COUNTY
TENNESSEE
Joseph Samuel Johnson, clerk of the United States district court for the western district of Tennessee with office in the Federal building in Memphis, makes his home in Huntingdon, where he is a popular and prominent citizen, best known to his friends as J. Sam Johnson. He was born on a farm near Huntingdon in Carroll county, Tennessee, June 1, 1872, so that he has passed the fiftieth milestone on life's journey. His father was Joseph Addison Johnson, who was born in North Carolina and came to Tennessee in 1827 in company with his parents, being then but three years of age. The family home was established in Carroll county, where the father continued to reside throughout his remaining days, devoting his attention through the greater part of his life to agricultural pursuits. He also filled the office of county sheriff for two or three terms and made a capable official by the prompt, faithful and fearless manner in which he discharged his duties. He passed away in 1910, having for seven years survived his wife, who died in 1903. She bore the maiden name of Mary Catherine McCleod and was born in Carroll county. The father was an own cousin of President Andrew Johnson.
J. Sam Johnson was one of a family of eleven children, six of whom, three sons and three daughters, are living. He was reared on his father's farm and obtained his advanced education in the Southern Normal University at Huntingdon, Tennessee. from which he was graduated with the Bachelor of Science degree in 1899. He taught school for a period of eight years, proving a capable educator, giving general satisfaction to the localities in which he served. He was then called to public office, being elected clerk of the Carroll county court in 1902 and reelected to the position, so that he served altogether for eight years or until 1910. In the latter year he was appointed United States marshal for the western district of Tennessee by President William Howard Taft, and served until the 1st of March, 1915, or for four years and eight months. Following his retirement from office he engaged in the practice of law at Huntingdon for a few years and in December, 1919, he was appointed clerk and master of the chancery court of Carroll county. He resigned that position to accept his present office in September, 1921, having been appointed to the position by Federal Judge J. W. Ross. He is proving a most faithful and efficient incumbent in office, for he has ever regarded a public office as a public trust and it is well known that no trust reposed in J. Sam Johnson is ever betrayed in the slightest degree. He is also identified with banking interests as the president of the Farmers State Bank of Huntingdon and his name is an honored one in financial circles.
On the 16th of November, 1904, Mr. Johnson was united in marriage in Gibson county, Tennessee, to Miss Kitty Mitchell, who was born and reared in Gibson county, this state. She is a graduate of the Southern Normal University, which her husband also attended and she, too, was at one time a successful school teacher. Two children have been born of this marriage: Joseph Samuel and Mary Mitchell, aged, respectively, fourteen and ten years. The religious faith of the family is that of the Baptist church and fraternally Mr. Johnson is a Mason, who has now attained the eighteenth degree in the Scottish Rite. He is in thorough sympathy with the purposes and high ideals of that organization and his life has been actuated by principles that neither seek nor require disguise. His friends speak of him as a man of sterling worth and admirable characteristics and the public record indicates his capability, loyalty and fidelity in the performance of public duties.
Tennessee - The Volunteer State
