First Ladies of the United States: Eliza Johnson

Elizabeth McCardle was born on October 4, 1810, in Greeneville, Tennessee, the only child of John and Sara Phillips McCardle. Her father, a shoemaker by trade, died in 1826, leaving Eliza and her mother to support themselves by sewing quilts. Home-schooled by her mother, she was a voracious reader and may have received some formal education at Rhea Academy.

Andrew Johnson was serving as a tailor's apprentice in North Carolina, but fled to Tennessee on foot to avoid completing his apprenticeship. He set up a tailor's shop in Greeneville, and a year after the two met, Eliza and Andrew were married on May 17, 1827. As he established his tailoring business, she reportedly taught him to write and read. He was anxious to improve himself, and she read to him as he worked, encouraged him to join the debating society to learn public speaking, and supported his quest for his first political position as local alderman.

Between 1828 and 1852, Eliza Johnson had five children; all survived to adulthood. Andrew Johnson was first elected to the state legislature in 1835 and to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1842. She did not join him in Washington, nor did she move to Nashville upon his election as governor of Tennessee in 1853. In 1857, Johnson was elected to the U.S. Senate, and Eliza joined him briefly in Washington 1861, but she returned to Greeneville as the Civil War began. Tuberculosis weakened Eliza Johnson's health, and alcoholism in her two oldest sons distracted her attention. Andrew Johnson's public position against secession had resulted in threats against his life and endangered the family. President Lincoln appointed Johnson military governor of Tennessee, making him responsible for the territory held by Union forces. The Johnsons’ Greeneville home was confiscated by Confederate forces; his papers were scattered and his assets frozen. Eliza Johnson was ordered to leave the area, but she requested and received a reprieve until her health improved enough to allow her to travel. She made her way to Nashville accompanied by family, but they were regarded as the enemy and harassed by Confederate forces such that they had difficulty finding accommodations.

On March 4, 1865, Andrew Johnson was rewarded by his loyalty to the Union and sworn in as Abraham Lincoln's vice president. The assassination of President Lincoln a month later elevated Johnson to the presidency. Eliza Johnson had no desire to serve as First Lady. Perhaps because of the difficulties suffered by Mary Todd Lincoln at the hands of the public and press, but more likely because of her own private nature and fragile health, she shunned any public role as first lady and appointed her daughter, Martha Johnson Patterson, to serve in her place. Like other wives before her, she created a private space for herself on the second floor of the White House and occupied herself with her family rather than the affairs of the country.

Johnson's presidency was beset with problems. Although Republicans controlled the Congress, they doubted Johnson's allegiance to the Union based on his decisions to pardon Confederates and move toward Reconstruction. The standoff between the executive and legislative branches over issues related to civil rights of freed slaves and reconstruction of southern states led to an effort to impeach President Johnson and remove him from office. Johnson retained office by a single Senate vote and completed his term. In March 1869, the family turned the White House over to Julia and Ulysses S. Grant and returned to Greeneville. Andrew Johnson ultimately returned to politics, being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1875. However, while visiting his wife and daughter in Tennessee, he suffered a stroke and died on July 31, 1875. Eliza was too infirm to attend his funeral. She died six months later on January 15, 1876.