South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1875-08-06
Death of Ex-President johnson


Sudden death by paralysis has closed
the career ofex-president Andrew John
son. lie died in Carter county, East
Tennessee. on Saturday morning last,
in the prime OF his intellectual faculties,
and in an apparently hale and vigorous
old age. Few more remarkable exam
pies OF n self-made man, in the most lit
eral sense of that term. have ever occur
red in this country. He was born in Ra-
leigh, y. c., December 20, lS05, and
when only four years OF age lost his IA
Their, who died from the effects of exer-
tons to save friend from drowning.
The necessities of his condition were such
that he was compelled. at the early age Of
ten years, TO be apprenticcd 70 a tailor
in his native city, with whom he served
seven years. The remarkable fact is
stated in his biography that he never ut
tended school n day in his life. While
learning his trade. however, he resolved
TO make an effort TO educate himself,
and this determination VAS developed
and stimulated by hearing books read
by q gentleman OF Raleigh. who was in
the habit Of going into the tailor's shop
and reading while the hands were at
work. One OF the jonrncymen assisted
Johnson in learning letters, and when
he had acquired them sufficiently he mp
piled for the loan OF volume OF speech
es, principally OF British statesmen.
which he had heart read in the shop
The owner made him present oft, and
his exercises in spelling were in that
book. BY perseverance he soon learned
TO read, and lie then applied himself TO
books from two TO three hours every
night, after working from ten TO twelve
hours at his trade.
Having completed his apprcniice3hi
in the autumn OF 1921. he vent to l.au-
rens urt-llousc, South Carolina. where
he worked ~ journcynirn for nearly
two years. While there he became en-.
gagged to he married. but the match was
broken off by the violent opposition Of
the girls mother and friends, the rromd
Of objection being Mr. Johnson's youth
and want of pecuniary means. In May.
1926. he returned to Raleigh, where he
procured journey work, and remained
until September. lie then set out to
seek his fortune in the West, carving
with him his mother, who was depend.
ent upon him for support. lie stopped
at Greenvillc, Tennessee, and common
ccd work "a n journeyman. He re-
manned there about twelve months. mar
ried, and soon aite,ward went still fur.
thcr westward, but failing to find n suit
able place TO settle, he returned to
Greenville and commenced business
Up to this time his education was limi.
ted to reading. as he had never had an
opportunity of learning TO write or ci-
pher; but under the instructions Of his
wife he learned these and other branch
es. The only time, however, he could
devote TO them was in the dead of night.
The first Office which he ever held was
that of alderman of the village. to which
he was elected in 1928 He was re-elcc.
ted to the same position in 1929. and
again in 1880. In that year he was
chosen Mayor, which position he held
for three years. In 1885 he was elected
TO the Legislature. In the session of
that year he took decided ground against
scheme Of internal improvements,
which he contended would not only
prove a failure, but entail upon the State
q burdensomc debt. The measure was
popular, however, and at the next cleo.
ton 1850 he was defeated. He became
candidate again in 1889. BY this
time many of the evils he had predicted
from the internal improvement policy
which he had opposed four years preyi-
Gus were fully demonstrated, and he was
elected by n large majority. In 1910
he served as presidential elcctor for the
State ut large on the democratic ticket.
He canvassed n large portion of the
State, meeting upon the stump several
of the leading whig orators. In 1871
he was elected to the State Senate In
1913 he was elected to Congress, where.
by successive elections. he served until
1858. During this period OF service he
was conspicuous and active in a1voca-
ting, respectively, the bill for rerunding
the fine imposed upon General Jackson
at New Orleans in 1918, the annexation
of Texas, the tariff OF 1916, the war
measures of Mr. Polk's administration,
and homestead bill. in 1858 lie was
elected Governor OF Tennessee. after
an exciting canvass. in which he was OPP
posed by Gustavus 4. Henry. He was
reelected in 1855. after another active
contest, his competitor being Meredith
i. Gentry. At the expiration of his
second period rs Governor, in 1857. he
was elected United States Senator for
a full term, ending March 3. 1868.
On tho 7th Of March. 1862. Senator
Johnson was appointed military COVER
nor of Tenn, with The rank Of brigadicr
general On the 3rl Of March, 1868. he
resigned his position Of provisional gov
crnor During hi, administration The
Legislature Of nj state abolished slave
~. On thc 9th OF juno. 1854, the na-
tionai Union convention ut the city OF
Baltimore nominated Mr.. Johnson for
Nicc.Prc,ilcut on the ticket with Mr..
Lincoln for President for bis second
term. On thc 9Th Of November Of the
same wear Mr. Johnson was elected md
on the lth OF March. 1865. wac sworn
iu. On the 18th Of April Mr. Lincoln
was 1l4l..irqfg1 qnT gli fho 9Th of 4