Thomas W. Johnson is a popular citizen whose sterling character and distinctive ability splendidly qualify him for the responsible office of which he is now the incumbent, that of sheriff of Holmes County.
Sheriff Johnson was born in Walton County, this state, on the 12th of April, 1880, and is a son of Lafayette and Martha (Stafford) Johnson, who still reside on their fine homestead farm in that county, the father having been born South Carolina and the mother in Alabama. Lafayette Johnson was but a boy at the inception of the Civil war, but he gave effective service as a member of the Home Guards in that climateric period of conflict.
The early education of the present sheriff of Holmes County was acquired in the public schools of his native county, and he continued to attend school at intervals until he was twenty-four years of age, his having in the meanwhile been a most practical discipline in connection with the activities of the home farm. At the age noted Mr. Johnson became identified with the logging industry, to which he continued to give his attention four years. He then became bookkeeper and clerk in the general store of H. D. Vaughn & Company at Geneva, Seminole County, and after continuing this alliance two years he was for two years engaged in conducting a livery sales stable and carriage business at Evergreen, Alabama. He then sold out and engaged in the livery business at Rexton, that state, as a member of the firm of Watt & Company. Two years later he severed his connection with this business and returned to Holmes County, where for 2½ years he was engaged in the general merchandise business. He then returned to Geneva, Alabama, where he passed about one year in sawmill work, after which he came again to Holmes County and established his residence at Ponce de Leon. He was appointed deputy sheriff of the county, and in 1918, upon the death of the sheriff, he was elected to serve the unexpired term in this office. So effective and satisfactory was his administration that in the fall of 1920 he was reelected for the full term of four years, and he has since continued to administer the affairs of the sheriff’s office with marked discrimination and efficiency. The Sheriff is a stalwart in the local camp of the democratic party, is affiliated with the Masonic fraternity, the Knights of Pythias and the Modern Woodmen of America, and he and his wife hold membership in the Missionary Baptist Church.
At Geneva, Alabama, on the 9th of January, 1909, was recorded the marriage of Mr. Johnson and Miss Armella Dancey, daughter of James and Josephine Dancey, both natives of Florida, the mother being now deceased. Sheriff and Mrs. Johnson have five children: Woodrow, Annie Lee, Park Earl, Edna Pearl and Adelaide.
Cutler, H. G., ed. History of Florida: Past and Present, Volume III. Chicago: Lewis Publishing, 1923, pp. 304-305.
Burial: Bonifay Cemetery, Bonifay