Herschel Vespasian Johnson
| Herschel Vespasian Johnson | |
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Confederate States Senator from Georgia |
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In office January 19, 1863 – May 10, 1865 |
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| Preceded by | John Lewis |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| 41st Governor of Georgia | |
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In office November 9, 1853 – November 6, 1857 |
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| Preceded by | Howell Cobb |
| Succeeded by | Joseph Brown |
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United States Senator from Georgia |
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In office February 4, 1848 – March 3, 1849 |
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| Preceded by | Walter Colquitt |
| Succeeded by | William Dawson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
September 18, 1812 Burke County, Georgia, US |
| Died | August 16, 1880 (aged 67) Louisville, Georgia, US |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Ann Polk Walker |
| Alma mater | University of Georgia |
Herschel Vespasian Johnson (September 18, 1812 – August 16, 1880) was an American politician. He was the 41st Governor of Georgia from 1853 to 1857 and the Vice Presidential nominee of the Douglas wing of the Democratic Party in the 1860 US presidential election.
Johnson was born near Farmer's Bridge in Burke County, Georgia. In 1834, he graduated from the University of Georgia. He then studied at the private law school of Judge William T. Gould in Augusta, Georgia and was admitted to the bar. He moved to Jefferson County in 1839 and began to practice law in Louisville, Georgia. In 1844, he moved to the state capitol, Milledgville, and continued to practice law.
He unsuccessfully ran for Congress in 1843. In 1844 he was a presidential elector, and cast his ballot for James K. Polk and George M. Dallas. He ran unsuccessfully for Governor in 1847, and lost the Democratic nomination to George W. Towns; Towns won the general election, and in 1848 he appointed Johnson to the United States Senate seat vacated by the resignation of Walter T. Colquitt. Johnson served from February 4, 1848 to March 3, 1849, but was not a candidate for election to the seat. He returned to Georgia and served as a circuit court judge from 1849 to 1853. In 1853, he was elected Governor of Georgia, then re-elected in 1855. After he finished his term as governor in 1857,Johnson County, Georgia was named in his honor. In 1860, when the Democratic Party refused to add the support of extending slavery to the western territories to its platform, the party split. To try to recapture some southern votes, Johnson was chosen as the northern Democrats' nominee as the running mate of presidential candidate Stephen A. Douglas.
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