Andrew Johnson
Library of Congress photo

GREENE

 

County Seat: Greeneville
As the Civil War came to a close in 1865, a man shot and killed President Abraham Lincoln. At the time Lincoln hardly knew his vice president, a man from Greene County, Tennessee, named Andrew Johnson. It was a hard time to be president, and Johnson did not do well. Johnson wanted to help the South recover from the war, while many people in Congress wanted to punish the South. Because of these disagreements Johnson nearly became the first president ever removed from office.

Today several buildings have been set aside as the Andrew Johnson Historic site. We've been there; click here to see a tour of the place -- Tennessee History for Kids style.


Kinser
Greene County was also the home of one of Tennessee's seven medal of honor recipients from World War II. Sergeant Elbert Kinser of the U.S. Marine Corps was fighting the Japanese on an island called Okinawa Shima on May 4, 1945, when a live hand grenade landed in the midst of his men. He threw himself on the grenade, saving the lives of his men, and was immediately killed by the explosion.

More information about Tennessee's medal of honor winners can be found here, in the high school section.

Here's a plaque honoring Kinser, with the Greene County Courthouse in the background.

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