Johnson, Thomas

Johnson, Thomas a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, was born in Virginia, July 11, 1802; went to Missouri in 1822, and commenced the work of the ministry in 1825. He labored as an itinerant in the bounds of the St. Louis Conference, filling some of the most important stations; but spent his greatest labors, and was most successful, as missionary to the Indians. His name will ever be connected with the history of Indian missions. Wise and earnest, he carried success with him in his responsible and arduous labors. He honorably sustained his character as a Christian minister through all his pilgrimage, and died an approved servant of God. He was shot by unknown parties in the night of Jan. 3, 1865, probably on account of his political principles. Among his colleagues in the Conference Johnson ranked with the first, and was highly esteemed by all. Says one of them: "He was a man of principle; one of the very few among the many thousands who, on all occasions and under all circumstances, acted upon the settled principle of morality and religion." See Conf. Min. M. E. Ch. S. 3, 168.