History of La Grange, (Fayette County) Tennessee United States of America

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David Bancroft Johnson, educator, was born at La Grange, Tenn., Jan. 10, 1856; son of David Bancroft and Margaret E. (White) Johnson; grandson of Joseph and Martha (Barker) Johnson, and of Jonathan D. and Ann (McNeese) White, and a direct descendant of John Johnson, who came from England to America with Winthrop, the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony. He earned the money by which he prepared for and paid tuition in college, and was graduated from the University of Tennessee in 1877. He was first assistant of the boys' high school at Knoxville, Tenn., 1877-79, and assistant professor of mathematics in the University of Tennessee, 1879-80. He was principal of the graded schools at Abbeville, S.C., 1880-82, and organized the graded schools at Newbern, N.C., in 1882, and at Columbia, S.C., 1883-95. Aided by the Peabody board of instruction, he established the Winthrop Training School for Teachers at Rockhill, S.C., in 1886, which became in time a state institution under the name of the Winthrop Normal and Industrial college, of which he was elected president in 1895. He also organized the branch of the Y.M.C.A. at Columbia, S.C., and was its president, 1885-94, and chairman of the state executive committee of the Y.M.C.A., 1885-94. He formed the South Carolina Association of School Superintendents in 1889, and was president of the State Teachers' association, 1884-88.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of La Grange, (Fayette County) Tennessee

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