Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-04-17
sketch OF the Life and career al An.
drew Johnson, Pres,dent OF the
United states


Andrew johnson was born in Raleigh North
Carolina. Dec 29tb, 1905 When he was four
years Of age he lost his father who died from)
/ the effects OF exertions to save friend from)
,drowniug AT the age OF ten he was sppreu
iiced 10 tailor IN bis native city, with whom bel
Sseryed seven years. His mother unable tol
fadord him any educational advantages, and he,
never attended school day in his life. WhiloI
klearning his trade. however he resolved TO make
an effort to educate himself. His anxiety to|
xbe able to read particularly excited by 40 in
tcdent which Is worthy of mention
gentleman of Raleigh was IN the habit oil
going into the tSOr's shop and reading whlle|
fthe apprentice and journey men were st work
3 DE vas an excellent reader, and his favOrte
4 book was volume Of speeches. principally of
British statesmen. johnson became interested
i aud his FIRST ambition vas 20 equal him as a
reader. and become familiar with these speeches
he took up the alphabet without an instructor
Ebut by applying TO the lourneymen with whom
dhe worked he obtained little assistance
Having acquired a knowledge of the letters, be
napplied for the loan Of the book which he had so
9oiten heard read. The owner made him pres
Gent of is. and gave him some instruction on the
suse of letters in the formation Of words. Thus
CHS first exercises Ia spelling we're in that book
Z By perseverance he soon learned 10 read and the
xhOurs which be devoted TO bis education were at
Snight after be was through his daily labor upon
fthe shop board He now spilled himself 10 books
<from two 20 three hours every night, after work
ling from ten 20 twelve hours az his trade Hav-
sing completed his apprenticeship in the autumn
Hot 1924, be went 20 Samens Court House, South
gCarolina. where be worked as ourneyman for
5nearly two years. While there he became en-
&gaged 10 be married, but the match was broken
koh by the violent opposition of the girls mother
Sand friends, the ground of objection being Mr.
: ohnsOn's youth and want of pecGnary means
4In May. 1896, he returned TO Raleigh, where he
fprocured journey WORK and remained uptil Sep
Dtember he then set out 10 seek bis fortune in
{the west, carrying with him bis mother who was
xdependent upon him for support he stopped at
GGreenVille, Tenn, and commenced work a. a Jour
Sneyman he remained there about twelve months
married. and soon after went still further west;
tbut failing IN hnd suitable place TO SETTLE he
<returned 10 Creeuville and commenced bushes
e p TO this time HE education limited To read
fing, as be had never had an opportunity OF learn
Hing TO write or cypher but under the instruc-
ktions of his wife he learned these and other
Fbranches. The only time. however, he could de-
Ssvote TO them the dead of night. The first
y Office he ever held VAS that OF alderman Of the
syillsge. 10 which he vas elected 10 1898 he
Ewas elected 20 the me position in 1929. and
& aSain in lo30 In that year he was chosen may
xor, which position he bed for three years Ia
81 SOS he was elected % the legislature In the
xsession Of that yesr he took decided grounds
Eagansi scheme OF internal improv
which nc conteuded would not only prove a fail
<ure, but entail upon the state burdensomt
Hdebt. The measure was popular however. and
Fat the next election (le37) he WAS defeated. lie
xbccame a candidate again ia 1899. BY this time
Xmsuy OF the evils he had predicted from the IN
Internal policy, which he bad opposed four year.
Epreyious were fully demonstrated. and he was
I elected by large majority La 1910 he served
Sas presidential eector for the state at large, on
ssthe democratic ticket, He canvassed a large
Slporton OF the state, meeting on the stump sew
&eral Of the leading whig orators. In lS4l
She was elected 10 the state senate
Elm 1863 he was elected to congress, where. hy
y successive electonsf he served until 1853 Du-
S.ring this period OF service he was conspicuous
8 and active in advocating. respectively. the bill
( for refundiDg the fine imposed on Gen. Jackson
8 at New Orleans in 1915. the annexation of Tex
Gas, the tariff of 1916, the war measures of Mr.
fPolk's administration. and = homestead bill. In
& 1883 he was eectei governor OF Tennessee, at.
kter exciting canvass, in which he was opposed
Eby Gustavus A Henry He was re elected 10
tls55 after another active contest his competitor
Ebeing Merideth p. Gentry At the expiration of
fhis second period az governor, irr 1851. he was
&elected L. Senator for full term, ending
March 3, 1868 Subsequently he was appointed
Emilitary governor of Tennessee by Presiden,
II Lincoln. At the Baltimore convention. in le64
he was nominated as the republican candidate for
Svice president on the ticket with Mr.. Lincoln
Eand was elected 10 that position at the November
s election Of that year. On the An OF March, 1865
he was inaugurated vice president, and by the
kdeath of Mr. Lincoln on the 18th of April, 1865
he became. by virtue Of his Office, president OF
kthe United States, and on the day following lie
was indicted into that Office, the official oath
havng beer administered by Chief Justice Chase
of the U. ;. supreme court