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News Updates
Traditional Birthday Wreath Laid At Johnson's Grave
Members of the 278th Armored Calvary Regiment of the Tennessee Army National Guard salute Saturday afternoon immediately following the laying of the traditional presidential wreath at Andrew Johnson’s grave on the anniversary of Johnson’s birthday. Standing, from left, are: Col. Dennis Adams, Brig. Gen. Isaac Osborne (partially hidden), Lt. Col. Charles Tipton, and Maj. James Blevins. Sun photo by Jim Feltman.
Source: The Greeneville Sun
by Amy Rose
Date: 2007-12-31
President Andrew Johnson's birth was observed Saturday afternoon with the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at his grave in the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery, and with tributes to his life and presidential stewardship.
"It was the biggest wreath-laying presentation we've ever had," Jim Small, chief of operations of the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, said of the annual event.
The wreath-laying was followed by a well attended "199th Birthday Party" at the Nathanael Greene Museum which formally launched a year-long Bicentennial Celebration of Johnson's birth on Dec. 29, 1808.
Came Here In 1826
Small estimated that 100 attendees watched as the wreath of red, white and blue flowers was laid by Brig. Gen. Isaac Osborne, of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Tennessee Army National Guard.
"Andrew Johnson was a man of great courage and remained steadfast in his beliefs, regardless of what it cost him," Brig. Gen. Osborne said during the ceremony.
Osborne recounted Johnson's life, beginning with the death of his father when Johnson was very young.
Johnson never attended school, Osborne said, but he received a lot of informal education, or what people today would call the "school of hard knocks."
After working as a tailor's apprentice in North Carolina, Johnson came to Greeneville in 1826 and opened his own tailor shop.
Customers would read books to Johnson while he worked, and his wife, Eliza McCardle Johnson, enhanced his reading skills and taught him arithmetic, Osborne said.
His tailor shop became a center of political discussions and debate, which Osborne likened to the old coffee shop in the historic Brumley Hotel that is now the General Morgan Inn.
'Turbulent Presidency'
The environment of political discussions and debate in Johnson's tailor shop and the speaking experience he gained from it led Johnson to a career in politics, Osborne said.
By 1829, Johnson was elected alderman of Greeneville, followed by mayor of Greeneville, Tennessee State Representative, Tennessee State Senator, U.S. Representative, Tennessee Governor, U.S. Senator and Vice President of the United States.
In 1862, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Johnson military governor of Tennessee. He was elected Vice President of the United States two years later.
Following Lincoln's assassination in 1865, Johnson -- a man with no formal education -- suddenly found himself President of the United States, Osborne said.
His presidency came during the aftermath of the Civil War and included the pardoning of slaves, numerous instances of defending the U.S. Constitution against what he considered unconstitutional congressional legislation, and an impeachment trial that resulted in acquittal.
"To say that Andrew Johnson's presidency was a turbulent one would be a huge understatement," Osborne said.
Also during Johnson's presidency, the general noted, Nebraska was added to the union, and Alaska was purchased from Russia.
Andrew Johnson died in 1875 after suffering a stroke at the home of his daughter near Elizabethton, Osborne said.
Local Veterans Participate
In addition to Osborne, participating members of the 278th ACR, who were acting on behalf of President George W. Bush, included Lt. Col. Charles Tipton, a Greene County native; Col. Dennis Adams, and Maj. James Blevins.
Prayer was led by 2nd Lt. Aaron Lougheed, and 1st Sgt. Roger Good, commander of troops, led the 21-gun salute.
The firing detail and color guard were presented by members of Post 1990, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion Post 64, and the Army National Guard.
As "Taps" was played to end the ceremony, several crowd members began to cry.
Throughout the ceremony, several attendees chose to photograph or video the ceremony.
Many removed their hats, and some saluted as they faced the area where the wreath was laid.
'History In The Making'
Among the veterans in the crowd was Arthur Ricker, of Tusculum, a U.S. Army veteran of World War II, and his daughter, Connie Ricker Smith.
Smith said she and her husband, Jerry Smith, came from Loganville, Ga., to spend the Christmas holidays in Greeneville.
The wreath-laying to kick off the bicentennial celebration, she said, was "a once-in-a-lifetime" event.
"This is history in the making, Smith said, and "an exciting day to be here."
Her father said he wanted to attend the event to be patriotic. He recalled that it was 63 years ago this month that he helped fight the Battle of the Bulge with the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry "Ivy" Division.
Ricker was 18 years old when he volunteered for the U.S. Army in September 1940, a time when volunteers under age 21 were required to have their parents' signatures.
His daughter, who left Greeneville seven years ago, said she is honored to tell people in Georgia that she is from Greene County, Tennessee, the home of the 17th President of the United States.
She said the history of Andrew Johnson's life should be taught more in schools.
Also among the crowd were state Reps. David Hawk, R-5th, of Greeneville, and Eddie Yokley, D-11th, of Greene County.
A Year of Events
Bicentennial Celebration plans call for the year-long celebration to culminate in the traditional wreath-laying on Dec. 29, 2008.
Until then, numerous community events to celebrate the bicentennial through musical, visual, and dramatic arts plus lectures and debates have been scheduled by the Andrew Johnson Bicentennial Steering Committee.
In January, February, March and November, noted historians will recount the life and times of Andrew Johnson during guest speaker forums.
The first forum, "Partisan Politics in East Tennessee on the Eve of the Civil War," will be presented by Dr. Michael Toomey at 7 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Chalmers Conference Center at Tusculum College.
Toomey is managing editor of The Journal of East Tennessee History, and an Adjunct Professor of History at Lincoln Memorial University.
In April, May, June and July, Civil War reenactors will demonstrate living history on the grounds of the Andrew Johnson Homestead on Main Street.
An Emancipation Day conference will be held April 25-27 in Greeneville and will include an educational workshop to highlight the freeing of African-Americans in Tennessee in 1863.
The vintage Hollywood movie "Tennessee Johnson," starring the late Vann Heflin in the title role, will be presented May 16 at the Capitol Theatre
America's veterans will be honored May 30, 2008, in a Memorial Day Ceremony at the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery.
"Andrew Johnson: Heritage, Legacy and Our Constitution," scheduled for Sept. 17-18, will include an evening of period and patriotic music, a visual presentation of Johnson's life, and family activities to celebrate both the Johnson Bicentennial and the 221st anniversary of the U.S. Constitution.
Also included in the September event will be a symposium featuring Dr. Eric Foner, Dr. Paul Bergeron, Dr. Robert Orr and Dr. Michael Curtis, with a panel discussion moderated by Oliver "Buzz" Thomas.
The focus of the presentations and discussion will be the life and times of Johnson, the role he played in shaping American history, and the effects of the constitutional amendments during Reconstruction.
Also included in the schedule of bicentennial events is the annual Battle of Blue Springs reenactment Oct. 10-12 in Mosheim.
As part of the celebration, children visiting the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site at the corner of College and Depot streets will receive a parchment copy of the U.S. Constitution as long as supplies last.
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