Early Life and Education
Richard Mentor Johnson was born on October 17, 1780, the fifth of Robert and Jemima (Suggett) Johnson's eleven children. At the time, the family was living in the newly founded settlement of "Beargrass", near present-day Louisville, Kentucky; Kentucky was part of Virginia until made a state in 1792. By 1782, the Johnsons had moved to Bryan's Station, Kentucky in Fayette County.
Johnson's mother was a heroine because of her actions during Simon Girty's raid on Bryan's Station in August 1782. According to tradition, as Girty's forces surrounded the fort, the occupants discovered that they had almost no water inside to withstand a siege. Several Indians had concealed themselves near the spring outside the fort. The Kentuckians reasoned that the Indians would not show themselves until they were ready to attack. Jemima Johnson approved a plan that the women to go alone and collect water from the spring as usual. Many men disapproved of the plan, fearing they would be attacked and killed. However, faced with no other option they finally agreed. Shortly after sunrise, the women went to the spring and returned without incident.
Not long after they had returned, the attack began. Indian warriors managed to set fire to several houses and stables, but a favorable wind kept the fires from spreading. Children used the water drawn by the women to put out the fires. A flaming arrow landed in baby Richard Johnson's crib, but it was doused by his sister Betsy. Help arrived from Lexington and Boone Station, and the Indians retreated.
By 1784, the Johnson family was at Great Crossing in Scott County, on land purchased by Robert Johnson from Patrick Henry and James Madison. As a surveyor, Johnson's father became successful through well-chosen land purchases.
Richard Johnson did not begin his formal education until age fifteen, since there were no schools on the frontier. He then entered Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky.. By 1799, he was studying law as a legal apprentice with George Nicholas and James Brown. They were professors of Law at the University in addition to being in private practice.
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