Illinois Civil War Muster and Descriptive Rolls Database:
Johnston, William - Pvt - Co G - 100 IL US INF
Residence, Joliet, Will Co, IL; Join, 5Aug1862; Age 25; Born, Ayrshire, Scotland
Height, 5' 11"; Hair, brown; Eyes, blue; Complexion, light; Single; Farmer
Promoted corporal, Sergeant & 1Sgt in hospital at Nashville Tenn
Headstone Reading,
Will County Illinois USGenWeb Necrologist Reports (© 2002 The ILGenWeb Project All Rights Reserved):
Published Obituaries:
William Johnston, son of John and Mary (Campbell) Johnston, was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, June 10, 1838, and died in his home in Wilmington July 28, 1922, aged 84 years, one month and 18 days.
Mr. Johnston was the youngest of a family of seven children. His father died when he was but nine years of age. At the age of fifteen years he came to America with his mother, two brothers and three sisters, and settled in Joliet, where he lived until August 5, 1862, when he enlisted in Company G, 100th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Mr. Johnston was in action in a number of the great battles and was seriously wounded twice. At Louisville, Kentucky, he was wounded in his right hand and on November 30, 1864 at Franklin, Tennessee, he received a wound in the right hip which cofined him to a hospital until his discharge on June 20, 1865, at which time he held the rank of first sergeant. His wounded hip has been the cause of extreme suffering.
Mr. Johnston located on a farm in Wesley Township in 1867 and on November 7th of the same year he was married to Martha G. Hazelton. Eleven children were born to this union, two of whom have passed away. Norman Henry died February 20, 1876 and Charles William died January 15, 1902.
The surviving children are Mrs. George Beckwith, of Manteno: Mrs. D. E. Charter, of Essex; Mrs. A. C. Jones, of Ritchey; E. S. Johnston, Clear Lake, Iowa; Walter Johnston and John Johnston, of Wesley; Mrs. Ivan Woodward, of Altario, Canada; George Johnston and Miss Mabel Johnston, of Wilmington. There are also twenty-four grand children.
Mr. Johnston was always interested in community affairs and at various times has held township offices. He was an active member of Bowen Post, No. 17, G.A.R., of Wilmington. No native born citizen was more loyal to the interests of America and its institutions than he. In his life he manifested the sterling characteristics of the Scottish face.
When a young man he bacame affliated with the Presbyterian church in Joliet and later transferred his membership to the Methodist church in DeSelm. He was a faithful member but on account of defective hearing he could not take an active part in late years.
Mr. And Mrs. Johnston resided in Wesley until the spring of 1911 when they moved to Wilmington.
Mrs. Johnston passed away November 2, 1914.
After his wife's death Mr. Johnston continued to reside in his home on South Water street until his death. His last illness covered a period of seven weeks but he bore his sufferings with great fortitude.
The funeral was held from the late residence Monday afternoon at 1:30 o'clock. The Rev. C. N. Cordes, pastor of the Methodist church of Ritchey, conducted the service. Mrs. W. H. Whitmore and Miss Della Cassingham sang, very beautifully, "Lead Kindly Light", "Asleep in Jesus", "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere." Miss Eva Cassingham was the accompanist. The honorary pall bearers, all of whom were Civil War Vewterans, were, Dr. Cassingham, W. Diffy, L.F. Higble, Thomas Conklin, Lloyd Kahler and G. Swackhammer.
The active pall bearers were eight grandsons as follows: Howard, Harold and Earl charter, Merrill and Herbert Jones, Guy and Norman Beckwith and Charles Johnston.
Interment was in the family lot in Wesley cemetery.
Additional Biographical Material:
William's uncle was Joseph Campbell, who came to Joliet in the 1830s from Scotland. He built the Campbell/Strong house which still stands in Joliet.
Evidently Joseph brought his sister and her family to Will County in 1853. She was Mary Campbell Johnstone Hamilton, mother of William. It appears that they dropped the "e" from Johnstone when they came to this county.
In later years, William lived in the "octagon" house in Wilmington, where he died. He is buried in Wesley Cemetery, Wesley Township, DeSelm Rd. east of Chicago Road (near Ritchie)
... Biographical material submitted by a great-great-grand niece of William Johnston