Edwin Rice Johnson was born on September 10, 1868, in Currituck County, North Carolina. Johnson was a merchant and politician who served as chairman of the Currituck County Democratic Executive Committee (1897-1937), two terms as a state senator, and eleven terms in the state house of representatives. During World War I, he served as the food administrator for Currituck County. Johnson died in Great Bridge (Norfolk, Virginia) on April 19, 1962.