Richard Mentor Johnson born on October 17, 1780 was the ninth Vice President of the United States. He served the administration of Martin Van Buren.
Hailing from the County of Kentucky, Richard Johnson was a Representative and Senator from Kentucky, and also in the Kentucky House of Representatives. Johnson was in the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1804-1806 and again was elected in 1819. Johnson was re-elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1850, but since he died in Frankfort this tenure was left incomplete.
Johnson was a Democratic-Republican to the Tenth position and to the five descendants of Congress men since March 4, 1807 up till March 4, 1819. Committee on Claims and the Committee on Expenditures in the Department of War had Richard Mentor Johnson as their Chairman. After serving in the U.S. Senate, he was elected to the 21st Congress in the House and to the three succeeding Congresses from March 4, 1829 till March 4, 1837. His departments were Committee on Post Office and Post Roads and the Committee on Military Affairs.
Johnson was merely elected to the United States Senate to fill up the vacant seat caused by the resignation of John J. Crittenden in 1819, but was re-elected to the position for a full term in 1823 where he stayed from December 10, 1819 to March 4, 1829. In 1836, Johnson was nominated as the Democratic Party’s member for Vice President. This was the only occasion when the Senate ever elected the candidate for Vice President.
Richard Mentor Johnson expired on November 19, 1850.
