George W. Johnson
In
today's political arena where honesty and morals are often viewed as archaic
it
is indeed rare to view a politician who had the moral fiber to stand up and be
willing
to give his life for beliefs he held. One such person was George W.
Johnson.
Mr. Johnson has been ignored by history when in fact he should be held
up
as an example for all. He truly believed in a cause and made the ultimate
sacrifice
for this. George W. Johnson was the only Civil War governor to die of
wounds
he received in battle. You may say that he lived in a different time and
their
beliefs are as dated as those that lived in that peroid. I would say that
morals
and character should know no time peroid and in our uncertain times are
more
important than ever.
George
W. Johnson's family was among the early settlers of Kentucky and was very
influential
in this state. His grandfather, Robert Johnson, served in the
Revolutionary
War and was in fact a Colonel in that great conflict that won our
freedom
from English rule. Those that served in this great conflict were viewed
as
traitors by the British goverment but, are viewed as heros today in our
country.
George
W. Johnson was born on May 27, 1811 in Georgetown, Kentucky. Mr. Johnson
attended
Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky in the early 1830's and
graudated
from there with 3 degrees including one in law.
Mr.
Johnson opened a law office but soon found he was more interested in
agriculture
than law. He closed his law office and began farming on 300 acres of
land
outside of Georgetown. He also operated a 1,000 acre farm in Arkansas where
he
resided in the winter months.
Another
area in which Mr. Johnson was interested was politics. He was known in
Kentucky
as a fair and honest politican. It was with his help that Kentucky
became
a Democratic stronghold. He continued to build a strong political
following
and was offered nominations for both the lieutenant governship and a
bid
for the U. S. Congress. He declined both to remain in "private life".
However,
he was elected to the Legislature in 1838 representing Scott County. He
made
the race for Presidential Elector in 1852 and 1860. He declined repeatedly
to
be a candidate for Congress and acquired great political power in his party.
At
the very outbreak of the civil war he cast his lot with the South, and used
every
exertion to induce Kentucky to follow the seceded States. He was largely
instrumental
in organizing a provisional government for the State. On November
18,
1861 the convention assembled at Russellville for that purpose, and he saw
his
desires carried into effect. A constitution for the State was adopted, under
which
Kentucky was admitted under the Confederacy, and he was chosen Provisional
Governor.
After
the Confederacy was compelled to move from the southern part of the state
he
accompanied the army. He took the oath of a private, and enlisted in Company
E,
Fourth Kentucky Infantry. He was wounded at the Battle of Shiloh on April 8,
1862
and died of his wounds the next day. I wonder what thoughts were on his
mind
as he reached the decision to enlist. I am sure his family weighed heavily
on
his mind as he came to the conclusion that the needs of the many outweighed
the
needs of the one. Those who knew him remembered him as a brave, generous and
noble
hearted man. He left a wife and seven children to mourn him.
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