner at Jefferson Brown's Indian Queen Hotel, Jackson was to give a toast. This took place in the midst of the Nullification Crisis, and
John C. Calhoun John Caldwell Calhoun (; March 18, 1782March 31, 1850) was an American statesman and political theorist from South Carolina who held many important positions including being the seventh vice president of the United States from 1825 to 1832. He ...
, Jackson's estranged vice president who supported nullification, would be in attendance. Jackson concluded, according to Lewis, "that the celebration was to be a nullification affair altogether." The following day, Jackson presented three possible toasts to Lewis. "I ran my eye over them and then handed him the one I liked best...He said he preferred that one himself for the reason that it was shorter and more expressive. He then put it into his pocket and threw the others into the fire." Jackson attended the dinner, and to the horror of many in attendance read out the toast: "Our Federal Union. It must be preserved." Calhoun then responded, in part, "The Union, next to our Liberty the dearest."


Other activities

Lewis married Margaret Lewis, daughter of William T. Lewis of Tennessee. John Eaton had first married Margaret's sister Myra. Margaret died after a year of marriage. Lewis later married Adelaide Stokes Chambers, daughter of
Montfort Stokes Montfort Stokes (March 12, 1762November 4, 1842) was an American United States Democratic Party, Democratic (originally United States Democratic-Republican Party, Democratic-Republican) politician who served as United States Senate, U.S. Senato ...
of
North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
. Lewis assisted James Parton in the publication of his three-volume biography of Jackson by sending him information, letters, and other documents. He died at his home in Nashville.


References


Bibliography

* * Harlan, Louis Rudolph. ''Public Career of William Berkeley Lewis'', 1947 * Heiskell, Samuel Gordon. ''Andrew Jackson and Early Tennessee History'' * * * Ratner, Lorman. ''Andrew Jackson and His Tennessee Lieutenants: A Study in Political Culture'', 1997 *


External links


TN Encyclopedia: WILLIAM B. LEWIS
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, William B. 1784 births 1866 deaths United States presidential advisors People from Loudoun County, Virginia