Ross, Randall (Rev.) - 1865

The Home Of President Johnson.

Rev. Randall Ross, chaplain of the 15th Ohio regiment, writes an interesting letter to the United Presbyterian, descriptive of Greenville, East Tennessee, the home of President Johnson.  The place contains only about one thousand inhabitants, and consists of four squares, with streets running through at right angles.  The writer mentions the principle buildings-- churches, taverns, the “old mill”, etc., and also notes the spot in the garden of Mrs. Williams, where John Morgan was shot and mortally wounded by a Union soldier.  He was shot while crouching under a grapevine, and the vine has since been cut away by soldiers who have taken the “cuttings” to plant.  Mr. Ross then continues:

But Greenville is especially noted and honored as being the home of Andrew Johnson, present President of the United States.  This renders this village interesting to all, and everything connected with Andrew Johnson’s residence in it is of the deepest interest to the American people.

Many years ago, on a certain evening, a rude, black-headed, black eyed, good looking boy, said my informant, drove into town with a poor old horse in a little one horse vehicle, in which he had his mother and a few household things.  They succeeded in securing an <sic> humble habitation by rent.  This secured, the next object was to secure labor by which to live.  He began to inquire for tailoring to do.  His youthful appearance made it seem to be somewhat of a risk to put cloth into his hands.  His honest appearance, together with his anxiety to obtain work, however, induced an influential citizen to give him a coat to make for himself, with the advice to do his best on it, and if he made a good job of it he then would have no difficulty in getting work.  He did his best, he succeeded with the job, and he began immediately to gain the confidence of the public and to get plenty to do.

This was the first appearance of Andrew Johnson in Greenville, Tennessee, and this was the first job of work he did on his own responsibility.  The first house he lived in I am told is now not standing.  He was industrious and attentive to business, and he succeeded well.  In process of time he was married.  The marriage ceremony was performed by Mordecai Lincoln, Esq., said to be a distant relative of the late President Lincoln.

The house in which he was married has been removed.  At this time my informant told me Andrew Johnson could not read, and was taught to read by his wife after their marriage.-- Things prospered with him, and in due time he became able to own his own house and lot.

Just down there at the base of the hill stands a small brick building, with a back porch, and around it the necessary fixtures.  It stands on the corner of the square, near where the mill race passes under the street on its way down to the little mill.

That is the first house ever Andrew Johnson owned.  It now belongs to another person.  But down there about due West from where I sit, and almost directly opposite the mill, whose large wheel is still moving, but whose motion is scarcely perceptible, you will see a rather humble, old fashioned looking, two-story, brick house, standing near the South end of Main street.  It has but one entrance from the street.  In front of it stand three or four small shade trees.  The fences of the lot and windows of the house show evident signs of dilapidation, the consequence of rebellion.  Like many other windows in the South, a number of panes of glass are broken out and their places supplied with paper.  Glass could not be obtained in the Confederacy.

As you pass along the pavement on Main street, by looking into the lot you see several young apple trees, and in the spaces between two of them are potatoes growing.  In the rear of the kitchen stands a small aspen shade tree ,and down there in the lower end of the lot is a grapevine, trained upon a trellis, forming a pleasant bower.

Scattered over the lot are a number of rose, currant, and gooseberry bushes.  At the lower end of the lot and just outside, stand two large weeping willows, and under their shade is a very beautiful spring.  This is the residence of Andrew Johnson, President of the United States.  Up the street stands his former tailor shop, with the old sign still on it.  And in an old store room up street is the remains of his library.  At present it consists principally of law books and public documents, most of his most valuable books having been destroyed by the rebel soldiery.
~ Abbeville Bulletin, 17-Aug-1865, Page 1, Column 4