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Josiah Stoddard Johnston papers
Josiah Stoddard Johnston (1784-1833) was born in Connecticut, raised in Kentucky, and settled in the Louisiana Territory in 1805. He graduated from Transylvania University in 1802 and later studied law and was admitted to the bar. In 1814, he married Eliza Sibley, daughter of John Sibley (1757-1837)...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Collection: | Josiah Stoddard Johnston Papers |
| Collection Number: | 0324 |
| Format: | Manuscript |
| Language: | English |
| Subjects and Genres: | |
| Online Access: | Link to finding aid |
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| Physical Description: |
6.0 Linear feet 15 boxes |
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| Access: |
This collection is open for research. |
| Summary: |
Josiah Stoddard Johnston (1784-1833) was born in Connecticut, raised in Kentucky, and settled in the Louisiana Territory in 1805. He graduated from Transylvania University in 1802 and later studied law and was admitted to the bar. In 1814, he married Eliza Sibley, daughter of John Sibley (1757-1837), of Natchitoches, Louisiana. Together they had one child, William Stoddard Johnston (1816-1839). In addition to practicing law in Alexandria, Louisiana, Johnston was a member of the territorial legislature, state judge, congressman (1821-1823) and United States senator until his accidental death in 1833. His widow, Eliza Sibley Johnston, subsequently married ex-Attorney General Henry D. Gilpin (1801-1860) of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Josiah Stoddard Johnston papers have been arranged into three series: Correspondence, Financial and political papers, and Miscellaneous papers. Correspondence is arranged chronologically/ Some items contain information on the 1824 presidential contest between John Quincy Adams, William H. Crawford, Henry Clay, and Andrew Jackson. Among the numerous correspondents in the collection are United States Minister to France James Brown, Judge A. Porter, Edward Everett, Matthew S. Quay, R.W. Stoddard, William Shaler, Henry D. Gilpin, Nicholas Biddle, John H. Johnston, and others. Some of the topics and issues discussed in these papers are the Anti-Masonic movement, the re-charter of the United States Bank, Judge Peck's impeachment, French spoliation claims, tariffs, sugar cane and refined sugar, territorial expansion, and legislation before Congress.
A large portion of the material relates to political affairs in Louisiana, the building of roads and canals, land claims, memorials to Congress, cotton, slavery, requests for governmental positions, and election to office. Henry Clay's letters, 1824-1833, deal with his personal aspirations and his bitterness against Andrew Jackson. An 1825 letter from Thomas Jefferson discusses the writings of Johnston’s own father in-law, Dr. John Sibley. There are also letters from Dr. John Sibley from 1821-1832, an invitation to a reception tendered to Marquis de Lafayette in 1824, family letters disclosing Senator Johnston's personal affairs and financial transactions and some personal items of William S. Johnston, especially correspondence between him and his mother, Eliza Sibley Johnston. |