Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1882-04-07
Andrew Jcln>"n-A Friends Interest
in. "reminiscences.

in. "reminiscences.
There are soma incidents in the lie
of Andrew johnson which have never
Vet seen Published, and which / gath
ere from him i'll an interview in Nash
viii" while H. Wa, Military Governor in
TeEnc-~"r. IN tina, interview he spoke
OF the great contrast between his posi-
ton hen sn'l when. q poor boy, he first
arrived 1t Grcenville in search of cnl-
Payment. and his after visit II Dan
'lric!-.c OH a similar mission. He came
from North Carolina with hiS mother.
in = two-whrcl cart drawn by 4 blind
pony. Arriving Al Grccnv!llc. he sold
his pony AMI cart AMI rented Il small
house, sixteen hv eighteen feet in di-
mansions, and Al once settled down to
work II the tailur'S trade, nj which he
had served his apprenticeship III North
Carolina. He soon became dissatisfied
with Grrencvillc, and. after making ar
r2nwrucnlS Tor his mothers support.
started ont on foo; in search of :, more
lucrative field OF labor. He walked to
l;ogcr>Iilic. invent r-ive miles distant;
from thence 10 Eulledgc Knoxville and
Kingston. working ii each place Short
while.
He then crossed the Cumberland
Mountains, and worked his WAY by de-
grccS into Middle Tennessee. There
he met the ROW venerable G.. W. Jones.
OF faVcttcvlli". then a poor young man
learning the s;liicrr and harness trade.
A warm Friendship sprung up between
these two strugglcrs for 4 place in the
worlds broad domain. each having re-
solved TO wiz. if honesty. integrity and
energy could prevail. Their friendship
ripened with the ileeting years. John
sea rose from an Alderman in his
adopted home to the Presidential Hlair,
ami when he died his friend, g. W.
Jones, addressed the largest assemblawe
of people ever gathers together in
East Tennessee. the occasion of the
laying of the cornerstone of Andrew
Johnson'S monument.
Johnson did not remain in Middle
Tennessee any great length of time.
bat soon turned his wandering footsteps
back towards East Tennessee, working
a short while al each town ON his wa
At Knoxville he became acquainted
WIN llttliifCl va ttltt III
i'ucntial men. At cambridge he worked
two weeks with George W. Tablcr.
who, at that time, was one of the best
tailorS in East Tennessee Johonson al
ways dressed very neatly. and went to
hear Father Campbell PRESBYTERIAN
preacher. who then preached in an old
log church. In the evening he would
take a long walk for exercise after his
days work, and would keep the best of
company or none. He said he wished
to associate with those from whom he
could learn something, rs his education
was very limited.
The great cOmmOncrOwed much of his
education to the lady To whom he was
married shortly afterwards. She was Il
woman of great energy and possessed Il
plain education. She taught her nus
band to read. and many persons have
seen the two in the little shop at night,
he working and listening attentively to
the reading of his wife.
When Mr.. johnson had completed
the time with Mr. Tablcr for which he
had contracted. he left cambridge and
returned to Greenvillc, where he had
left his mother. On his wav thither he
obtained the names of several of kic
most prominent men in the neighbor-
,sood, for whom he could cut and fit
clothes. He first stopped at Warrcns-
burg, on Lick Creek, near the Chucky
River. He saw Philip MoScr. who
lived on Long Greek; Colonel Joseph
Hamilton, L lawyer. who owed large
river farm; Robert Hill, who owned the
Chuckcy Bend: Major Hogan. Major
Conncway. Major Porter Douglass and
Mr.. Scruggs, who owned large river
farm and had u little store in WarrenS-
burg. lie made for Mr.. Scrnggs' two
sons their first fine cloth suits. He re-
manned some time making clothes for
the people on Lick Creek and Chucky
River, and his work there made him
very popular in the lowcrend of Greene
County. One of Scruggs' sons, John,
became teacher and Baptist preacher,
and the other. James, Il trader and
afterward 4 politician.
Returning to Greenville, johnson
rented small frame shop, hung out his
sign. Andrew johnson. Tailor" and
settled down steadily to work. He
married shortly aftsrward. and he. his
wife and his mother lived on one of the
back streets of Greenvillc. in Il small
frame house with two rooms. Forty
years from the time he landed in Green
vile with his blind pony and cart. he
owned large property, and rose from
poor tailor to an Alderman, member
of the Legislature, Governor. Congress-
man. Senator, Vice-President and Presi-
dent of the United States. He learned
Latin after he was elected q member of
Congress the first time. He was study
ing whenever he had leisure
moment on his hands. His great
desire was to benefit his children and
give them q good education. He sent
them to the best school to be
found and guarded over them with care.
His mother married q man named Do
alta and lived until her death on a small
farm which her son purchased for her.
He was perfectly devoted to his mother,
and always visited her Oh every posi-
bic opportunity. A similar example
was exhibited in the case of President
Andrew Jackson. He, too, was poor
boy when he went to East Tennessee.
His mother was dependent on him for
support. johnson and jackson were
firm friends. General William NJ. Low
cry. formerly United States Marshal for
East Tennessee, but now q successful
banker at Atlanta, was also one of John
sons best friends. When johnson be-
came President he remembered General
Lowery's friendship, and desired to
give him an important appointment.
but this offer General Lowery declined.
Cor. Nashville american.