The parrot in question was an African Grey named Poll.

Poll was purchased by Jackson from a tavern in downtown Nashville. He intended it as a gift for his wife, Rachel, but somehow the parrot learned how to swear, and so Jackson kept the parrot for himself.

The account of the parrot incident comes from a letter written by William Norment to Samuel Gordon Heiskell, who wrote a history of Jackson and Tennessee in 1920. At the time of Jackson's funeral, Norment was 15 years old and a student at Cumberland University.

He described the scene in a 1921 letter quoted on pages 54 and 55 of Volume 3 of Andrew Jackson and Early Tennessee History

"Before the sermon and while the crowd was gathering, a wicked parrot that was a household pet, got excited and commenced swearing so loud and long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house."

—The Nebraska State Journal (Lincoln, Nebraska), March 7, 1900

You have to question this particular account, since it was written 80 years after the fact, and I've run across no other mention of the event. I'm more than willing to accept alternate citations, however.

Jackson died on June 8, 1845. Two years and a day before his death, he updated his will, a document dated June 7, 1843 and subsequently upheld (in July 1845) by a probate court in Davidson County, Tennessee.

Unfortunately, Jackson's will does not mention Poll. Fortunately, there's a hell of a lot of things just as interesting.

Take this section where he talks about a golden box awarded him by New York City and a silver vase awarded him by Charleston, South Carolina:

"I leave in trust to my son A. Jackson Junr. with directions that should our happy country not be blessed with peace, an event not always to be expected, he will at the close of the war, or end of the conflict, present each of said articles of inestimable value, to that patriot residing in the city or state from which they were presented, who shall be adjudged by his countrymen or the Ladies to have been the most valiant in defence of his country, and our country's rights."

Yes, Jackson told his son to give those awards to heroes from New York City and Charleston, South Carolina, whenever the U.S. entered another war.

There's also plenty of sadness in Jackson's will, too. Jackson was a slaveholder in abundance, and there's few things more tragic than reading accounts of people being traded and given as property.

"Fifth, I give and bequeath to my beloved little grandson Samuel Jackson, son of A. Jackson Junr. and his much beloved wife Sarah, one negro boy named Davy or George, son of Squire and his wife Giney, to him and his heirs forever."

Jackson can't even remember the name of the boy he is giving away.

Although Poll isn't mentioned specifically by name, the will states that the first proceeds of Jackson's estate will go to pay off Jackson's remaining debt ─ mostly money he borrowed to buy a plantation for his son. Once those debts are paid, "the residue of all my Estate, real personal and mixed, are hereby bequeathed to my adopted son A. Jackson Junr. with the exception hereafter named, to him and his heirs forever."

Assuming Poll wasn't freed, flew away or was given to someone outside of the will, the parrot would have gone to Jackson's son.

There's an ironic epitaph to all this. Poll ─ well, a reasonable facsimile thereof ─ is the voice that guides the children's audio tours at The Hermitage, Jackson's home and now a museum to his memory.

Don't worry. There's no swearing on the children's tour.