Governor Joseph Johnson.
Joseph Johnson was born in Orange County, New York, December 19, 1785, and came with his mother, a widow to near Bridgeport about 1803, where he lived until his death February 27, 1877.
He was self educated and was always an eager participant in the debating societies in his neighborhood. In 1811 he was appointed a constable, his first appearance in public life. He was captain of a Company of Riflemen from Harrison County in the war of 1812 with England and marched it to Norfolk.
He was elected to the Legislature in 1818. In 1823 he was elected to the 18th. Congress, also to the 19th. to the vacancy in the 22nd. occasioned by the death of Philip Doddridge, serving from January 21 to March 2, 1833 and to the 24th, 25th, 26th and 29th, Congress retiring in 1847. He was again elected to the Legislature in 1847 and in 1850 he was chosen a member of the Constitutional Convention.
While serving in that body he was elected Governor for a short term by the Legislature and upon the adoption of the new constitution by which that office was made elective by the people he was elected Governor for four years defeating George W. Summers.
Previous to this time the Governor had always been chosen by the legislature and thus it came to pass the Mr. Johnson was the first Governor of Virginia chosen by the sufferage of the people, and the only one who ever held the office who lived west of the Allegheny mountains.
In the war of 1861 Governor Johnson's sympathies were with the South and during that period he left Bridgeport and lived quietly inside of the Confederate lines in Virginia and returned to his home in 1865 after the cessation of hostilities.
Governor Johnson was a medium sized man of agreeable manners, a persuasive stump speaker and of great political popularity among the people.
When he was a candidate for Governor he was opposed by George W. Summers of Kanawha County who was a finished orator and the idol of the whigs in Western Virginia.
There were no joint debates during the campaign and Johnson's political opponents charged that he would not dare meet Summers on the stump to discuss the issues of the campaign.
To this Johnson replied "I do not shrink from meeting Mr. Summers for have I not met the lion of the forest and shaken the dew drops from his mane." This illusion is to Philip Doddridge, who was perhaps the ablest man in the West and had a reputation as a scholar, lawyer and orator exceeded by none.
Governor Johnson was a good conversationalist and having met all the prominent men of his time his recollection of passed events was exceedingly interesting.
He had the respect and admiration of the people of his county and his private life was without reproach.
