Richard Mentor Johnson Biography

Richard M. Johnson was an American politician who served as the ninth Vice President of United States; he was in the office from 1837 and 1841, in the administration of President Martin Van Buren. Born in Kentucky, Johnson, after finishing his education, was admitted to the bar and afterwards gravitated into politics. Gradually, Johnson rose to prominence in the state politics as a Jeffersonian Republican and was appointed to the Kentucky legislature. Subsequently, he served in the U.S. House of Representatives and later commanded a regiment of Kentucky riflemen in the War of 1812, serving in the Canadian campaign. In 1819, Johnson resigned from the House and was appointed the United States Senator, a capacity in which he served until 1829. Thereafter, he again became a member of the U.S. Congress,where he supported President Jackson's administration and pushed the bill to abolish punishment for debt.In 1836, with much support from Jackson, Johnson was nominated for Vice President on the Democratic ticket with Martin Van Buren. After none of the vice presidential candidates received a majority of the electoral vote, the election was decided by the U.S. Senate, which gave the office to Johnson under the provisions of the Twelfth Amendment. At the end of his term, Johnson was refused re-nomination by the Democrats and tried to return to public office but was defeated.Later, he was re-elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives but died two weeks into the office due to stroke