A Joint Project of the Sam Rayburn House Historic Site and the Fannin County Historical Commission
Celebrating America 250 with Spotlights of Fannin County Citizens Who Participated In or Witnessed Historical Events
Fannin County -- Jefferson Dave (J. D. or Dave) Johnson was born March 2, 1861, probably in Mississippi.
Dave Johnson was highly involved in many community projects in Bonham. As reflected in the Bonham Daily Favorite, in 1918 he was County Chairman of the drive to raise Red Cross funds and to buy Liberty Bonds from colored citizens during World War I. In 1918 he organized a meeting in the Courthouse, attended by negroes and over 100 white folks. The purpose of the meeting was to honor the black men who were going to fight the Germans. He was also involved in efforts to raise money from the colored population to support the Fire Company.
In 1914 he served on the grand jury and was involved in Juneteenth celebrations. Again in 1916, 1917, 1922, 1929 and 1943 he served on the grand jury.
In the 1930s medical care for Bonham’s black citizens was terribly inadequate. In 1935 Dave Johnson began a campaign to establish a “colored hospital.” Land for the colored hospital, to be located near Allen Memorial Hospital, was donated, and the directors of Allen Memorial agreed to assume responsibility for operating the colored hospital.
In December 1935 Congressman Sam Rayburn delivered an address at the colored First Baptist Church in Locksboro (now Bethlehem Baptist) at the beginning of a drive for funds for the colored hospital.
Dave Johnson was chairman of the drive to raise funds for the hospital, which took several years. The Bonham Daily Favorite reported that Dave Johnson had “worked unceasingly for the project for several years,” and that other civic leaders “have assisted Johnson with his dream.” The Colored Hospital was finally completed and dedicated on September 14, 1939. The dedication ceremony was held at Bethlehem Baptist and the speakers included Dave Johnson, Dr. A. B. Kennedy and Cong. Sam Rayburn.
Jefferson Dave Johnson died on December 14, 1945 in the Colored Hospital in Bonham. His brief obituary in the Bonham Daily Favorite said that he “was one of the leading negro citizens of Bonham.” He was 84 years old and was apparently buried at Gates Hill. No stone marks his burial place.
However, in 1947, two years after his death, a cornerstone for the colored hospital was laid, which stated: This Colored Hospital Was Built in 1939 by Fannin County Citizens and Was Sponsored By J. D. Johnson.
Congressman Sam Rayburn was the principal speaker at the ceremony for the laying of the stone, which ceremony took place at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Today this cornerstone is on display at the Fannin County Museum of History.
Many thanks to Tim Davis for his previous work on J. D. Johnson and the Colored Hospital.
