Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-01-02

at Georgetown, where she pursued he
studies under the direction Of tn
| teachers of that once celebrate
school, and also under his own pei
sonal supervision. She was a Ire
Quent visitor at the white house dul
ing President Folks administrator
and favored guest of the Polk fam
lily, spending much of her vacation
at that residence. She was thus no
a stranger to Washington societ,
when it became her duty to presid
over the presidential mansion.
Martha Johnson was married Il
Judge David 7. Patterson. one of tht
most distinguished juris;s Tennessee
has ever produced, December IS, 1856
Her wedding tour extended through
the principal cities of the south t
New Orleans. Andrew Johnson was
at that time serving his last term as
civil governor OF the state of Tenncs
see. On their return from this tour
they took up their residence near
Greeneville, where they lived until the
fall Of 1862 when they we're compelled
! to leave east Tennessee for Nashville
where her father then resided as mil
itary governor
After the election Of Andrew John.
| son as vice president, and upon the
assassination of Mr.. Lincoln. he be.
came president, Mrs. Patterson and
the family removed to Washington,
that she might assume the social du-
ties which from her mothers illness
fell to her lot. Of her administration
in the white house, extending over a
period of about four years and cover
ing many difficult problems. much
has been written. Her announcement
that I'VE are but plain people from
east Tennessee" and that she oped
too much would not be expected OF US
socially read like humor in the light
of the reports Of sumptuous state
dinners and brilliant receptions. Mrs.
Patterson had the rare distinction of
being the daughter of the president,
the wife of a United States senator.
and the mistress of the white house.
Though she presided with grace and
maintained that dignity due to her
position in the social realm, it was
in the domestic sphere that she found
her most genial employment. With
an invalid mother, who laid claim to
the daughters time and thought, and
with two children of her own to care
for, Mrs Patterson nevertheless gave
personal oversight to the entire man
agement of the white house. 1t was
ever afterward her pleasureabie boast
that no callers ever presented a card
after 9 o'clock on any morning but
that they were given the privilege of
inspecting all the rooms Of the white
house. She sought to maintain that
in her exalted sphere which
had marked her as the wife of an east
Tennessee judge. With her own
hands she cared for the milk of the
white house dairy and made all the
butter which was used on her table
When the time came for her to retire
from Washington to the more quiet
walks Of private life she again turned
her face toward the mountains of east
Tennessee with pleasure, in anticipa-
ton Of once more living apart from
the gaze of the public and amid those
whom she loved.
Her days Of sorrow, however, had
just begun, for in a few months after
the family's return to Tennessee, her
brother Robert died. Then in 1875.
her father to be followed within
year by her mo her. Other deaths
came as stated above.
Mrs. Patterson's last years had been
cheered by her son, Andrew Johnson
Patterson. ard his loving wife, the de
votion of both having been that =,
children indeed. Judge Patterson died
in 1891. The only olheT member Of
Mrs Patterson's family now living is
little Martha Landstrcet daughter of
Mrs. Belle Landstreet, deceased, who
was Mrs. pattersol's daughter.
Mrs. Pat erson possessed much of
the character CT her father. The
breadth ard sweep CT his reasoning
faculties were hers, While his iron will
and indomitable energy we're repro
duced in her The devotion which she
toward her father while he
was living and to his memory after
he died was of the highest type OF
fial affection and seemed but little
short Of ancestral worship. She knew
him as perhaps no one else ever did,
and the integrity Of his character and
his supreme love OF truth were themes
on which she deligh ed to dwell. She
has done service not only to her
fathers memory, but to the country as
we'll, in her painstaking care in the
collection of data from which must be
written he biography of Andrew John
son, who is a central figure in the ma
tons history at time Of great crisis.
In religion Mrs. Patterson was a
Protestant, being member of The
Methodist Episcopal Church South.
but she was as broad and charitable
If her views as she was kind in hel
nature.
Andrew Johnson had five children.
as stated above, five grandchildren
and three great-grandchildre This