Thomas Johnson was born in Norway. He was an architect and contractor in Bemidji. He was an early resident. He was married on Oct 6, 1900 to Bertha Hagen, who had arrived in Bemidji about 1897. In 1905, the family was living at 1001 Minnesota Avenue. His wife Bertha died suddenly on Nov 22, 1907. The funeral was conducted at the Norwegian Lutheran church. Rev. Stromme spoke in the Scandinavian language and Rev. White gave an address in English. The members of the Norwegian Lutheran Ladies Aid Society attended service in a body and acted as escort to the cemetery. The members of the Scandinavian Sick Benefit Society also attended the service. Both societies gave handsome floral tributes, which were placed upon the casket. Thomas was left with five motherless children. By 1910, he was living with his three daughters, Myrtle, Elizabeth and Otelie in the house at 1001 Minnesota Avenue.
According to a note in the souvenir edition of the Bemidji Pioneer on March 27, 1909: “Mr. Johnson never subordinates skill to cost. He does not pose as a bidder for third-rate work, and his reputation throughout this section of Minnesota conveys an idea as to how highly he is rated in his craft. He constructed the Charles Nangle building, the Northland Cold Storage Plant, and of residences he has built as many as would count to hundreds in number, the same costing from $1,000 to $6,000.”
In August 1909, Mr. Johnson was awarded the contract for the new Carnegie Library. The site which was provided by the city was at the corner of Fifth street and Lake Boulevard, within the limits of the city park — an ideal location for a library building. The newspaper touted: “The new building will be imposing in appearance and will add greatly to the pretentious-blocks of the city. It will be one story high, with full basement, the latter to be faced with Bedford stone, the upper structure to be built entirely of Twin City pressed brick. The building will be of colonial design, the front to be beautified with two large columns of Bedford stone, with ornamental caps, and an ornamental gable piece. Over the lobby, a dome will be built, resting on four large ornamental columns, which will lend solidity to the whole scheme of the building. The woodwork on the interior will be finished in red oak.”
In 1912, Thomas Johnson was the contractor for the new Kelliher Hotel owned by George Gunderson. “The new Hotel Kelliher will be formally opened to the public tomorrow evening. The event of the evening is to be a dinner followed by a ball in the spacious dining room. The Blackduck orchestra of eight pieces has been engaged to furnish the music during the evening. The hotel is located one block from the Minnesota and International depot and is situated in the heart of the Kelliher business district.” (Bemidji Daily Pioneer, Feb 21, 1912)
In 1917, Thomas Johnson was the architect for the remodeling and alterations in Bemidji’s Central School Building.
In 1919, Thomas Johnson returned from Washington, D. C. where he had been in the government service during the war period. Mr. Johnson was engaged in the contracting and architect business before leaving for Washington. (Nov 6, 1919)
Thomas Johnson died in December 1921 and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery.