Andrew Johnson Timeline

1800-1809

December 29, 1808: Andrew Johnson is born in Raleigh, NC

1810-1819

October 10, 1810: Eliza McCardle is born

January 4,1812 :Jacob Johnson, Andrew's father, dies

1818: Andrew Johnson and his brother William are apprenticed to James Selby, a tailor

1820-1829

1824: Andrew Johnson runs away from his apprenticeship and a reward notice is posted for his return; he travels extensively throughout the South honing his trade

September 1826: Andrew Johnson arrives in Greeneville, TN with his mother and step-father

May 17, 1827: Andrew Johnson and Eliza McCardle marry

October 25,1828: Martha Johnson is born

1829: Andrew Johnson is elected alderman of Greeneville

1830-1839

February 19,1830: Charles Johnson is born

July 30,1830: Andrew Johnson purchases the Tailor Shop at public auction

May 8, 1832: Mary Johnson is born

January 4,1834: Andrew Johnson is elected mayor of Greeneville

February 22,1834: Robert Johnson is born

1835: Andrew Johnson becomes a state representative

1837: Andrew Johnson is defeated for re-election

1839: Andrew Johnson becomes a state representative

1840-1849

1841: Andrew Johnson becomes a state senator

November 29,1842: Andrew Johnson purchases a slave named Sam for $541.00

January 2, 1843: Andrew Johnson purchases Sam's half-sister, Dolly, for $500.00

1843: Andrew Johnson is elected from the first congressional district as a United States Representative for the first of five terms

1845: Andrew Johnson is reelected to Congress

1846: Andrew Johnson introduces the Homestead Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives

1847: Andrew Johnson is reelected to Congress

1849: Andrew Johnson is reelected to Congress

1850-1859

1851: Andrew Johnson is reelected to Congress

August 5,1852: Andrew Johnson Jr. (Frank) is born

1853: Andrew Johnson becomes Governor of Tennessee

1855: Andrew Johnson re-elected Governor of Tennessee

1857: Andrew Johnson becomes a U.S. Senator

1857: Andrew Johnson introduces the Homestead Bill in the U.S. Senate

1859: Robert Johnson becomes a member of the TN state legislature

1860-1869

1861: Andrew Johnson remains loyal to the Union at the outbreak of the Civil War and keeps his Senate seat when Tennessee secedes

March 4, 1862: Andrew Johnson is appointed military governor of Tennessee and resigns from the Senate

April 4,1863: Charles Johnson dies from injuries sustained after a fall from a horse. He was serving as an assistant surgeon with the Union army outside of Nashville, TN

August 8, 1863: Andrew Johnson frees his personal slaves; August 8th is still celebrated as a regional holiday

October 22, 1864: Johnson frees all the slaves of Tennessee

November 1864: Andrew Johnson elected Vice-President of the United States

April 14-15,1865: President Lincoln is assasinated and Andrew Johnson is sworn in as the 17th President of the United States

1865: President Johnson appoints provisional governors for seven of the former Confederate states

1865: President Johnson presents his First Annual Message to Congress

December 6, 1865: The 13th amendment abolishing slavery is ratified

July 24, 1866: Tennessee becomes the first Confederate state readmitted to the Union

August 14,1866: President Johnson holds a reception at the White House for Queen Emma of the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii. This was the first time a queen had visited the White House.

August 28 - September 5, 1866: To try to persuade the public to elect a Congress sympathetic with his plan of reconstruction, President Johnson tours the Northeast and Midwest in his "Swing Around the Circle" campaign. The attempt fails.

1867: President Johnson vetoes the Tenure of Office Act and the Military Reconstruction Bills

August 12, 1867: President Johnson suspends Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton

February 21, 1868: President Johnson removes Edwin Stanton as Secretary of War

February 24,1868: President Johnson is impeached by the House of Representatives

March 5, 1868: President Johnson's Impeachment Trial begins in the Senate

May 16 & 26,1868: President Johnson is acquitted by the Senate

July 9, 1868: The 14th amendment, regarding citizenship, is ratified

March 1869: Andrew Johnson and his family return to Greeneville

April 22,1869: Robert Johnson dies

1869: Andrew Johnson's try for another term as United States Senator is defeated.

1870-1879

February 3, 1870: The 15th amendment, regarding voting rights, is ratified

1872: Andrew Johnson runs for the United States House of Representatives but is defeated.

1875: Andrew Johnson is elected to the United States Senate and attends a special session. He remains the only U.S. President to return to the Senate.

July 31,1875: Andrew Johnson dies of a stroke while visiting his daughter Mary in Carter County, TN

August 3, 1875: Andrew Johnson is buried in Greeneville, TN

January 15, 1876: Eliza Johnson dies

Last updated: May 4, 2022

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Mailing Address:

Andrew Johnson National Historic Site
121 Monument Ave.

Greeneville, TN 37743

Phone:

423 638-3551

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