Margaret Eaton

From Freepedia

Margaret Eaton (nee O'Neale) (1799 - 1879) was the U.S. wife of John Henry Eaton, they married in 1829. She had an affair with John Henry Eaton while her husband was away at sea, but her husband died at sea. It was rumored that her first husband, a sailor, had committed suicide because of her infidelity, but this was never proven. She was spurned by the wives of other members of Congress, but was defended by Andrew Jackson, possibly because of the effects gossip had on the death of Rachel Jackson. In what later came to be known as the Peggy Eaton affair, Andrew Jackson demanded conciliation and friendship between Peggy Eaton and the wives of other congressmen, but as a result, many southern congressmen resigned from the cabinet, completely destroying Jackson's southern wing. However, the Peggy Eaton affair did not cause this; it was only the spark that ignited southern rage about the so-called "Tariff of Abominations."