Born in 1860, in Alabama, Reavis Johnston “R.J.” Terry was named after his father’s mentors. As a young teen, R.J.’s father, John Taliaferro Terry, lost his father and was taken in by his sister’s husband, Colonel Robert Johnston. John became a lawyer, like Johnston, and went into a law partnership with the Honorable Turner Reavis.
Interesting to note, from a research standpoint, I would not have been able to identify this sitter if the person had not penned “Birmingham, Ala.” after the name. I would have been looking in the location of the photographer, E.J. Dunshee, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Although R.J. may have lived in Philadelphia at some time during his life, I did not find a record of it.
Sources:
Census records
History of Alabama and Dictionary of Alabama Biography, Volume 4, published 1921
Birmingham, Alabama City Directory
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