JUDGE SAM JOHNSON
One
of the prominent attorneys of Maryville, Blount Co., Tennessee is Sam Johnson,
junior member of the well know legal firm of Brown & Johnson. A native of
Tennessee he was born in Loudon County, on the 8th of October, 1878,
a son of Elijah and Rebecca (Delozier) Johnson. The father was a native of
Sevier County and in early life engaged in farming, achieving substantial
success in that connection. Upon the outbreak of the Civil War he was quick to
put all personal interests aside and enlist in the service of the Confederacy.
He served until the surrender of Pemberton at Vicksburg, participating in most
of the strategic battles.
In the acquirement of his early educational training Sam
Johnson attended the common schools of his native county, Carson and Newman
College and in due time enrolled in Valparaiso University in Indiana. He had early determined up on the legal
profession as his life work and proved an able and brilliant student. At the age
of twenty-three years Mr. Johnson began teaching school and he continued
educational work during the summer vacations and in the early fall. In that way
putting himself through college. In 1911 he was admitted to the bar and he came
to Maryville in 1912. He taught school
for two years, after being admitted to the bar, however, and then began the
active practice of his profession as a member of the firm of Brown &
Johnson, which association is still maintained. Aside from his private
practice, Mr. Johnson has been called to public office and from April 1919 to
September 1920, he was active as judge of the chancery court, having been
appointed by Governor Roberts. He was city attorney for four years, was
presidential elector in 1914 and was a delegate to the Democratic National
convention in 1920. Mr. Johnson has not only achieved prominence as an attorney
but he is a most popular public official and has been active in financial
circles for some time as director in the First National Bank of Maryville.
Fraternally Mr. Jonson is identified with the Masons and
Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His religious fait is that of the Baptist
Church, to the support of which he is a generous contributor. He is essentially a public-spirited man and
no movement for the development and improvement of the general welfare seeks
his aid in vain.
From TENNESSEE: The Volunteer
State 1769-1923 Vol II
Published by the S.J.Clarke
Publishing Company , 1923
From the Lawson McGee
Library, McClung Collection
Knoxville, Tennessee