Robert Johnston’s
Sketch of the
Original Old
Johnston
Family
Sketch Johnston
Original Family
Consisting of nine sons all of whom lived
to full manhood. No daughters were born to this union.
Alexand Johnston the father of
this family was born of protestant Scotch parents in Scotland
April 26, 1783. We, his
sons by his second wife, only know of his early life as a wool merchant in
Ulster
Province in Ireland
where it was said he lost $20,000 in a wool deal.
He was a tall raw-boned hardy Scotchman with a distinct
brogue in speech. He was considered a good speaker and singer who took an
active part in church work in the Episcopal church in Ireland
and Methodist church in America.
He was a member of the Tuberic church near the
village
of Cash in the
county
of Fermannah
where the Breens came from in Ireland
to Loyd, Wis.
Also, the Andersons and John R. Smyth’s families.
He belonged to the Orange Lodge in Ireland
and was an active opponent of the Roman Catholics wherever he lived. He read
the bible thru seven times and could readily locate many chapters.
He had three children by his first wife. Their names were
William, Jane and Anna Elizabeth Johnston. We now have no knowledge of them. He
also had three brothers, two of whom were supposed to have come to America,
but we know nothing of them.
This Alexander Johnston was married to Elizabeth Malone
about the year 1834 in Ulster,
Ireland,
probably near Cash Post Office, Co. of Formannah.
Elizabeth Malone was born of protestant Irish parentage Aug. 10, 1813, probably near where
she was married to our father, Alex. Johnston, about 1834 in Ulster.
He father kept store there.
Mother said girls were not taught only to read the new testament when she was a girl in school in Ireland.
However, she could figure mentally very rapidly what she needed to know about.
She was uncommonly good looking, ambitious and light-hearted generally.
Mother often told her nine sons about her father being
stoned by the Catholics when he attended the market fairs to buy or sell. She
was a devout christian.
1st Father and Mother’s first child,
Alexander, Jr., was born in Ireland
about 1836. He was a beautiful child and grew to be a powerful strong and
handsome man with beautiful curly black hair. He married Nancy Smith of the Ben
Smith family near Loyd, Wis.
about 1861.
He enlisted together with his brother, Robert, at
Madison,
Wis., Mar. 4, 1865 in 4th Wis. Cavalry and died
Mar. 15th in Camp
Randall
there only eleven days after enlistment.
Brother Robert brought his body home and it was buried in
Loyd
Cemetery. He was the first one of
the nine boys to pass away at age of 29 years.
He had one daughter, Alice who is now Alice Foust of
Cogswell, North Dakota.
Also, daughter Phoebe, who is now Phoebe
Pierce of Cumberland, Wis.
She was born after her father’s death. His wife Nancy then married Jake
Phillips and both are dead.
2nd While Father and Mother were immigrating from Ulster
in Ireland the second
son George W. Johnston was born on the Atlantic ocean
in 1838 in coming to Canada
perhaps to Quebec where they
lived some ten years after which they moved to Buffalo/Rochester, New
York.
Brother George at the age of twenty-five enlisted with brother James at Janesville,
Wis., Dec. 23, 1863 in company E 1st Wis. Cavalry.
He was with Gen. Sherman in the famous “March to the Sea” and was shot directly
in his right eye in fighting at Cartersville,
Ga.
The bullet lodged above the ear and remained there fourteen
days. George brought the bullet home with him. The ball had first hit Geo.’s
revolver or he would have been killed instantly.
He lived at Milton Junction, Wis.
until he was killed by accidently falling while
boarding a passenger train which cut off both his legs so he died June 25, 1873 while his legs were
being amputated.
He was buried by his old friends at Milton Junction. A Govt.
stone marks his grave.
3rd John, the third son,
was born in Canada,
Oct. 10, 1840. He enlisted
at age of 21 yrs. At Madison, Wis.
Oct. 14, 1861, being the
first one of the six brothers who volunteered.
Being an excellent marksman he was admitted as a
Sharpshooter in Company G Berdans Sharpshooters, and
took part in thirty-eight battles and fierce skirmishes. Fought
under all the five commanders of the Army of the Potomac in such battles as
Gettysburg, Spotsylvania, Cold Harbor, Petersburg etc.,
serving three years & 12 days.
In Oct. 1879 he married Millie Willis of
Smith
Valley and had a family of four
girls. His daught Mae is now wife of Percy Alexand of Ablemans. Cora and Jennette died when young ladies. His daughter Melissa
resides at home in City of Baraboo.
He has been a farmer all his life.
He is noted for his patriotism and opposition to Roman
Catholics which he justly inherited.
4th James, the fourth son,
was born Oct. 14, 1842 in Canada.
He enlisted (with brother Geo.) at age of 21 at Janesville,
Wis. Dec. 23, 1863 in Company E 1st Wis. Cavalry
and with brother George in Sherman’s
famous “March to the Sea”.
He was shot thru right lung May 26, 1864, in the charge at place called Burnt Hickory
near Atlanta, Ga.
He was married to Julia Ann Reed, nee Wright, in 1871; and
had family of two sons and two daughters; Wm. H., Frederick J. and Della who is
now wife of Elmer Wood.
The youngest child, Mary Ann, died of diphtheria at age of
twelve.
James has lived on his farm in Smith
Valley ever since the Civil War,
and always been great sufferer from his wound.
5th Richard and David were twins and born in
Canada June 26, 1845, being the fifth
and sixth sons of the original Johnston
family which had emigrated to America.
Richard enlisted at Madison Wis. At age of eighteen in 1864
in Company A 36th Wis.
Infantry. At battle of Cold Harbor he was injured by the
bursting of a shell in his back and shoulder. In the battle of Petersburg
he was shot in his left forearm which left him crippled for life. While in a
hospital his skull was broken by falling timber. He remained in hospitals until
close of the war.
In 18 he was married
to Caroline Lewis. To this union were born six children; namely, Frank, Edward,
Harvey, Henry, Lewis, and Nellie
who is now the wife of
Richard lived on the old Johnston
homestead until the death of mother on Apr.
29, 1874. He always lived on a farm either in Sauk or Richland Co.
He died Mar. 28, 1916 and
is buried in the Cemetery called Oaks out west of Ironton.
6th David the other twin of the 5th
and 6th sons, was always
abnormal; besides being so badly breached he was not able to cope with the
world. He disliked to attend school so never got an
education. He would rather do the worst of the farm work than attend school.
About 1870 he married Jane Fullington and lived on
his farm on Pleasant Ridge for a while, but later lived on the old original
homestead after Richard got a place of his own. David had a family of some six
or more children. The names of some are Marsh, Bert, Louis, Julian and Julian
who were twins. One girl is now the wife of
David died in 1906 and is buried in Cemetery at Loyd.
7th Robert, the seventh son,
was born in Canada,
Oct 10, 1848. He enlisted
with brother Alex. At Madison,
Mar. 4, 1865, being only
sixteen years old and the 6th brother of the Johnston’s
to volunteer.
He joined the Company K of 4th Wis. Cavalry. He
had the sad task of bringing our brother Alexander’s body home from Camp
Randall for burial and then was rushed south via the Miss river and took part
in subduing the rebels in La., Ga., Ala., Miss. and in Texas quieting the
Indians. At one time was nearly starved for food. In one raid he was
seventy-two days continuously in the saddle. Was discharged
at Brownsville, Texas March
8th, 1866. He was noted
for his bravery and patriotism in the army and is still one of the most
patriotic living. He always had the keenest of eyesight and found more bee
trees than any man in country.
In 1878 he married Serilda Willis
(twin sister of John’s wife Millie) and had a family of four sons and one
daughter Etta who, is now the wife of Chet B. Powell
of Sandusky. His oldest son Willis
H. died Nov. 1916, and is buried in Loyd
Cemetery. His second son, Thomas
G., resides on their homestead. The third son Walter lives on old Chas. Brown
farm. Marble, the younges child is at home.
8th Charles Curtis Johnston, the eighth
son, was born at Dunkirk, Dane Co.,
Wis.
On Oct 26, 1851.
In about 187 he married Sarah Ann Miller who died
after their son George and daughters Jennie and Dora were born. Jennie married
Dora married
He later married Maude Houston and raised five daughters,
namely Edith, Bessie, Lena, Gladys and Buelah, Edith married
Also, had two sons, Butler and Clem.
Charles C. died Nov. 1916 and is buried in the
Loyd
Cemetery. He was always a farmer
and lived near by. He was an earnest Christian and greatly devoted to his
family and brothers. He was very quick in actions and fine penman, to draw
birds etc. instinctively.
9th Henry Marshall, the nineth
son, was born on the Stone farm, some three miles from
Edgerton,
Wis. Oct. 30, 1853, being the youngest of the nine sons. From
1867 to 1871 he lived with brother batching it. The winters of 1871 and 1872
and 1872 and 1873 he attended the Spring
Green Academy
which was taught by J.H. Terry. After Beginning Nov. 1873 to Mar. 1877 he
taught country schools, the Griffen, Tuckertown and Harris schools. During 1877 and 1878 he
attended the Platteville state Normal school completing Elementary Course.
Beginning Sept. 1878, he taught the Ironton graded school for two years. During
1880 to 1883 he was principal of the Elroy
High school after which July 1883
he engaged in the lumber business at Madelia,
Minn.
Sold out and moved to LaValle,
Wis. Oct. 1884 where he operated his lumber
etc. Business six years. Moved to Baraboo 1890 and operated his lumber business
twenty-three years closing out the business Aug. 1914.
In July 1880 he married Martha R. Andrews. They have four
children; namely, Elmer S., Mabel E., Lella M. and
Rollin H. Their first child Mabel died in infancy and is buried in
Ironton
Cemetery. The next daughter Mabel
died 1918 and is buried in Baraboo
Cemetery.
Elmer S. in the banking business in Baraboo. Lella M. married Aug. F. Hasse
and lives in Sacramento, Calif. Rollin Henry is in the Army.
Henry Marshall made three pleasure trips to California
and in 1910 went with Wife and Rollin to see the Passion Play
at Oberamergua,
Bavaria,
Germany. Toured Italy, Switzerland, France, Belgium, England and Scotland.
Recapitulation.
Alexander Johnston Sr. and Elizabeth Malone, his wife
emigrated from Ireland
at the time of a famine there in either 1837 or 1838, embarking at Doublin for Quebec, Canada.
In those days it required about three months sailing. They lived in
Kingston,
Canada about eleven years
when they moved to Rochester, New
York in 1848 or 1849. Moved from Rochester
via Great Lakes landing in Milwaukee
in 1850, going directly via the Joe Goodrich House at Old Milton, Wis. Moved to
Dunkirk, Dane Co., Wis.
living there three years, and in 1853 moved to Rock Co., Wis.
on the Stone farm near the site of present Edgerton.
In 1856 they moved to township
of Washington, Sauk Co.,
where they resided until death. Aug
11, 1856 they bought the old homestead of Stephen Waters. The whole
country was wild and very thinly settled.
Alex. Johnston, Sr., our father died there Jan. 31, 1864, and is buried in Loyd
cemetery.
Elizabeth Johnston, our dear mother married James Wright
about Jun 1866 and died April 29 1874.
She is buried in Loyd cemetery. Her second husband, James Wright, was very kind
to us all and mother lived very happily with him until he died April 18, 1874 – eleven days before
mother died.
Dated
Sept. 1918.