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News Updates
Heritage Trust Hears Speech By 'President Johnson'
Daniel Luther - Portrayed Andrew Johnson
Source: The Greeneville Sun
by Tom Yancey
Date: 2007-11-30
Andrew Johnson, the nation's 17th president, spoke Thursday at the 35th annual Greene County Heritage Trust Early American Christmas Dinnner. He received a rousing reception.
Johnson was portrayed by Daniel Luther, a park guide at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site. Luther's remarks were actually "a compilation" of Johnson's own words, he said afterward.
Many observers said Luther looked and sounded surprisingly like the 17th president, who was noted for his oratorical ability.
Sam Miller, the Heritage Trust's president, was host for the evening at the General Morgan Inn.
He presented the Heritage Trust officers for 2008. They are: Tim Massey, president; Bill Hickerson, vice president; Madge Walker, recording secretary; Robert L. Smith, treasurer; Marie Harmon, historian; the Rev. Don Alexander, chaplain; and Mrs. Walter Heilman Jr., parliamentarian.
After Luther's 20-minute talk, Robert Bailey, a longtime Heritage Trust board member and former president, declared, "In all the years I have been attending Heritage Trust dinners, I believe this is the finest program we've ever had."
The 226 people in the audience, who had just given Luther a standing ovation, applauded Bailey's statement.
Heritage Trust Awards
Bailey presented a number of Heritage Trust awards. The first was to present a special President's Award to Sam Miller, who has served as president for the past three years.
"He has done his job with dignity and zeal, and has produced a continuing record of service for all who will follow to emulate," Bailey said.
A "Special Award of Recognition" went to Morgan Square Development Group, and was presented to Scott Niswonger, the Greeneville business leader and philantropist, who earlier this fall announced a $27 million, phased redevelopment project for the downtown area.
Bailey noted that "a careful scrutiny of the revitalization plans with detailed renderings, called 'Rediscover Greeneville,' makes clear their efforts not only can inject economic progress to downtown Greeneville, but they have been very careful to retain the historic significance of the entire area, retaining the old and historic, where possible, and adding new but historically accurate additions."
Bailey continued, "Even though this project is in its infancy, the Trust feels the magnitude and impact of this project should be recognized early, to evidence our appreciation for the time-consuming and expensive investment these men are making toward helping to make our historic downtown area alive and vibrant."
The elaborate program for the evening featured a 1930s photo of the First National Bank building on Main Street, and the Greene County Courthouse next door, and a narrative about the bank's history.
Part of the "Rediscover Greeneville" project calls for this building and one next to it to be replaced with a large office building . A rendering presented this summer shows the new building as incorporating many of the bank building's architectural features.
State Rep. David Hawk, R-5th, of Greeneville, was presented a Special Award of Merit for being "the primary sponsor of recent legislation declaring the 8th day of August as Emancipation Day in Tennessee, making it a state holiday."
Aug. 8 was for many years celebrated as Emancipation Day in Greeneville, and throughout East Tennessee, and Hawk's legislation formalized a resurgence in that observance in recent years.
Bailey said, "Rarely has there been an effort of this magnitude in recent memory of historic significance." On Aug. 8, 1863, "before President Lincoln issued his Emancipation Proclamation, that Andrew Johnson ... Greeneville's own First Citizen, freed his personal slaves," Bailey noted.
Recognition also went Thursday evening to the African-American History Roundtable, a year-old group working to preserve local African-American history, and was accepted by Alice Loftin, the group's chairman.
Bailey noted that this group had also "spearheaded efforts to reclaim a local cemetery," the Wesley Cemetery.
A separate award was given jointly to two groups that have worked hard to restore cemeteries.
"One group has organized into a tax-exempt organization and have worked masterfully to bring about reclamation of an historic cemetery here in Greeneville --the Wesley Cemetery Association, Bailey said.
"Another group is Hardin Chapel Ruritan Club, whose members have taken on the reclamation of two cemeteries in the county: Anderson Cemetery and Malone Cemetery."
Bill Edmonds accepted the award for the Wesley Cemetery Association, and Danny Shelton accepted for Hardins Chapel Ruritan.
"Each group, through great volunteer effort and united determination, have brought about the preservation of vital history which soon would have been lost without their contributions."
The Heritage Trust recognized a member, Peggy (Mrs. Richard) Moore, with an Award of Merit for her work in preparing the group's annual "Christmas In Olde Greeneville" calendar, over the past 12 years.
A Special Award of Merit was presented Nancy McNeese Monger, "a person who has been a very instrumental part of progress in downtown Greeneville." He added, "When you say 'preservation,' she will be in the front of the line."
Monger was director of Main Street: Greeneville until this fall, Bailey noted. "While she has recently resigned her position as director, we feel it is very appropriate that special recognition be given for such outstanding work," noting that "she has gone more than the extra mile."
Lizzie Watts, superintendent of the Andrew Johnson Historic Site, introduced Luther.
Watts noted that the year-long, 200th anniversary celebration of Johnson's birth begins Dec. 29 with cake to be served at the Nathanael Greene Museum. She noted that a list of planned celebrations through the year can be found on The Greeneville Sun's Web site, www.greenevillesun.com.
Watts, who is relatively new in her position here, said that most people in the room probably know more about Johnson than she does, "but I'm learning."
And she added, "The more I'm learning, the more I believe it would have been an honor to know him personally."
Watts said Johnson was thrust into the presidency "in a time that was horrible" for the country, and did much to restore respect for the Constitution.
Johnson, who had no formal education himself, believed in education, in hard work, and the Constitution, "and most everybody I've met" since moving to Greeneville "believes in those ethics themselves."
Since "his legacy is our legacy," Watts said Greene Countians need to "educate ourselves about the county we all live in, and about Andrew Johnson.
Luther said he spent the last year researching and writing his monologue, "Tailor from Tennessee," compiled from Johnson's speeches and letters.
Among the primary sources for the Christmas section presented Thursday evening were Johnson's January 1864 speech on "Restoration of Tennessee State Government," his comments upon taking the presidential oath of office, April 15,1865, and an interview with a Cincinnati Observer reporter during Johnson's 1868 impeachment proceedings.
Lutcher said the one-man-show was inspired by his four years as a MainStreet Downtown Historical Tour guide -- a partnership between Main Street; Greeneville and the NPS, his love of history and his enjoyment portraying historical personalities.
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