William J. Johnson

Term of Office, 1881-1893

William Jackson Johnson was born on June 6, 1829 in Pike County, Alabama. According to records, Johnson was described as being 5’9” tall and having dark hair, fair skin, and piercing blue eyes. Johnson, better known to his friends as “Jack,” married a young woman named Emily and had three daughters. As a young man, he went into business with his brother John Alexander Johnson running a ferry on the Escambia River, not far from Flomaton, Alabama. When he migrated to Florida is not known.

With the commencement of the Civil War, Johnson felt a call to duty and enlisted in the Confederate Army on September 17, 1861. He enlisted in Milton and joined the Third Battalion Florida Cavalry, Company C. In 1863, Johnson was assigned to work, as a mechanic, on a gunboat in Montgomery, Alabama. Military records also show that Johnson fought with Company E of the 15th Cavalry. On December 24, 1864, Johnson was taken prisoner and sent to Ship Island Prison. He was later transferred to Vicksburg on May 1, 1865. No record was found as to the road he followed from 1865-1881. 

In 1881, Johnson ran for the office of sheriff for Santa Rosa County, where the population had grown to over 10,000. While in office, the county flourished in terms of “big lumber” business coupled with sawmills and turpentine camps. These companies were large and employed a great number of people. However, this often made it difficult for law enforcement to patrol. Organized labor movement groups bore witness to increased criminal activity that also plagued law enforcement officials. In 1888, Johnson sought re-election. He was known as a popular candidate for both the office of sheriff and that of the county treasurer. Johnson completed his career in law enforcement in 1893, after serving three consecutive terms as sheriff.

Johnson died in 1899 and is buried at the Milton Cemetery.