Harrison County WV Archives Biographies.....Johnson, Joseph 1785 - 1877
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Alice Warner http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00015.html#0003503 July 21, 2009, 6:12 pm

Author: Virgil A. Lewis

Joseph Johnson, the only governor of Virginia ever chosen from a county west of
the Alleghenies, lived and died near Bridgeport, in this county. He was born in
Orange county, New York, December 19, 1785, his parents being Joseph and Abigail
Johnson, the father a distinguished soldier from that State during the
Revolution. When Joseph was five years of age his father died and the family
removed to New Jersey, where they resided until 1801, when a second removal was
made, this to Harrison county, Virginia. Here Joseph grew to manhood, acquiring
by his own exertions that mental culture which afterward rendered him an
exemplification of the hackneyed term "self-made." During the War of 1812, he
commanded the Harrison Riflemen, doing service on the Atlantic seaboard. In
1818, he was elected a member of the General Assembly, defeating John Prunty,
who was a candidate for reelection. In 1823, he was elected to Congress and
served two terms, having defeated the distinguished Philip Doddridge in both
contests. In 1832, he was again elected a member of the same body, to fill the
vacancy occasioned by the death of Philip Doddridge, and by successive
reelection served until 1841, when he declined a reelection and supported Samuel
L. Hays, who was, however, defeated by George W. Summers. In 1845, Mr. Johnson
was again a candidate and was elected, defeating Gideon D. Camden. The
expiration of this term ended, at his own request, his Congressional career. The
people in 1847, elected him a member of the Assembly, and in 1850, he was chosen
a member of the Constitutional Convention. While serving in that body he was
elected Governor of Virginia for the term of one year, by the General Assembly,
and upon the adoption of the new Constitution, by which that office was made
elective by the people, he was chosen for the term of four years. In 1855, he
retired to private life, and continued to reside in Harrison county until his
death, February 27, 1877, at the age of ninety-two years.

Additional Comments:
From Harrison County section of History of West Virginia, 1889.

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