The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-02-03
ANDREW JOHNSON'S WIFE.
The Career Of q Faithful and Devoted
Wife.

| Inc career OF o EalCnIll ana UeY0te1
Wife.
The widow Of eexs-President Andrew
johnson has survived her husband but q
few months. We have not "a living en,:
President at this time, but there are. even.
yet three surviving widows of ex-Presi.
dents-Mrs. Abraham Lincoln, Mrs.
John Tyler, and Mrs. James T.. Polk,
whose husband was President thirty years
ago. Mrs Johnson, who died at Green
vile, Tenn, had been patient sufferer
for many long years, including those
years when she was the occupant of the
White House and since the death of
her husband, in August last, she had been
gradually sinking till her life closed on
saturday night, 18th inst. She was four
years younger than her husband, and
had, therefore, just reached the age of
sixty-six years. ,..,.. ...fo...,,,.:
| Her maiden name was Miss Eliza, Nc
Cardle, and she was an attractive dam
sci, when, in her seventeenth year; she
was wooed and won in her mountain
home by the poor but ambitious young
tailor Of Greenville, who was not yet
twenty-one.f She was a bright young wo-
man, who. had obtained such education
as was afforded by the schools of the day
| in that part of the country; and there is
/ no doubt that Andrey Johnson, who felt
the superiority of her requirements, was
largely indebted to her for that mental
stimulus which led him into those studies
which he pursued with such assiduity
from the period Of their marriage. It is
stated that the youthful couple used to
study together far into the night, when
all the rest of the villagers were asleep;
that she was in the habitof reading aloud
| to him while. he worked away at his trade
of tailoring; that she aided him to learn
to read huently; and that she guided his
hand while he struggled to acquire the
| art of writing. It is otter said that she
taught him the alphabet; but this is a
| mistake for though he was never at
school, he had pushed beyond that stage
of learning before he left North Carolina
| for Tennessee. She was to him most
excellent and gentle housewife. as. well
as TEACHER of indefatigable zeal, while
at the same time she displayed the best
practical capacity in her ways of life and
in the ordering of their humble house
hold. In still other ways she assisted
him, and his early popularity in Green
Vile was largely owing to the 'frankness
and amiability. of her intercourse with
the people Of the, village, We have
heard Of her modest pride when Mr..
johnson, few years after their marriage,
received that first public honor upon
which he himself was always SO fond of
dilating, in his election to the office! of
Alderman. Their home was gladdened
by little children, and her husbands
fame increased until he wore the laurels
of the Mayorality, to which Office he was
elected for three terms, During these
years, as through all the subsequent years
of her life, she herself was Of thehmost
retiring disposition, and always avoided
anything that might bring her into any
sort of publicity, saying to- women of
more ambition that her enjoyment was in
her home, with her children, practicing
the economy rendered necessary by her
husbands slender means. When Mr..
johnson went to Nashville as a. member
of the Tennessee Legislature, she remain
ed at Greenville in charge of their house
hold; and even when he became Gov
ernor of the State, she continued to main
tain that degree of ), domestic privacy
which was most congenial to her nature
In the spring of 1861, when Mr.. John
son was. a Federal Senator, just rbefore
the outbreak of the war, she removed to
Washington ;>but after 3 short residence
there with her husband, she had to re-
turn to Tennessee on account of her
health. She was there, and he was ia
Washington, when the war began, and,
as he could not enter Tennessee. which
was then q member of the Confeieracy,
and she could not leave the State by rea-
son of Ill health, they were separated
from each other for nearly two years.
Her experiences during this period: were
| ola trying kind. In 1852 the Confed-
crate authorities required herte leavethe
Confederacy, but they did mot enforce the
order upon; learning her. condition
Some months afterward; she was 80 dis
turbed over the reports about her hus-
band that she asked permission to deaye,
which,was granted; but it was only after
many set backs, many troubles, and much
hard iourneying, that the feeble woman
at last reached Nashville, where her hus.
band was installed as military Governor
of Tennessee. His, emotion on meeting
his suffering wife, after their long separa-
|tion. amid the stormy scenes of war, over
came him, and were relieved by proflse
tears. In a short time, her mothers
heart was pierced by the death of her
eldest son, who had just been appointed
an army surgeon, and was Instantly killed
by being thrown from his horse. u ~! :.
| When Mr.. johnson went on, from
Nashville to Washington, in 1866, to en-
ter on the Office of ce-Fresident, he
lmade preparations for the removal OF
his wife and family to .GrenNlle'; but
|'before he had been able to- accompany
l:her there, the assassination Of Mr.. lin
colin induced him to change his plans,
land take her to the new residence in the
i White House, to which he had been so
Unexpectedly called. There she remained
with him during the four stormy years of
his Presidency as confirmed invalid.
She never appeared in Washington socie-
ty, was known to but small circle of
acquaintance, and was only on rare oc-
casions met by few of the friends who
made visits to the White House. She
was last seen, during her abode there, at
party given to her grandchildren, when
she was unable to rise from her chair. to
greet the guests who were presented to
her. Her daughter, Mrs. Patterson; was
happily able to relieve her from the du-
ties of the household and of society.
eve are plain people," said she, 'ffrom
the mountains Of Tennessee, and i trust
too much will not be expected Of US
here" ~
When President Johnson's Presiden-
tial term expired, his wife gladly return
ed with him to their home i'll Greenyille,
and there she lived till his death last
August, after which she took up her resi-
dence with the daughter, at whose house
she died. - - 'la.
trrl ~ D..,;Jo,4. :, a.. ,f,s,,,,. :, a, =.