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Andrew Johnson Biography

Read about Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, in the biography, which has all the relevant information about his profile, childhood, life and timeline.

Quick Facts

ALSO LISTED IN

Presidents, Political Leaders

NICK NAME

Sir Veto, The Tennessee Tailor, The Grim Presence

NATIONALITY

American Famous American Men

RELIGION

Christian

POLITICAL IDEOLOGY

Democratic

BORN ON

29 December 1808 AD

BIRTHDAY

29th December Famous 29th December Birthdays

CENTURY

19th Century

DIED AT AGE

SUN SIGN

Capricorn Capricorn Men

BORN IN

Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.

DIED ON

31 July 1875 AD

PLACE OF DEATH

Elizabethton, Tennessee, U.S.

IDEOLOGY

Conservatives

CHARACTER TRAITS

Hard Working, Leadership Qualities

CAUSE OF DEATH

Illness

CHALLENGES FACED

Poverty

PERSONALITY TYPE

Stubborn

FATHER

Jacob Johnson

MOTHER

Mary McDonough Johnson

SIBLINGS

William Johnson, Elizabeth Johnson

SPOUSE/PARTNER:

Eliza McCardle Johnson

CHILDREN

Martha Johnson Patterson, Charles Johnson, Mary Johnson Stover Brown, Robert Johnson, Andrew Johnson Jr.

Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of United States of America, rose to the position (while he was serving as the vice-president) when President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Born to an extremely poor family, this soon-to-be president never had the privilege of attending school and had to live life, the hard way. Nevertheless, he was smart enough to build his future solely on his understanding of the politics of the time and through sheer hard work. Later, Eliza McCardle, his wife, helped him learn how to write and tutored him on many subjects. Born and raised among the working class, he always advocated their rights and sought privileges for them. Throughout his tenure in politics, he worked towards offering a better life to the plebeians and served the best in his capacity. However, his intolerance towards the African-Americans attracted the disapprovals of most of the radical politicians who fought to end slavery. As a conservative, he supported slavery and sought to protect it. His tenure as a president was a little tumultuous as it was abundant with controversies and animosity from fellow politicians. However, he is still considered one of the greatest American politicians who was honest and was driven by patriotism.

Childhood & Early Life

Andrew was born into the poor household of Jacob Johnson, a constable and Mary McDonough, a laundrywoman. His father died when Andrew was three, leaving the family to the care of Mary, who supported her children by doing laundry.

Later, she married Turner Doughtry, who helped Mary take care of her children. William, the eldest of all the children was sent to work as an apprentice under a tailor and when Andrew was 10, he joined his brother.

However, the duo was unhappy with work and ran away; disregarding the fact they were legally bound to the firm. Andrew worked in North Carolina for some time, before going to South Carolina and finally he returned to his hometown Raleigh, hoping to get back his old job.

His old firm did not take him back and he toured to Tennessee where after some initial hitches he worked as a tailor before his mother called him back to Raleigh. Later, the family shifted to Greeneville, Tennessee and he established a tailoring business.

Career

Johnson turned his attention to politics, advocating the cause of the working class people. In 1829, in the municipal elections of Greenville, he was elected as a representative.

In 1831, when the Tennessee government passed a new legislation to disenfranchise the African-Americans, he supported the move, thereby earning the government’s favor.

Eventually, he was elected the mayor of Greeneville on January 4, 1834. He supported the constitution which did not allow disfranchising the African-Americans. He also wanted to reevaluate the real estate tax rates and improve the infrastructure in Tennessee.

In 1835, he successfully set his foot in the Tennessee state legislature, where, he supported the Democratic principles of president, Andrew Jackson.

He was elected to the United States Congress, as a Democrat from Tennessee and in the House of Representatives he became a part of a new Democratic majority. In due course, he was elected the governor of Tennessee 1853.

In 1857, he after he was elected a senator, he advocated the Homestead Act according to which the poor were eligible to grants in the form of land from the government.

However, in 1860, when Abraham Lincoln won the national elections, Tennessee withdrew from the National Union Party (Republican Party). Johnson also detached himself from Tennessee, thus, becoming the only remaining senator from the seceded state.

In March 1862, Lincoln appointed him the military governor of Tennessee, which was going through a great deal of turmoil, owing to Civil War which in Tennessee, was led by Nathan Bedford Forrest, a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army. Forrest’s army raided the cities and towns in around the state, making it difficult for Johnson to administer.

President Lincoln, who was impressed with Johnson, especially after displaying his administrative abilities in Tennessee made him vice-president in 1864, during his bid for re-election which he eventually won.

When Abraham Lincoln, was shot on April 14, 1865, Johnson was sworn in as the new president on April 15.

On 1st May, 1865, he gave orders to form a nine-man military commission which would try the assassins of Lincoln. Eventually, the conspirators were charged and executed.

In 1866, Johnson, who was had never liked the idea of the African-Americans being given suffrage and treated equally, vetoed the proposals of Freeman's Bureau, which tried to improve the standard of living of the African-Americans.

The same year he also vetoed the Civil Rights Bill intended to protect the free African-Americans. However, his veto was overruled by the senate.

His increasingly visible hostility towards the African-Americans drew a lot of criticisms from the radicals. Some even claimed that he was involved in the conspiracy of assassinating Lincoln.

On 2nd March, 1867, the first Reconstruction Acts was passed which allowed the free male slaves to vote. As usual, he vetoed, nevertheless the bill was passed.

By this time, the Radical Republicans were already angered by the president’s conservative white-centric views and in November, 1867, the Judiciary Committee voted for his trial.

His trial began on 30th March, 1868, making him the first United States president to be impeached.

He retired in March 1869 and later, the same year made an unsuccessful run for the senate.

He stood for reelection for a seat in the senate on January 20, 1875 to which he was elected and sworn in on March 5.

Major Works

As a senator he introduced the Homestead Bill which offered the applicant the possession of land, at very low or no cost.

After being elected as the vice-president, he tried to restore the civilian administration in Tennessee where the federal system had broken down after Lincoln’s election as President.

Personal Life & Legacy

He married 16 year old Eliza McCardle, in 1827, when he was 18. They had five children, one of whom, Robert Johnson, committed suicide in his youth. Johnson died at the age of 66 after suffering a lethal stroke.

He was buried in Greeneville, Tennessee and 1906, it was declared as ‘Andrew Johnson National Cemetery’. His house and his tailor shop are maintained by the National Park Service as the ‘Andrew Johnson National Historic Site’.

Trivia

This former President of United States was the nation’s first president to be impeached.

See the events in life of Andrew Johnson in Chronological Order

Andrew Johnson Bio As PDF