Richard Mentor Johnson

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

9th Vice President of the United States
Richard Mentor Johnson

In office March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841
President	Martin Van Buren
Preceded by	Martin Van Buren
Succeeded by	John Tyler
United States Senator from Kentucky
In office December 10, 1819 – March 3, 1829
Preceded by	John J. Crittenden
Succeeded by	George M. Bibb

Born	October 17, 1780(1780-10-17) Beargrass, Kentucky
Died	November 19, 1850 (aged 70) Frankfort, Kentucky
Political party	Democratic-Republican, Democratic
Religion	Baptist^[1]

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.

1 Early life
2 Military career
3 Elected office
4 Grave and legacy
5 References
6 External links

Richard Mentor Johnson was born to Robert and Jemima (Suggett) Johnson on the then Virginia Frontier at "Beargrass," now in Jefferson County, Kentucky.^[2] 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.^[3]

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."

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.

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.

Portrait of Richard Mentor Johnson

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.

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.

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 by a margin of 33 to 16, with 3 senators absent, 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.

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.

^ (1992) "Johnson, Richard Mentor", in Kleber, John E.: The Kentucky Encyclopedia, Associate editors: Thomas D. Clark, Lowell H. Harrison, and James C. Klotter, Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0813117720.
^ Richard Mentor Johnson, 9th Vice President (1837-1841). United States Senate. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
^ McQueen, Keven (2001). "Richard Mentor Johnson: Vice President", Offbeat Kentuckians: Legends to Lunatics, Ill. by Kyle McQueen, Kuttawa, Kentucky: McClanahan Publishing House. ISBN 0913383805.

Preceded by Thomas Sandford	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 4th congressional district 1807–1813	Succeeded by At-Large districts
Preceded by Single Member districts	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 4th congressional district 1813-1815	Succeeded by Single Member districts
Preceded by At-Large districts	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 3rd congressional district 1815–1819	Succeeded by William Brown
Preceded by John J. Crittenden	United States Senator (Class 2) from Kentucky 1819–1829 Served alongside: William Logan, Isham Talbot, John Rowan	Succeeded by George M. Bibb
Preceded by Robert L. McHatton	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 5th congressional district 1829–1833	Succeeded by Robert P. Letcher
Preceded by (none)	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky's 13th congressional district 1833–1837	Succeeded by William W. Southgate
Preceded by Martin Van Buren	Democratic Party vice presidential candidate 1836⁽¹⁾ (won), 1840⁽²⁾ (lost)	Succeeded by George M. Dallas
Preceded by Martin Van Buren	Vice President of the United States March 4, 1837 – March 4, 1841	Succeeded by John Tyler
Notes & References
1. The Democratic Party vice-presidential nominee split this year between Johnson and William Smith. 2. The Democratic Party vice-presidential nominee split this year between Johnson and Littleton W. Tazewell and James K. Polk.