#17

This man portrayed a very amiable President Andrew Johnson, our 17th President, at the Andrew Johnson National Historic Site in Greenville, TN.  Johnson was sworn in after the assassination of President Lincoln in 1865.

Johnson's first profession was that of a tailor. Since he lacked formal education, he actually paid people to read to him while he worked. His main teacher was his very young wife Eliza. The tailor shop, now enclosed within the Site, had become a gathering place of the townspeople for vigorous political debate. Johnson became alderman, mayor, state rep, governor, and was selected by Abraham Lincoln to be his VP running mate.

Johnson's presidential tenure is controversial. He is pretty much at the bottom of the popularity list in the ranks of presidents. He was the first to be impeached, narrowly escaping being thrown out of office by just one vote. He completed his term and eventually won reelection to office as U.S. senator, the only president to do so. He suffered a stroke and was buried according to his wishes, wrapped in the flag of the United States with a copy of the Constitution under his head.

After touring the charming home he owned for 24 years, we visited his gravesite on a very scenic hill overlooking Greenville. (This made for some white-knuckle "hairpin turns" in our tour bus on the way down, skillfully managed by our driver Charlie!)