By Diane Rixon
For Coastal Senior

The decision to take early retirement in 1988, at age 56, was an easy one to make for Charles Johnson of Savannah, a former New York lawyer and author of a recently published biography of Mary Telfair.

Johnson and his wife, Chris, were eager to move south to escape the cold weather of Connecticut and New York, where they had lived and worked. Finding ways to keep busy was never a problem as the couple became very actively involved in Savannah's cultural scene. Nevertheless, Johnson was soon ready for something new and in the 1990s he decided to try his hand at historical research.

Johnson's book, "Mary Telfair: The Life and Legacy of a Nineteenth-Century Woman," was released in November.

Many readers will already know of Mary Telfair (1791-1875) as the wealthy Savannah heiress who bequeathed her home and its contents for the creation of a museum - today's Telfair Museum of Art. The idea of writing the book was first suggested to Johnson by his friend John Luck, who was then president of the Telfair Museum's Board of Trustees.

Initially, the aim was to write a history of the Telfair itself, and the author began to research that topic in 1994. It soon became evident, however, that there was plenty of material for a book about Mary Telfair - and the project was modified into a biography of its founding patron.

Sadly, John Luck died in September, so did not live to see the publication of the book he had a role in creating.

This book marks the first major attempt to tell the story of Mary Telfair's life and to shed light on her character. So what kind of woman was she? Johnson describes her as "many-faceted" - highly intelligent, adventurous, inquisitive and extremely independent-minded. She never married and perhaps even avoided the prospect, knowing it would curtail the independence she so enjoyed. Mary Telfair managed to do all that she could within the restrictions placed on society women of her day, and was an avid reader and traveler.

Johnson learned of personality quirks, such as her habit of misstating her age on official documents. It seems that, just like many people today, Mary Telfair was somewhat self-conscious about her age!

Research for the book entailed reading through countless documents in Savannah, especially at the library of the Georgia Historical Society, and further afield at institutions such as the New York Historical Society, the Georgia Archives in Atlanta and the Duke University Library in Durham, N.C.

As a lawyer-turned-historian, Johnson was particularly interested to read papers relating to the eight-year legal dispute that took place after Mary Telfair's death, when relatives challenged the terms of her will.

Journal entries and letters written by Mary Telfair and her friends and family were crucial for gaining an insight into her thoughts and feelings. Of special significance were over 300 letters that she wrote to her lifelong friend Mary Few, daughter of William Few, who was a militia leader in the Revolutionary War and one of Georgia's first senators.

Sifting through archival materials was, however, not enough for Johnson. He wanted to truly get to know his subject or, in his words, "to breathe the air that she breathed."

To this end, he visited many of the places that Mary Telfair would have known, including the sites of former Telfair family plantations. He even completed a course at Armstrong Atlantic University on the subject of 19th century women, in an effort to better understand how gender roles of the time shaped her life.

In many ways, the writing of "Mary Telfair" was an attempt by the author to return to his lifelong interest in the humanities.

Johnson had earned a history degree from Yale University in 1953, but went on to study law at Harvard University, graduating in 1956. He then began a successful 32-year career practicing securities and corporate law in New York City, doing business mainly with large brokerage and investment banking firms like Merrill Lynch, and eventually progressing to the rank of senior partner in his firm.

Frequently working long hours in an environment he says was "often stressful," Johnson always enjoyed taking time out from work for family vacations. So when the idea of taking early retirement presented itself, he had no doubts about walking away for good. By devoting himself to the writing of "Mary Telfair," Johnson hoped to demonstrate that a liberal arts education, such as the one he received at Yale, equips the student with skills that can be used for a lifetime.

Johnson has completed two other works since his retirement: a legal text published in 1990 entitled "Corporate Finance and Securities Laws" and a memoir that was completed in 1993. There are no plans as yet for another book as he is busy pursuing other interests.

Johnson is currently a docent at the Telfair Museum, a volunteer at Bonaventure Cemetery - where Mary Telfair was buried - and is enrolled in another course at Armstrong Atlantic. He is also a keen golfer, and finds time to play two or three times a week. In addition, he and Chris are seasoned travelers - having visited some 110 countries, including nations as varied and distant as Yemen and New Zealand. The couple has two sons and four grandchildren.

Reflecting on the accomplishment of completing "Mary Telfair," Johnson remarked that one of the most rewarding aspects of the project was the opportunity to meet so many interesting people who share his enthusiasm for the history of Savannah and the history of the South in general.

"That," he says, "was really good. It was a very enjoyable experience."