Bio: Thomas C. Johnson, Caddo Parish La
Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana
The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville,  1890

Submitted by: Suzanne Shoemaker
sueshoe@hotmail.com




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Thomas C. Johnson, brickmaker and contractor, Shreveport, La.  Among the
active enterprises of a city like Shreveport the business of brickmaking
and contracting occupies, necessarily, an important place, and foremost
among those engaged in this business is Mr. Johnson, who was born in
Wheeling, W. Va., in 1823.  His parents, John and Mary (Shrow) Johnson,
were born in Virginia, in 1795, and Lancaster County, Penn., respectively.
They were married in the former State, and in 1834, removed to Louisville,
Ky., where Mr. Johnson died from a fall, about 1850.  he was a brickmaker
and mason by trade.  The mother died soon after the war in Louisville, Ky.
She was a member of the Presbyterian Church.  The paternal grandfather,
John Johnson, was born in England, and served seven years in the
Revolutionary War.  He died in Virginia, when about eighty-eight years of
age.  The maternal grandfather, John Shrow, was born in Lancaster County,
Penn., and in that State received his final summons.  Thomas C. Johnson,
one of nine children, started out to fight life's battles for himself when
quite young, learned the brick trade, working for his board and clothes for
eight years, in Louisville.  He then served eleven years as foreman for a
man in Louisville for $1,200 per year, and then worked as a contractor, in
Memphis, two years.  From there he went to New Orleans, remained there one
year, and during the winter time worked on a steamboat plying between
Louisville and New Orleans.  As early as 1837 Mr. Johnson made a trip up
Red River, and since 1855 has made his home in Shreveport, where he has
been engaged in the manufacture of brick and in contracting and building.
He has made millions of brick and built some of the best buildings in the
city, including the Phoenix Hotel, etc.  Mr. Johnson was married in
Kentucky, in 1852, to Miss Phoebe Stoddard, a native of Utica, N. Y., who
was left an orphan, daughter of Amos Stoddard, who died in Indiana.  She
died in 1870, leaving four children, three now living.  Mr. Johnson's
second marriage occurred in 1873, to Miss Rebecca, daughter of Capt.
William Holmes, who ran a steamboat on Red River for a number of years.  He
was an early settler of Shreveport, coming here in 1837, and here he passed
the remainder of his days.  His daughter was born here, and by her marriage
became the mother of three children--two daughters and one son, the latter
deceased.  Mr. Johnson has a fine Red River plantation of 812 acres, and
good property in town, all the fruits of his own industry.  In 1861 he
joined the Twenty-fifth Louisiana Infantry, but was soon detailed to do
work at the arsenal, where he remained until the close of hostilities.  He
is a member of the A. F. & A. M., Caddo Lodge No. 177, Shreveport Chapter
No. 10 and Council.  He is a man with a wonderful constitution, and in
spite of the hard work he has done, he has never been sick a day, and is
active and very strong.  Mrs. Johnson is a member of the Presbyterian Church.