University of Virginia Library

Joseph Johnson, Governor,

Jan. 1, 1852-Jan. 1, 1856.

Joseph Johnson, the second son of Joseph and Abigail
Johnson, was born in Orange County, New York, December 10,
1785. When he was but a lad, his parents removed to Harrison
County, Virginia, which was his home for over seventy years.
He was captain in the War of 1812. He was elected to the
House of Delegates in 1815 and remained a member by successive
elections till 1822. He defeated the eloquent and able
Philip Doddridge for Congress in 1823 and was reelected in
1825. After his term was out, he retired to private life but
on the death of Philip Doddridge November 19, 1832, he was
elected to fill the vacancy caused by it. After another interval,
Mr. Johnson was elected to Congress in 1835 and served as a
Democrat continuously till 1841, when he declined reelection
and supported Samuel L. Hays, who, however, was defeated
by the Whig candidate, George W. Summers. In 1845 Mr.
Johnson was again elected to Congress, this time over Col.

George D. Camden. This was the seventh time he had been
elected to Congress. After his term was out he declined
reelection but his constituents then elected him to the House
of Delegates, in which he served in the session of 1847-48.
He was a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1850-51,
and was chairman of the Committee on Suffrage. In the
autumn after the convention he was elected Governor over
the Whig candidate, George W. Summers, under the provisions
of the new constitution, he being the first Governor to be
elected by the popular vote, and the first and only Governor
from the section now comprised in West Virginia. After his
term was out, he retired to his farm in Harrison County, and
held no other offices. When the war broke out he advised his
people to side with the South. During the war he took refuge
with the Confederates, but after it, returned to his home, where
he died February 27, 1877.

In his messages Governor Johnson dwelt at much length
on the improvements in which the West was especially interested.
From 1850 to 1854 more turnpikes and railroad companies
were incorporated with the privilege of constructing
works of internal improvement in the West than in all the
years preceding. Very liberal appropriations were made to
the Western Turnpike Company, and this caused an acquiessence
by the Westerners in the appropriations made to the
various railroad companies operating east of the mountains.
Governor Johnson was able to say in his message in 1855 that
"the northwestern portion of the State wanted little and
asked less."[111] As a result of the adoption of the constitution
sectional controversy almost passed away. There was a considerable
increase of the public debt, which on January 1,
1852, amounted to $11,971,838. In 1861 the debt had reached
the figure of $31,187,999.32.

An occasion of great interest, from a literary point of view,
was the visit to the State of the distinguished writer, William
Makepeace Thackeray. He delivered three lectures in Richmond

which made a great impression. After a short time he
returned and delivered three more.