Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-07-02
ANDREW JOHNSON of TENNESSEE.
SKETCH OF HIS LiFs AND SERVICES.

Andrew johnson, of Tennessee was bor
in Raleigh, North Carolina, December 90
1908. When he was four years of ARE h
lost his father, who died from the effect 0
excrtions to save friend drowning. A
the age Of ten years he was apprenticed t,
n tailor in bis native city, with whom b,
served seven years His mother was un
able to afford him any educational advan
tuges, and he never attended school da,
in his life.
While learning bis trade, however, hC
resolved to make an effort TO educate him
self. His anxiety to be able to read wa.
particularly excited by an incident which
Is worthy OF mention. A gentleman oil
Raleigh was in the habit of going into the
tailor's shop and reading while the appren.
tice and journeymen were at work He
was an excellent reader, and his favorite
book was a volume of speeches, principally
of British statesmen. johnson became in.
teEested, and bis first ambition was to eanal
him as a reader, and become familiar with
those speeches. lie took up the alphabet
without on instructor; but by applying to
the iourneymen with whom be worked, be
| obtained little assistance.
Having acquired knowledge of the
letters, he applied for the loan of the book
which he had SO often heard read The own
er made him present of it, and gave him
some instruction in the use of letters in the
formation of words. Thus his first exerci-
Ses in spelling we're in that book. BY per.
severance he soon learned to read, and the
hours which he devoted to his education
were at night after he vas 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
20 twelve hours ut his trade.
Having completed his apprenticeship in
the autumn cf 1924, he went to LauI ems,
c. H., S. G. where he worked as Journey
man for nearly two years. While there
be became engaged to be married, but the
match was broken off by the violent oppo-
Sition of the girls mother and her friends,
the ground OF objection being Mr.. y ohm
sons youth aud want of pecuuiary means
In May, 1924 he returned to Raleigh
where he procured jornsy work, and re
maned here until September. lie then set
out 10 seek his fortune in the West, carry
ing with him his mother, who was depen.
dant on him for support. lie stopped at
Greenville, Tennessee, and commenced work
as jorneyman. lie remained there about
twelve mouths, married aud soon afterwaid
went still further westward; but failing to
fiud suitable place 70 settle, he returned
10 Greeuville and commenced business.
Up to this time bis education was limited
to reading, as he never had an opportunity
learning TO write or cipher; but under the
instructions of his wife he learned these
and other branches. The only time, how.
ever, he could devote to them was iu the
dead of night. The first office be ever
held was that Of Alderman of the village
to which be was elected in 1898 He was
re elected to the same Office in 1929, aud
again in 1880. Ia that year he was cho-
sen mayor, which position he held for three
years. e"
In 1886 he was elected to the Legisla.
ture. In the session of that year he took
decided ground against scheme of inter.
ternal Improvements, which he contended
would not only prove a failure. but entail
upon the State burdensome debt. The
measure was popular, however, and at the
ne2t election, (IS31) he was defeated.
He became candidate again in l849.
BY this time many of the evils he had pre-
dcted from the internal improvement pol.
icy which he had opposed four years previ-
ous were fully demonstrated, and he was
elected by a large majority. a
In 1910 he served as presidential elec,or
for the State at large on the democratic
ticket. He canvassed large portion of
the State meeting upon the stump several
whig orators In ls4l he was elected to
Congress, where by successive elections. he
served until 1858. During this period of
service he was conspicuous and active in
advocating, respectively, the b'll for re-
funding the fne imposed upon Gen. Jack.
son in New Orleans in 1916, the war meas
ures of Mr.. Folks Administration, and
homestead bill.
In 1854 he was elected Governor of
Tennessee, after an exciting canvass, in
which he was opposed by Gustavus A Hen
ry, He was reelected ia 1855, after an
other active contest, his competition being
Meredith p Gentry. At the expiration
of bis second period as Goyernor,in 1887, he
was elected U S. Senator for full term,
ending March 8, 1868.
Ever since the outbreak Of the rebellion.
Governor johnson has been the stern and
uncompromisng enemy of the slave oligar-
chists. As Senator Of the United States,
as public speaker in behalf of the Union
and for these many months as military
Governor of his own State. he has vigilant.
ly and officially wrought in our holy cause,
aud scored high his name among the ear
nest workers on behalf of the imperiled
Republic. ,o .,.
The Rebel Organs-Gen. Pemberton.