# Richard Mentor Johnson > vice president of the United States from 1837 to 1841 **Wikidata**: [Q109463](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q109463) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Mentor_Johnson) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/richard-mentor-johnson ## Summary Richard Mentor Johnson was born on October 17, 1780, in Louisville[1][2][3][4], and died of a stroke on November 19, 1850, in Frankfort[1][2][3][4]. He was a citizen of the United States and was buried at Frankfort Cemetery. He was the son of Robert Johnson[5] and Jemima Suggett[5].He was educated at Transylvania University and worked as a politician and lawyer[6]. A member of the Baptists, he held several prominent political offices. He served as a United States senator from 1819 to 1821 and again from 1821 to 1823[7]. He later became a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1833 to 1837[7] and served as Vice President of the United States from 1837 to 1841[7]. ## Summary Richard Mentor Johnson was the ninth Vice President of the United States, serving from 1837 to 1841 under President Martin Van Buren. He was a Kentucky politician, lawyer, and military leader who gained fame for his role as a cavalry commander during the War of 1812, particularly at the Battle of the Thames. Johnson was the only Vice President to come from Kentucky and one of the few to have served in combat during a war while in office. ## Biography - **Born**: October 17, 1780, in what is now Louisville, Kentucky - **Died**: November 19, 1850, in Frankfort, Kentucky - **Nationality**: United States - **Education**: Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky (graduated) - **Known for**: Serving as the 9th Vice President of the United States (1837–1841); commanding cavalry at the Battle of the Thames during the War of 1812; being the only Vice President from Kentucky - **Employer(s)**: United States Government (as Vice President and Senator); Kentucky state government - **Field(s)**: Politics, Law, Military ## Contributions Richard Mentor Johnson's career spanned multiple domains with distinct contributions: **Political Career:** - Served as Vice President of the United States from March 4, 1837, to March 4, 1841, under President Martin Van Buren - Served as a United States Senator from Kentucky (1819–1829) - Served as a Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives (1807–1819) - Ran unsuccessfully for Vice President in 1836 as the Democratic-Republican candidate alongside Martin Van Buren **Military Service:** - Served as a cavalry commander during the War of 1812 - Distinguished himself at the Battle of the Thames in 1813, a decisive American victory that effectively ended British-Indian resistance in the Northwest Territory - Led mounted troops in multiple engagements against British and Native American forces **Legal Career:** - Practiced law in Kentucky following his education at Transylvania University - Served as a U.S. Senator representing Kentucky **Legacy in Geographic Naming:** - Multiple Johnson Counties were named in his honor across the United States, including counties in Iowa (established December 21, 1837), Kentucky (February 24, 1843), Nebraska (1855), Illinois (1812), and Missouri (1834) ## FAQs **What was Richard Mentor Johnson's role in the War of 1812?** Johnson served as a cavalry commander during the War of 1812 and particularly distinguished himself at the Battle of the Thames in 1813, where American forces defeated British and Native American allies, effectively ending the war in the Northwest. **How long did Richard Mentor Johnson serve as Vice President?** Johnson served as the 9th Vice President of the United States from March 4, 1837, to March 4, 1841, a four-year term during the administration of President Martin Van Buren. **Where was Richard Mentor Johnson educated?** Johnson received his education at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, one of the oldest universities west of the Appalachian Mountains, founded in 1780. **What states have counties named after Richard Mentor Johnson?** Five Johnson Counties were named in his honor: Johnson County, Iowa (December 21, 1837); Johnson County, Kentucky (February 24, 1843); Johnson County, Nebraska (1855); Johnson County, Illinois (1812); and Johnson County, Missouri (1834). **What was Richard Mentor Johnson's political party?** Johnson was affiliated with the Democratic-Republican Party during his early career and later became associated with the Democratic Party. ## Why They Matter Richard Mentor Johnson holds a unique place in American political history for several reasons. As the ninth Vice President, he represented Kentucky in the highest echelons of federal leadership during a critical period of American expansion. His military service at the Battle of the Thames was particularly significant, as this victory effectively broke the power of British-allied Native American forces in the Great Lakes region, opening the Northwest Territory for American settlement. Johnson's political career spanned the transition from the First Party System to the Second Party System, and his vice presidency occurred during the economic Panic of 1837, one of the worst depressions in American history to that point. His relationship with an enslaved woman named Julia Chinn, whom he married and acknowledged as his wife despite Kentucky's laws prohibiting interracial marriage, was unusual for the period and demonstrated a degree of social progressiveness that drew both support and criticism. The naming of five Johnson Counties across the Midwest speaks to his lasting geographic legacy—these counties in Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, Illinois, and Missouri continue to bear his name more than 180 years after his death. Without his military leadership in the War of 1812 and his subsequent political career, the political landscape of Kentucky and the broader United States during the Jacksonian era would have been notably different. ## Notable For - Only Vice President to have served in active combat during a war while in office - Only Vice President from Kentucky in U.S. history - Commanded cavalry at the Battle of the Thames (1813), a decisive War of 1812 victory - Served as U.S. Senator from Kentucky (1819–1829) - Served as U.S. Representative from Kentucky (1807–1819) - Five U.S. counties named in his honor across the Midwest - Graduated from Transylvania University, one of America's oldest institutions west of the Appalachians ## Body ### Early Life and Education Richard Mentor Johnson was born on October 17, 1780, in present-day Louisville, Kentucky. He was the son of Benjamin Johnson, a prominent Kentucky jurist, and was raised in the frontier territory that would become the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Johnson received his formal education at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, an institution founded in 1780 that would produce numerous notable American politicians and intellectuals during the early republic. This educational background provided him with the classical training typical of the era's political leaders and prepared him for careers in both law and politics. ### Military Career Johnson's military service constituted one of the most notable aspects of his career. During the War of 1812, he raised and commanded a regiment of Kentucky mounted riflemen, a unit that became renowned for its effectiveness in frontier warfare. His most significant military engagement came at the Battle of the Thames on October 5, 1813, in Upper Canada. Johnson's cavalry played a decisive role in the American victory, which effectively ended British-Indian resistance in the Northwest Territory and secured the western frontier for American expansion. The battle resulted in the death of the famous Shawnee chief Tecumseh, who had been leading the Native American confederacy allied with the British. Johnson's leadership in this engagement earned him widespread recognition and cemented his reputation as a war hero. ### Political Career Following his military service, Johnson embarked on a lengthy political career that would span several decades. He served as a Representative in the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky from 1807 to 1819, representing his home state during a formative period of American governance. After his tenure in the House, he was elected to the U.S. Senate, serving from 1819 to 1829. His Senate career coincided with the Era of Good Feelings and the emergence of the second party system. Johnson's most prominent political achievement came in 1836 when he was selected as Martin Van Buren's running mate on the Democratic-Republican (later Democratic) ticket. He was elected Vice President and served from March 4, 1837, to March 4, 1841. His vice presidency was marked by the Panic of 1837, one of the worst economic depressions in American history to that point, which dominated the political discourse of his term. ### Personal Life and Legacy Johnson married Julia Chinn, an enslaved woman, in what was considered a controversial but legally binding marriage for the period. The couple had two daughters, and Johnson's public acknowledgment of this relationship was unusual for the time, particularly in Kentucky. This aspect of his personal life has been noted by historians as demonstrating a degree of social progressiveness uncommon among Southern politicians of his era. Johnson died on November 19, 1850, in Frankfort, Kentucky. His legacy persists not only in the political history of the United States but also in the geographic naming of five Johnson Counties across the Midwest—Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, Illinois, and Missouri—each established during the period of westward expansion that Johnson helped shape through his military and political service. ## References 1. Czech National Authority Database 2. Genealogics 3. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress 4. [A New Nation Votes: American Electoral Returns, 1788-1825](https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/JR0007) 5. National Register of Historic Places 6. Encyclopædia Britannica Online 7. SNAC 8. Find a Grave 9. GeneaStar 10. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013 11. [Source](https://elections.lib.tufts.edu/catalog/JR0007) 12. CERL Thesaurus 13. [Source](https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/interactive/2022/congress-slaveowners-names-list/) 14. Virtual International Authority File