J is for CAVE JOHNSON ( An Upcoming Project)

The Arts and Heritage Development Council here in Clarkville is producing an upcoming book, "C is for Clarksville on the Cumberland."  They have chosen local artists and creatives to provide artwork for the publication which will serve as a fundraising tool and be available this holiday season.  First the council made a call to the community for ideas on ideas of what should represent each letter of the alphabet. After selecting themes such as "D is for Dunbar Cave," "C is for Queen City," "R is for Wilma Rudolph," etc, the council also made a call to artists who would be interested in creating artworks based on each theme.  Today I was asked (and will be honored) to draw a portrait of Cave Johnson to be included!

Clarksville has produced many fine national, state, and local leaders. One of them, Cave Johnson, served his country as the U. S. Postmaster General, a U. S. Congressman from Tennessee, and a claims commissioner of the United States.

Cave Johnson was born in Robertson County in 1793, but lived much of his life in Clarksville, where he married a widow, Elizabeth Dortch.  She already had three children from her previous marriage, and she and Johnson added three sons to the family.
As the U. S. Postmaster General, Cave Johnson made several changes.  Until then, the postal worker charged the cost of a letter to the receiver of the letter.  Instead, Johnson made the sender responsible for the payment of a letter by requiring the sender to pay in advance by introducing the postage stamp!