photo #1799281

President Andrew Jackson’s pet parrot had to be removed from his funeral because it let loose perfect gusts of ‘cuss words.’ Guests attending the funeral were horrified and awed at the bird’s lack of reverence. Rev. William Menefee Norment, who was presiding at the service, wrote “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 so long as to disturb the people and had to be carried from the house.” Jackson had originally bought the parrot, an African grey, for his wife, First Lady Rachel, but after she died, he took care of the parrot himself. It was common knowledge that Jackson had a reputation for cussing, cursing and spewing obscenities.