In April of 1910, a Chattanooga newspaper man, Walter Christopher Johnson, Sr., attended a meeting of newspaper men in New York city.  After hearing a speech about Scouting, he was so impressed with the program that he purchased several handbooks and brought them back to Chattanooga.  See 1982 History of Scouting in the Cherokee Area Council.

The Council awarded Johnson with the Silver Beaver award in 1937.

In 1962, the Executive Board recognized Johnson, a fellow Board member, for his contribution to Scouting and the fact that he was one of the original Executive Board members when the Council was formed.

Walter C. Johnson was vice-president and general manager of The Chattanooga News, Inc.

Then 1940 Census shows that Johnson, Sr. was born in approximately 1882, married to Lucy Hailey Johnson (b. approx.1890), son Walter Jr. (b. approx. 1917), and daughter Lucibel F. (b. approx. 1914).

Walter Jr. was born April 14, 1917 and died July 8, 1994.