The morning times., 1897-02-14
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Martha Patterson;
First Lady of the Land

Tribune, with the accession of William Nc
kinley TO the Presidency and the retire
ment therefrom OF Grover Cleveland, there
will be another change in the honor OF he
ing the first lady in the land" Mrs
Cleveland has made hcrsclf beloved bv the
American people, and Mrs McKfuIey,a
character IS tina OF a very sweet and aTnia-
bic lady. There We're many predecessors
before them, gracious women, who have
won their hearts OF their cuuHtryTuen IN
their brief reisnS. IL would be difficuIt to
say which, OF all the great ladies VINO
have presided over the White House, was
the most American, the most successful and
best beloved.
There was u Tennessee woman, who once
lived in Nashville, Mrs. Martha johnson
Patterson, the eldest daughter OF Andrew
Johnson, who laid down the social scepter
on March 4, 1863, and came back TO her
home in the Tennessee mountains, having
done what she COULD and did that we'll
When she retired many good things were
said of her
Mrs. Patterson was the most republican
or all the mistresscs OF the White House.
wrought more changes in the social gov
ernment of the Presidents home. in be-
halr or the plain people and had more TO
contend with than had any or the other
ladies. Her husband, Judge David T.
Patterson, was United States Senator
from Tennessee, and at one time both ex-
President Johnson and Judge Patterson.
his son-in-law. were colleagues from Ten
neSsee in the United States Senate Poth
Andrew johnson and John Quincy Adams
entered Congress after serving as Pr,-si-
dent
When will you marry me, them He
had asked iaer a hundred times this i'm
patient question.
Il will marry you, sir, when you are
elected judge of this circuit - she replied
And, madam, Will marry you when
your father is elected governor OF Ten
nessee,' rctOrted the young man.
This was the rather tcsty promise Of
marriage that Miss Martha johnson gave
TO David t Patterson, a young lawyer,
who had aSsiduOusly woOed her This
historical promise occurred in the parlor
of Andrew JUhnSOn's home in GTeeneviIle,
the night before the State eIectiOniu 1856.
Andrew johnson was the Democratic can
didate for governor and young Patterson
for circuit judge. The Wing party had
been il the saddle in Tennessee for some
years and the Democrats had up 70 this
time been in an almost hopeless minority
But the great personal popularity Of An
drew Johnson ana his irresistible -oratory
swept tie state like a cyclone and elected
the entire ticket. The new Judge held
his sweetheart TO her promise and mar
ried her twenty days before ne took the
oath or office, on December I 3, 1856
Miss Martha johnson passed the most Of
her life as a girl IN Washington. Andrew
johnson entered Congress in 1S43 and car
ried lis little daughter with him, where
size spent ten years among the nOtables "
the nation. Some of this time was spent in
school at Georgetown. spending as much
time with her father as she could. She was
great favOrite with Mrs Sarah CHldress
Polk during President POIk's adninStra-
ton, and was probably the most frequent
visitor at tie White House from Tennessee,
often spending weeks at the mansion She
was very beautiful girl, and when Judge
Patterson married her con gratulatiOnSp pour
ed IN upon him for weeks from the great
statesmen OF America
Andrew Johnson served two terms as
governor of Tennessee. elected by tie
people, andin 1861 was appointed military
governor by President Lincoln In 1852
East Tennessee became the theater Of war,
and Judge Patterson and his wife came
to Nashville to the home of Gov. johnson.
where they remained TWO years Wnen
Andrew Johnson was elected Vice PTesi-
dent, In S64, his daughter accouIpani ed him
to Washington
The sudden and unexpected death Of
Abraham Lincoln made Andrew Johnson
President OF the United states TIE ques-
i ton that worried JOhnSou'S family more
than anything else upon his accession To
| the Presidency was Who should preside as
| mistress OF the Executive Mansion The
/ wife of the President had been an invalid
| for some years, and was physically una
BILE to stand the social strain. and her in
| clinatiOnS would have been against IL had
| she been in perfect health There were
| two daughters. Mrs Patterson and Mrs
/ Stover, who was the wife OF q farmer in
East Tennessee, who loved the simple
| joys and easy quiet OF her rural home life
too much to mar it by going to washing
ton. President Johnson wanted Mrs.
Patterson To assume the position, which
| she did with many JuiSciyin@S But she
| filled the place with the woruanHnCSs OF
queen, and history has only good 10 say
OF her. Of ali the expressions Concerning
] her she treasured that OF James G Blaine
more than any other. The PIumed Knight
sail:
| she retired from the position. leaving
! fewer enmites, 5eaIousieS and criticisms
| than would have been possible TO any one
| else returning to private life from so ex-
| alted station. when the entree thereto
| had been with SO little previous social
| training"
we are plain people from the noun
/ tains of Tennessee, called here for short
1 time by national calamity / trust
! that too much VIII not be expected Of as
| was tine simple announcement of Mrs Pat
| terSon made upon assuming charge of the
| mansion, The care of an invalid mother
| and the training of her two children
! would have been enough work for an or
| binary woman
Mrs. Patterson did what no other mis-
| treSs had done before, opened the parIors
and COnScTvatOrieS to the public every
! day. Before and since the custom has
/ been to allow the public to inspect these
| treasures on fixed days, but Mrs Patter-
| son invited the public every day, and was
! applauded by all the prominent newspapers
+! of the country for that truly American
! act.''
There is only one member of the inn
mediate family of Andrew Johnson now
| living, Anderson Jackson Patterson, son ur
/ Mrs. Patterson. Mary Belle Patterson,
one OF the most beautiful children of the
| White House, grew 20 splendid wonJn-
| hood, married John Landstreet. Of PaIti-
| more, wealthy young man, but in few