1926 – 1988

Married: Elizabeth Gilmore

3 Children: Beverly, Mike, and Mark

James Ray Johnson was born on June 24, 1926, to Herbert and Novada (Tomlinson) Johnson of the

Centerville Community. James Ray married the love of his life Elizabeth Gilmore. They had three children Beverly, Mike, and Mark. James Ray attended Taylorsville School then Lebanon High School, where he soon had to leave school to run the family farm as his father died in 1939 making James Ray a young full-time farmer at the age of 16. The Herman Dies family moved onto the farm to assist the young James Ray in managing the 500 acres. James Ray’s sons (Mike and Mark) quickly started learning the ropes of managing the family farm. They raised cattle, hogs, and various row crops such as tobacco. The contributions of James Ray from his young start as a full-time farmer up until his death in August of 1988 are vast. James Ray’s record of public service included almost a quarter of a century of service as a member of the Wilson County Quarterly Court and County Commission. He was instrumental in securing the land for the Wilson County Cooperative and the land that is currently the James Ward Agricultural Center. During his years of public service, he also served on the Wilson County Road Commission and the Wilson County Planning Commission. James Ray served as the President of the Wilson County Livestock Association and was named Outstanding Young Farmer of the Year. He was a member of the Wilson Farmers’ Cooperative board of directors for 28 years and served as a member of the board of directors of the Wilson County Farm Bureau.