Richard Mentor Johnson

Date of Birth: October 17, 1780

Place of Birth: Beargrass, Virginia (now Louisville, Kentucky), U.S.

Date of Death: November 19, 1850

Place of Death: Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, small amount of Scottish, distant French

Richard Mentor Johnson was an American politician. He served as Vice President of the United States, from March 4, 1837 to March 4, 1841. He was elected to the position in 1836. He was a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky, from March 4, 1807 to March 3, 1819, and again, from March 4, 1829 to March 3, 1837; and a U.S. Senator from Kentucky, from December 10, 1819 to March 3, 1829. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican Party until 1828, and a member of the Democratic Party subsequently.

He was an unofficial candidate for the Democratic-Republican Party for re-election as Vice President of the United States in 1840. The party had no official Vice Presidential nominee.

Vice President Johnson was the son of Jemima (Suggett) and Robert M. Johnson. He was in a common-law marriage with plantation manager Julia Chinn, with whom he had two children. Julia was born into slavery, and had been owned by Vice President Johnson and his mother. She was said to have been of one eighth African ancestry.

Vice President Johnson’s paternal grandfather was William Johnson (the son of Capt. William Johnston and Anna Chew). Vice President Johnson’s grandfather William was born in Virginia. Vice President Johnson’s great-grandfather William was born in Annandale, Dumfrieshire, Scotland. Anna was the daughter of Larkin Chew and Hannah Roy.

Vice President Johnson’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth Cave (the daughter of Capt. Benjamin Cave and Hannah Bledsoe). Elizabeth was born in Virginia. Benjamin was born in Windsor, Berkshire, England, the son of David Cave and Sarah Moore. Hannah was the daughter of Capt. William Henry/E. Bledsoe, whose father was born in Barton Seagrave, Kettering, Northamptonshire, England; and of Anne/Anna Golsen.

Vice President Johnson’s maternal grandfather was James Suggett (the son of James Suggett and Mary Frances Bayless). Vice President Johnson’s grandfather James was born in Virginia. Vice President Johnson’s great-grandfather James was the son of John Robert Suggett, whose father was English, and of Sarah Travers Edgecomb, whose parents were also English. Mary was the daughter of Thomas Bayliss and Catherine Samford.

Vice President Johnson’s maternal grandmother was Jemima Spence (the daughter of Patrick Spence and Jemima Pope). Vice President Johnson’s grandmother Jemima was born in Virginia. Patrick was the son of Patrick Spence, whose father of Scottish descent; and of Penelope Ann Youell. Vice President Johnson’s great-grandmother Jemima was the daughter of Lawrence Pope, whose father was born in Somerset, England; and of Jemima Waddy.

Sources: Genealogies of Richard Mentor Johnson – https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com