Pharris Deloach Johnson

Pharris ("P.J.") Johnson’s roots go deep into Evans County, Georgia, history. He is a descendent of some of the area’s oldest pioneers, including the Brewton, Tippins and DeLoach families, and his farm, “Johnson Hill,” located on the eastern edge of Bellville, has been owned by his family since 1850.

Johnson is the author of five books on Georgia local history. These include Evans County and the Creation of Ft. Stewart, Georgia; Bellville, Georgia – The First Hundred Years; and Houses of Heart Pine: A Survey of the Antebellum Architecture of Evans County, Georgia. A retired Air Force colonel, Johnson has an undergraduate business degree from the University of Georgia. He holds graduate degrees in business from Central Michigan University and historic preservation from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD).

Prior to his retirement in 2012, Johnson served as the vice president for SCAD Atlanta and previously as chief of staff for SCAD President Paula Wallace in Savannah. In recognition of his lasting contributions to SCAD, he was awarded an honorary doctorate at the university’s June 2012 commencement ceremony and in 2013 was elected to the SCAD board of trustees.