Martha Johnson Patterson

Martha Johnson Patterson (October 25, 1828 – July 10, 1901) was the eldest child of Andrew Johnson, the 17th President of the United States, and his wife, Eliza McCardle. She was born in Greeneville, Tennessee, and was the oldest of five children. Patterson attended local schools in Greeneville and, during her father's service in the U.S. House of Representatives, she studied at Miss L.S. English's Female Seminary in Georgetown, which later became the Georgetown Female Seminary. She also spent time at the White House during the presidency of James K. Polk.

On December 13, 1855, Patterson married David T. Patterson. The couple had two children: a son, Andrew Johnson Patterson (1857–1932), and a daughter, Mary Belle Patterson Landstreet (1859–1891). Mary Belle died in 1891, the same year as her grandfather, Andrew Johnson, who passed away on November 3 of that year. Following the Civil War and Tennessee's readmission to the Union in 1866, her husband was elected to serve in the U.S. Senate representing Tennessee.

When Andrew Johnson became President after Abraham Lincoln's assassination in 1865, Patterson's mother, Eliza McCardle Johnson, had limited health and rarely appeared publicly, leaving Patterson to assume the role of White House hostess. She managed this responsibility through her tenure, during which she was recognized for her friendly demeanor and service during a challenging period. She notably brought two Jersey cows to the White House, which pastured on the lawn and were milked daily by Patterson, who was dressed in a calico dress and apron.

Patterson played a significant role during her father's presidency, especially after the White House fell into disrepair following the Civil War. She oversaw a $30,000 renovation project that included hanging new wallpaper, slipcovering furniture, and covering carpets with muslin during receptions. Additionally, she discovered and arranged to display a series of presidential portraits by George P. A. Healy, originally commissioned in 1857, which remain on display today.

A notable incident during her and her family's time at the White House involved her daughter Anna, who attempted to persuade President Johnson to spare her mother, Mary Surratt, from execution. Patterson offered comfort to Anna during this distressing event, acknowledging the limits of her influence.

After her father's presidency, Patterson returned to East Tennessee, where she lived for the remainder of her life. Her residence was a large farm she had purchased for her, and she dedicated herself to preserving her father's legacy. She was considered a close confidante and loyal supporter of Andrew Johnson, as described by Fay W. Brabson, a U.S. Army colonel and Johnson family associate, who detailed her devoted relationship with her father.

Patterson outlived all her siblings, her daughter, and two nieces. In her later years, she remodeled her family home to reflect the late 19th-century style, although this work has since been removed. She died on July 10, 1901, and is buried in the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in Greeneville, Tennessee.

Her son, Andrew J. Patterson, managed a cotton mill in Bluff City, Tennessee, and served in the Tennessee State Legislature. He was later appointed as consul to Demerara, British Guiana, by President Grover Cleveland in 1894. Following Patterson's death, he organized an exhibit of her grandfather's artifacts in Knoxville, Tennessee, which included items such as Andrew Johnson's diary, razor, silk hat, and other memorabilia.

Patterson’s descendants include her children and grandchildren, with her lineage continuing through her son Andrew J. Patterson and granddaughter Margaret Johnson Patterson Bartlett. Her family remains connected to historical preservation of the Johnson legacy.

In the 1982 Siena College Research Institute survey of American first ladies and White House hostesses, Patterson was ranked as the 32nd most highly regarded among 42 assessed figures. She and other non-spousal White House hostesses are generally excluded from subsequent rankings.