RICHARD MENTOR JOHNSON

'Richard Mentor Johnson' (October 17, 1780 – November 19, 1850) was the ninth Vice President of the United States, serving in the administration of Martin Van Buren. A resident of Scott County, Kentucky, Johnson served as a Representative and Senator from Kentucky, and in the Kentucky House of Representatives.

Contents

Early life

Military career

Elected office

Kentucky House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Vice-President

Grave and legacy

References

External links

Early life

Richard Mentor Johnson was born to Robert and Jemima (Suggett) Johnson on the then Virginia Frontier at "Beargrass," now in Jefferson County, Kentucky. Richard Mentor Johnson, 9th Vice President (1837-1841) His brothers James and John Telemachus and his nephew Robert Ward Johnson were all members of the House of Representatives, and Robert was a Senator as well. As a young child, he moved with his family to Scott County, Kentucky.
Johnson attended Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, and was admitted to the Kentucky bar in 1802 at the age of 19. ''Offbeat Kentuckians: Legends to Lunatics'', , Keven, McQueen, McClanahan Publishing House, 2001,
He never married, but had a long-term relationship with Julia Chinn (d. 1833), a family slave. They had two daughters, Adaline Chinn Johnson and Imogene Chinn Johnson, who both later married white men. Johnson was entirely open about this relationship, treating Chinn as his wife, which offended many slaveholders. This was very well-known at the time. For example, nearly twenty years after Johnson's retirement, it was brought up during the Lincoln-Douglas Debates of 1858. Douglas insinuated that Lincoln approved of interracial marriage. Lincoln deflected this charge by saying that the only distinguished person he knew of who felt that way was "Judge Douglas's old friend Col. Richard M. Johnson."

Military career

During the War of 1812, Johnson was commissioned a Colonel of Kentucky Volunteers. He commanded a regiment in engagements with the British in Upper Canada in 1813. He was credited by some with personally killing the Shawnee leader Tecumseh during the Battle of the Thames. Despite the doubtful accuracy of this claim ("Ripsey Rampsey, Rumpsey Dumpsey, Colonel Johnson Shot Tecumseh"), Johnson would later use it to good effect in his political career.

Elected office

Kentucky House of Representatives

Johnson was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1804-1806 and again in 1819.
Johnson was again elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1850, but he died in Frankfort, Kentucky soon after taking his seat.

United States House of Representatives

Johnson was elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Tenth and to the five succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1807–March 4, 1819). He was chairman of the Committee on Claims and the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of War.
After serving in the U.S. Senate, he returned to the House, elected to the 21st Congress and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1829-March 4, 1837) He was chairman of the Committee on Post Office and Post Roads and the Committee on Military Affairs.

United States Senate

Johnson was elected to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of John J. Crittenden in 1819. He was reelected to a full term in 1823. He served from December 10, 1819 to March 4, 1829. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1829.

Vice-President

In 1836, Johnson was selected as the Democratic Party's candidate for Vice President, as running mate to Martin Van Buren. Johnson's background as a Westerner and Indian fighter made him a good balance to Van Buren, an elegant Easterner. The Democrats won the election, but the 23 electors from Virginia refused to vote for Johnson due to his relationship with Julia Chinn, as mentioned above. This left Johnson with exactly 147 of the 294 electoral votes, one less than a majority. Therefore, per the 12th Amendment, the Senate elected the Vice President. The Senate voted to elect Johnson on February 8, 1837.
This was the only time the Senate ever elected the Vice President. In the chaotic election of 1824, the electors were very divided over the Presidency, but well over 2/3 of them voted for John Calhoun for Vice President.
Johnson served as Vice President from March 4, 1837, to March 4, 1841. In 1840, the Democratic Party convention voted not to renominate him, instead choosing to make no nomination. Van Buren was renominated, and the Democrats lost the election.

Grave and legacy

Johnson died in 1850 at the age of 70. He is interred in the Frankfort Cemetery, in Frankfort, Kentucky.
There are counties named for Johnson in Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri, and Nebraska. The Illinois county was named for Johnson in 1812, even before his wartime exploits.

References

External links

★ Find-A-Grave profile for Richard Mentor Johnson

★ "Eccentricity at the Top" - Article about Richard M. Johnson

★ Julia Chinn