Tapley Ormond Johnson, Jr., son of Tapley Johnson and Lydia Matthews, was born August 5, 1794 in Cumberland County, North Carolina (the area is now Harnett County).
On September 10, 1814, at age 20, he volunteered and was enlisted with the Third Regiment of the North Carolina Militia under Captain John Armstrong, and served under the command of Colonel Moore.   (Detached militia organized Aguust 1814, Second Regiment).

On January 22, 1824, he was married to Mary (Polly) Atkins, living on the Cape Fear River near Summerville, North Carolina.  The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Allen McDougald.  Relatives in attendance who witnessed the wedding were Mary Bethea and Caroline E. Turner.  At this time Tapley, Jr. was thirty years old and Polly was twenty-four. 

Both had received a goodly inheritance of land and slaves, so there was a marriage contract agreed upon and set-up, stating neither would lay claim on the other's property.  Tapley Ormond had received from his father by gift of deeds, 635 acres of land and several slaves.  For his service in the War of 1812 he received a bounty of 80 acres, and for the next twenty-two years after his marriage he acquired by land grant and deed purchases 1073 acres of land - making a total of 1788 acres of land on and near the waters of the Cape Fear, on Little Creek, Hector's Creek and Avent's Creek, north of Lillington, N.C.  He built a large house and had it furnished when he brought his bride over the threshold. Two beautiful sets of china, a breakfast set and a dinner set, his wedding gifts to his bride.  There was also beautiful jewelry, silver, pewter, and walnut furniture. 

To this union were born six boys and 4 girls.  Three little girls died with a fever, so only one daughter graced the home, Mary Ann, who pinned a note on the bedpost and ran off with a dashing your rascal, William Blackwood, from the Chapel Hill area.  This was always the grief of Grandpa Tapley's heart.  At one time or another he laid a coin in each of his grandchildren's hands and said, "This is for you to remember to always obey your parents.  My only daughter, Mary Ann, never disobeyed me but once, and that was to her life's  sorrow!"   The children were all very musical, playing several instruments and making merry with dancing and partying; fishing and hunting, and riding to the hounds in the autumn fox chase.  Deer and wild turkeys abounded in that area, and made for wonderful tablefare that cultivated culinary acumen in the tribe of the Johnsons that grew up in that day.  Into  all  lives "some rain must fall", but his clan has a high standard of worth; a keen sense of humor and has no compromise for mediocracy.  Grandpa Tapley had a paralytic stroke - which did not cripple him nor make his head bowed - at age 81 his eyes were dim, but his spirit had more than a glimpse of the enternal light that shines bright in darkest places.  

Story from the book "Concerning Our Ancestors the Johnsons and their kin by Ruth Behea Johnson, distributed by Standard Homes Plan Service, Inc., Fuquay-Varina, NC