James Madison Johnson was born on December 8, 1832, in Warren County, Tennessee, to James Martin Johnson and Elizabeth Dunigan Johnson. His paternal great-grandfather, also named James Johnson, served as a commissioned officer in the Revolutionary War and was killed by Tories while home on furlough. His grandfather William Johnson fought in the War of 1812 under General Andrew Jackson. The family moved to Madison County around 1836 when James was a young child. He received hi