THOMAS B. JOHNSON. – To the honest tiller of the soil and raiser of stock in this county we are largely indebted for its steady growth and substantial development in the augmenting of its wealth and the tapping of its resources. This class of Union’s citizens are to be congratulated on their faithful and successful efforts, and as one prominent in these industries, we surely must mention the gentleman, whose name is at the head of this article and who has wrought with energy and assiduity in the prosecution of these enterprises steadily for a long period of years.
Thomas B. is the son of Davis W. and Margret (Bell) Johnson. The father was born in 1824 in Indiana, and is a veteran of the Civil war, serving in the Eleventh Missouri Volunteers, Company G. In 1863 he came to the Willamette valley, and the following year made his way to Union county. He operated a blacksmith shop from 1864 to 1872. In 1867 he purchased a farm and was engaged in farming and stock-raising until two years since, when he retired from the more active duties of business and is now living in Union. The mother had died and is buried in the Union cemetery. More specifically regarding our subject, at the age of twenty, Thomas B. started for himself herding sheep. In the fall of 1881 he bought sheep in partnership with his brother-in-law, and continued in the prosecution of this industry under this arrangement until 1884, since which time he has been farming and stock-raising for himself alone. He owns a fine estate of nine hundred acres, nine miles southeast from Union, which is well improved and is the headquarters for his stock.
Mr. Johnson married Miss Ida B. Blake, in 1883, and to them have been born the following children: Edie K., died July 27, 1885; Walter H., Olie I., Lister V. and Charles D. Mr. Johnson is affiliated with the W. of W. and the I.O.O.F. and is the recipient of the confidence and esteem of his fellows.