Title:  A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Section 2 (of 2) of Volume 6:  Andrew Johnson

Author:  James D. Richardson

Release Date:  June 28, 2004 [EBook #12755]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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A COMPILATION OF THE MESSAGES AND PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS

BY JAMES D. RICHARDSON

Andrew Johnson

April 15, 1865, to March 4, 1869

Andrew Johnson

Andrew Johnson was born in Raleigh, N.C., December 29, 1808.  His parents were very poor.  When he was 4 years old his father died of injuries received in rescuing a person from drowning.  At the age of 10 years Andrew was apprenticed to a tailor.  His early education was almost entirely neglected, and, notwithstanding his natural craving to learn, he never spent a day in school.  Was taught the alphabet by a fellow-workman, borrowed a book, and learned to read.  In 1824 removed to Laurens Court-House, S.C., where he worked as a journeyman tailor.  In May, 1826, returned to Raleigh, and in September, with his mother and stepfather, set out for Greeneville, Tenn., in a two-wheeled cart drawn by a blind pony.  Here he married Eliza McCardle, a woman of refinement, who taught him to write, and read to him while he was at work during the day.  It was not until he had been in Congress that he learned to write with ease.  From Greeneville went to the West, but returned after the lapse of a year.  In 1828 was elected alderman; was reelected in 1829 and 1830, and in 1830 was advanced to the mayoralty, which office he held for three years.  In 1831 was appointed by the county court a trustee of Rhea Academy, and about this time participated in the debates of a society at Greeneville College.  In 1834 advocated the adoption of a new State constitution, by which the influence of the large landholders was abridged.  In 1835 represented Greene and Washington counties in the legislature.  Was defeated for the legislature in 1837, but in 1839 was reelected.  In 1836 supported Hugh L. White for the Presidency, and in the political altercations between John Bell and James K. Polk, which distracted Tennessee at the time, supported the former.  Mr. Johnson was the only ardent follower of Bell that failed to go over to the Whig party.  Was an elector for the State at large on the Van Buren ticket in 1840, and made a State reputation by the force of his oratory.  In 1841 was elected to the State senate from Greene and Hawkins counties, and while in that body was one