John Henry Johnson was born in 1893, Mason, Tennessee, the second child of Walter and Laura Johnson. As a youngster, John Henry helped his mother, Laura by farming. By 1910 John Henry had married Pearlie Turner (dec.) and moved next door to his mother to continue helping the family. John Henry and Pearlie had six children: Gie Eather, Henry (dec.), William (dec.), Ozell (dec.), Vera, and Erbert.

In 1924 John Henry moved his family to St. Louis and he began working with his brother-in-law, Jim Balls in constructions. An accident on a construction site injured John Henry and left him with a permanent back injury.

Around 1932, Pearlie became ill and John Henry moved his family back to Tennessee. Pearlie died soon after the return to Tennessee. John Henry later married Luvenia Scott and although they had no children together they continued to raise John Henry’s children. Back in Tennessee John Henry returned to farming as a means for providing for the family.

John Henry was also very active in the Church. He served on the Deacon Board at Hammond Grove Baptist Church in Arlington, Tennessee. He is best remembered for leading the Sunday morning devotion at the church. John Henry died in 1960.

 “Uncle John Henry was the first of the [Johnson] boys to get a horse and buggy [carriage] and every Sunday they use to spend hours washing and cleaning the carriage and horses to make those wheels and spokes shine. Back then this was like having a new car.” [Ozell Johnson, nephew]