Eliza McCardle Johnson; 1865-1869

Born: 1810
Died: 1876

It was in the mountains of east Tennessee in the town of Greeneville that Eliza McCardle and Andrew Johnson met, married and made their home. Eliza was a cobbler's daughter who attended school until her father's death forced her to go to work. Andrew had left his poor North Carolina home to become a tailor's apprentice. They married while both were in their teens and eventually raised five children. Eliza taught Andrew to write and give speeches, and managed the family finances.

When Andrew was elected to Congress in 1842 Eliza stayed home to educate their children. During the Civil War, she was forced from her home by a Confederate general while Andrew was serving as Lincoln's military governor in Nashville. The travails of the war years took their toll. By the time she became First Lady following Lincoln's assassination, Eliza was ill with tuberculosis and fearful for her husband's safety. She let her daughters serve as White House hostesses while she kept to her private quarters and monitored the President's days. She kept a scrapbook of newspaper articles for him to read and offered advice on matters ranging from Reconstruction policy to cabinet appointments. Throughout Andrew's impeachment trial Eliza remained steadfast in her belief that justice would prevail and he would not be thrown from office. She was right, but only by one vote.

Seventeenth President
Andrew Johnson