The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-06-30
ANpREw JonNsoN. or TEN

S-s-----
ANDREW JOHNSON, OF TENN.
Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee. was 1
born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Dec
20, 1903. Wien he was four years Of
age he lost his father, who died from
the effects OF cxertions to save friend
from drowning. At the age Of ten he
was apprenticed to u tailor i'll his ma
tive city. with whom he served seven
years. His mother was unable to af
ford him any educational advantages.
and he never attended school day ia
his life.
While learning his trade. however,
he resolved to make an effort to cdu.
cate himself His anxiety to be able
to read was particularly excited by an
incident which is worthy Of mention
a gentleman of Raleigh was in the
habit Of going into the tailor shop and
reading while the apprentice and jour
nevmen were at work. He was an ex-
cellent reader, and his fayorite book
was avolumo ofspeeches, principally
Of British statesmen. johnson became
interested, and his first ambition was
to equal him as Il reader and become
familiar with those speeches He took
up the alphabet without an instructor
but by applying to the journeymen
with whom he worked, he obtained
little assistance. ..t.......
! Having acquired a knowledge Of the
letters, he applied for the loan Of the
book which he had so often heard read.
The owner made him a present Of it,
and gave him some instructions OH the
use Of letters in the formation OF words.
Thus his first exercises in spelling
were in that hook. By perseverance
he soon learned to read, and the hours
which hedevoted to his education We're
at night after he was through his daily
labor upon the shop board. He now
applied himself to books from two to
three hours every night, after working
from ten to twelve hours at his trade.
Having completed his apprentice
) ship in the autumn Of 1924, he went TO
Laurens Court House, S. c., where he
r worked as journeyman for nearly
, two years. While there he became
engaged to be married, but the match
was broken off by the violent opposi,
tion of the girls mother and friends,
p the ground Of objection being Mr.
! Johnson's youth and want Of pccNnia-
ry means. In May, 1924, he returned
: to Raleigh, where he procured Jour
: ney-work, and remained until Septcm-
+. Der. He then set out TO seek his for
= tunes in the West, carrying with him
$ his mother, who was dependent OF
him tor support. He stopped at Green
+ vile, Teiin., and commenced work a'
i Il inurncyman. lie remained thcr,
about twelve months, married, ant
T.. soon afterward went still farther west
a ward; but falling to find II spitubl
c place to settle, he returned to Green
g vile and commenced business.
h Up to this TIME his education wa
= limited to reading, as he never had al
n opportunity Of learning to write o
70 cipher; but Under the instructions c
d his wife lie. learned these and othc
branchos. The only time, however
of he could devote to them was in tn
y dead hdtt of night. The first oiic
il that he ever held was that OF Alder
n. man of the village, to which he WA
rs elected in 1928. lie was reelected t
q the same position in 1929, and agai
,e in 1880. In that year he was chose
I'd Mayor, which position he Held fc
is three years. d..
le In 1925 he was elected to the Legi'
it laturc, IN the session ofthat year h
II. took decided ground against a schem
lv of informal improvements, which h
: contcndcd would hot only prove TAI
o. ure, but entail upon the State bu
r dcnsomc debt. The measure was poi
Nv ular, however, and at the neet electio
d (lS37) he was defeated. He becam
30 a candidate again in 1889. BY tn
d. time many of the evils he had predic
at ed from the internal improvementpol
is cy, which he had opposed four yea
of previous, were fully demonstrated, an
he was elected by a large majority.
ro In l84G lie served as prcsidenti'
cd elector for the State at large on Il
n Democratic ticket. lie canvasscd
n. large portion of the State, meeting u
er on the stump several of the leadir
Whig orators. In ls4l he was eieetC
X. to the State Senate. In ts43 he wi
is elected to Congress, where, by suece
of sive elections, he served uLtil 1883
to During this period of service he W
IT.. conspicuous and active in advocatin
I'd, respectively, tho bill for refunding &
ny fine imposed upon General Jackson
he New Orleans, in 1916, the war me
mo surcs of Mr.. Folks administratic
and q homestead bill. 8'' .... .u
an In 1853 he was elected Governor
ZEN Tennessee, after an exciting eanva
lly in which he was opposed by Gustav
his A. Henry, He was reelected in 10
vas after another active contest, his CO.
to petitor being Meredith P Gentry.
at the expiration of his second period
an. Governor, in 1857, he WAS elect