John Bowie Timberlake (c. 1777 – April 2, 1828) was a protagonist in the American political scandal known as the Petticoat affair. His wife Margaret was rumored to have had an affair with John Eaton, who became Secretary of War in President Andrew Jackson's cabinet. The scandal brought about the resignation of most members of Jackson's cabinet.
Background
John Bowie Timberlake was a purser in the United States Navy.[1] During his initial service in the military, he fell into massive debt.
In 1816, when he was around 39 years old, he married teenaged Margaret O'Neill. They moved into a house in Washington, D.C. provided by her father, across the street from his hotel and tavern called the Franklin House. In 1818, the couple met the widowed United States Senator, John Eaton, then aged 28. Eaton, recently elected and the youngest U.S. Senator, stayed at Franklin House.
Timberlake and Eaton became fast friends, and Timberlake confessed his financial problems. Eaton introduced a petition to the United States Senate to relieve Timberlake of debts collected while he was in service to the Navy. The Senate failed to act on his request and Timberlake slipped deeper into debt. He returned to the Navy, leaving his wife and their daughter, Mary Virginia Timberlake, behind in Washington. He returned for short periodic visits between voyages. In 1825, he fathered another daughter, Margaret Rose Timberlake.
Timberlake left for a four-year voyage on the USS Constitution. During his long absence, Margaret was rumored to have suffered a miscarriage, from a pregnancy that could only have resulted from an affair with another man. Timberlake died at sea on April 2, 1828.[1] He had been ill, and newspapers reported that he had died of pulmonary disease (probably pneumonia) while on board ship in the Mediterranean Sea.[1]
Later reports suggested that he had committed suicide by slitting his own throat because of the alleged affair between his wife and Eaton. When the Constitution put in at Mahón on the Spanish island of Menorca, Timberlake was buried with full military honors.[1][2]
On January 1, 1829, almost nine months after John Timberlake's death, Margaret Timberlake and John Eaton married. Their action brought widespread criticism because they had not waited until the passing of a proper mourning period. The circumstances of their marriage led to a political crisis, the Petticoat affair, during President Andrew Jackson's first term in office. When John Eaton was later appointed Minister to Spain, the Eatons and Timberlake's daughters visited his gravesite.[3]
References
^ abcd"Mortuary Notice". United States Telegraph. Washington, D.C. June 9, 1828. p. 3.
^Marszalek, John F. (1997). The Petticoat Affair: Manners, Mutiny, and Sex in Andrew Jackson's White House. Baton Rouge, LA: Louisiana State University Press. pp. 42–43. ISBN978-0-8071-2634-9.
^Gerson, Noel Bertram (1974). That Eaton Woman: In Defense of Peggy O'Neale Eaton. Barre, MA: Barre Publishers. p. 144. ISBN9780517517765.
External links
, Founders of America via archive.org. Accessed January 25, 2023.
January 31, 2023
john, timberlake, john, bowie, timberlake, 1777, april, 1828, protagonist, american, political, scandal, known, petticoat, affair, wife, margaret, rumored, have, affair, with, john, eaton, became, secretary, president, andrew, jackson, cabinet, scandal, brough. John Bowie Timberlake c 1777 April 2 1828 was a protagonist in the American political scandal known as the Petticoat affair His wife Margaret was rumored to have had an affair with John Eaton who became Secretary of War in President Andrew Jackson s cabinet The scandal brought about the resignation of most members of Jackson s cabinet Background EditThis section needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources John B Timberlake news newspapers books scholar JSTOR January 2023 Learn how and when to remove this template message John Bowie Timberlake was a purser in the United States Navy 1 During his initial service in the military he fell into massive debt In 1816 when he was around 39 years old he married teenaged Margaret O Neill They moved into a house in Washington D C provided by her father across the street from his hotel and tavern called the Franklin House In 1818 the couple met the widowed United States Senator John Eaton then aged 28 Eaton recently elected and the youngest U S Senator stayed at Franklin House Timberlake and Eaton became fast friends and Timberlake confessed his financial problems Eaton introduced a petition to the United States Senate to relieve Timberlake of debts collected while he was in service to the Navy The Senate failed to act on his request and Timberlake slipped deeper into debt He returned to the Navy leaving his wife and their daughter Mary Virginia Timberlake behind in Washington He returned for short periodic visits between voyages In 1825 he fathered another daughter Margaret Rose Timberlake Timberlake left for a four year voyage on the USS Constitution During his long absence Margaret was rumored to have suffered a miscarriage from a pregnancy that could only have resulted from an affair with another man Timberlake died at sea on April 2 1828 1 He had been ill and newspapers reported that he had died of pulmonary disease probably pneumonia while on board ship in the Mediterranean Sea 1 Later reports suggested that he had committed suicide by slitting his own throat because of the alleged affair between his wife and Eaton When the Constitution put in at Mahon on the Spanish island of Menorca Timberlake was buried with full military honors 1 2 On January 1 1829 almost nine months after John Timberlake s death Margaret Timberlake and John Eaton married Their action brought widespread criticism because they had not waited until the passing of a proper mourning period The circumstances of their marriage led to a political crisis the Petticoat affair during President Andrew Jackson s first term in office When John Eaton was later appointed Minister to Spain the Eatons and Timberlake s daughters visited his gravesite 3 References Edit a b c d Mortuary Notice United States Telegraph Washington D C June 9 1828 p 3 Marszalek John F 1997 The Petticoat Affair Manners Mutiny and Sex in Andrew Jackson s White House Baton Rouge LA Louisiana State University Press pp 42 43 ISBN 978 0 8071 2634 9 Gerson Noel Bertram 1974 That Eaton Woman In Defense of Peggy O Neale Eaton Barre MA Barre Publishers p 144 ISBN 9780517517765 External links Edit The Story of Peggy Eaton Founders of America via archive org Accessed January 25 2023 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John B Timberlake amp oldid 1135691915, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
