Library of Congress
- NAME – Andrew Johnson
- NICKNAME(S) – Sir Veto
- BIRTH / DEATH – Dec. 29, 1808 Raleigh, N.C. / 1875 Elizabethton, Tn.
- FATHER – caretaker at a church and baggage porter
- MOTHER – housewife
- COLLEGE – none
- WIFE – Eliza
- KIDS – 5 kids (2 girls, 3 boys) – first at age 19, all lived to adulthood
- PETS –
- RELIGION – no formal affiliation
- ANCESTRY –
- AGE – 56
FIRSTS:
– first President to be impeached
MA AND PA: He was born in a log house. Father died when he was 3 and the family was plunged into poverty.
BACKGROUND:
– opened a tailor shop in 1827
– local politician 1828-35
– Tenn. state legislature 1835-42
– Congressman 1843-53
– Governor of Tenn. 1853-56
– Senator 1857-62
– military governor of Tenn. 1862-64
– Senator for four months in 1875 before dying
FIRST LADY: Her father was a shoemaker. He married Eliza when she was 16 and he was 19. She had four kids in seven years and then their fifth eighteen years later. She taught Andrew how to read and write.
RETIREMENT: He died of a stroke soon after being elected to the Senate. His wife died 7 months later.
TRIVIA:
– favorite food – hopping john = black-eyed peas, bacon, rice, and onions
– he had no formal schooling; he was apprenticed to a tailor at age 10; age 18 he moved to a town whose tailor had just left, so he opened a shop and it was profitable
– at Lincoln’s second inauguration, he was suffering from typhoid and the day was wet and windy, so he took some medicinal brandy. He gave a rambling and mumbling speech which created rumors he was an alcoholic.
– he made his own clothes until he went to Congress