George was born in Coldwater, Michigan. Were it not for the handwritten piece of paper left in a Johnston Bible, there would have been no reason to think that the family had been in Michigan at any time. George’s two oldest sisters were born in Ohio and the third in New York according to various census reports. George lived in four different states during his lifetime. He was born in Michigan and the family was residing there for the 1860 census. By 1870 they were in Cleveland, Ohio where they were recorded in the census. When George was about 17 he was listed as a laborer living at his parents address at 50 Cross St. and the next year as a plumber, same address.
Apparently after George’s mother had died in 1876 and his sister Clara had married in 1875, George moved to Chicago, Illinois. Hyde Park in Chicago was where his sister Clara and her husband Henry H. Tegardine, and Henry’s sister, Sarah Ann Hazen Lightbaum were living. The sister was what enabled me to narrow down the possible Georges. They were all residing there for the 1880 census.
The family has wondered about the “step-brother” Clarence. George is married to Sophia Engelbrecht in Dec of 1879 as George Johnson, if my detective work holds. They are listed together for the 1880 census, listing George as working in a foundry. Clarence was born 7 March 1882 according to the handwritten paper. There was no record of his birth at the Cook County Courthouse. Not all births had to be registered at that time. Then I had assumed that Sophia died or they were divorced before 1889 when George married Anna Julia Friese although I cannot find out what George did with Clarence if Sophia indeed died. I have not found a definitive Clarence in the 1900 census as yet. Clarence is listed in the 1910 census living at 1926 Sedgwick St. in Chicago, with his father George. See Clarence for further information.
In the 1900 census George and Anna live on Huron St. in Chicago, possibly with other families. The census taker did not mark dwelling numbers. They were still living in Chicago when Marie was married since Jane, her first child was born in Illinois, the others in Michigan.
In 1910, George was listed with Clarence. Apparently they had a falling out, possibly over Clarence or George’s previous marriage. See Anna’s notes as she is “remarried” in 1910 in Michigan.
George and Anna were still in Chicago and Douglas, Michigan respectively in 1911 when Florence was married. By the 1920 census George and Anna were back together living at 1022 1/2 Lincoln Way in LaPorte, Indiana. This was the same address noted on the death certificate for George. Death certificate for George lists Hiram Johnston as George’s father born in Ohio, his mother’s name as not known, born in America. Information was given by Mrs. Anna Johnston. George was working for the Rumely Factory at his death. He died of ureanic poisoning due to chronic intestinal nephritis.
©2012 Original narrative by Nancy Ratay

1860 Michigan, Branch County, Coldwater Village, page 52, line 17, stamped page 920, film M653-538 (taken June 7, 1860)
Hiram Johnson, age 37, male, moulder, born Ohio
Anomarish------, age 33, female, born Ohio
Emma------------, age 10, female, born Ohio
Mary------------, age 8, female, born Ohio
Carra-------------, age 7, female, born New York
George-----------, age 3, male, born Michigan

1870 Ohio, Cuyahoga County, City of Cleveland, page 341 or 37, film M593-1189, (taken 10 June 1870)
dwelling 268, family 289
Johnson, Hiram , age 48, male, moulder, personal $300, born Ohio
-----------, Annie , age 43, female , keeps house, born Ohio
-----------, Emma, age 20, female, born Ohio
-----------, Mary, age 18, female, born Ohio
-----------, Clara, age 16, female, born New York
-----------, George, age 13, male, born Michigan

1880 Illinois Cook County, Chicago, Hyde Park, E.D. 193, sheet 10B, page 89B, film T9-0199 (taken 4 June 1880)
dwelling 86, family 91
Johnston(e?), Geo, white, male, age 23, married, works in foundry, born U.S., father born England, mother born Pennsylvania
---------------, Sophie, white, female, age 20, wife, married, keeps house, born Iowa, parents born Germany

1900 Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, 23rd Ward, vol. 51, E.D. 706, sheet 8B, line 88, p. 23, film T623-273 (taken 8 June 1900)
dwelling 73, family 164, 39 Huron Street
Johnston, George, head, white, male, July 1857, age 42, married 12 years, born Michigan, parents born Michigan, iron moulder
-----------, Anna, wife, white, female, July 1870, age 29, married 12 years, born Illinois, parents born Germany
-----------, Mamie, daughter, white, female, Sept 1889, age 10, single, born Illinois, father born Michigan, mother born Illinois
-----------, Florence, daughter, white, female, July 1891, age 8, single, born Illinois, father born Michigan, mother born Illinois
-----------, Arthur, son, white, male, May 1895, age 5, single, born Illinois, father born Michigan, mother born Illinois

1910 Illinois, Cook County, Chicago, E.D. 984, sheet 1B, visit #14, film T624-266 (taken 15 Apr 1910)
1926 Sedgwick St., dwelling 8, family 14
Johnston, Clarence, head, male, white, age 28, single, born Ohio, father born Michigan, mother born Iowa, teamster
-----------, George, father, male, white, age 53, married twice, born Michigan, father born Ohio, mother born Pennsylvania, molder in foundry
Martin, Clara, housekeeper, female, white, age 33, married once, mother of 3 children, 3 living, born Indiana, father born Ohio, mother born Ohio, housekeeper

1920 Indiana, LaPorte County, Center Township, 2nd Ward La Porte City, Vol. 55, E.D. 117, sheet 2A, line 30, film T625-447, (taken 5 Jan 1920)
1022 1/2 Lincoln Way, dwelling 27, family 30
Johnston, George, head, male, white, age 62, married, born Michigan, father born New York, mother born Pennsylvania, sweeper factory
Johnston, Anna, wife, female, white, age 49, married, born Illinois, parents born Germany
Downey, Virginia, daughter, female, white, age 19, widowed, born Illinois, father born Michigan, mother born Illinois, laborer, woolen mill

-----------deceased

1857-1869 Coldwater, Branch County, Michigan
1870-1879 Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio60,61,62
1879-ca1919 Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
1880 Johnson, George (census) Hyde Park
1880 Johnson, George (unknown male birth) Greenwood Ave., Grand Crossing
1891 Johnston, George (Florence birth) 822 Washtenaw Ave.
1895 Johnston, George (Arthur birth) 39 Huron
1900 Johnston, George (census) 39 Huron
1901 Johnston, George H, molder, 39 Huron
1904 Johnston, George H, molder h 39 Huron
1905 Johnston, George H, molder h. 39 Huron
1906 Johnston, George H, molder, 39 Huron
1907 Johnston, George H, molder, 39 Huron
1908 Johnston, George H, molder, 39 Huron
1909 neither Clarence nor George is in this directory under Johnston or Johnson
1910 Johnston, George living with Clarence at 1926 Sedgwick Chicago
1911 neither listed under Johnston; Johnson, Clarence, teamster 2122 Pearl Ct;
Johnson, Geo H Machinist 3613 Belmont Av. or Geo machinist 2219 No. Whipple
1912 Johnston, Geo, machinist rear 2815 No Fairfield Av.
Johnston, Clarence, teamster 359 Garfield Av.
1913 not found definitively, Clarence under Johnson, C.H., teamster
1914 no Clarence under Johnson or Johnston as a teamster
no George as molder
1919-1922 La Porte, LaPorte County, Indiana

LaPorte Daily Argus, Monday, 16 January 1922, page 4
George Herbert Johnson
George Herbert Johnston, living at 1022 1/2 Lincoln Way, passed away yesterday afternoon, death resulting from Bright’s disease. The funeral services, conducted by Rev. G.G. Bratzel, will be held at the Decker chapel tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock, interment to follow in the Lutheran cemetery. The remains may be viewed at any time tomorrow.
Mr. Johnston was a native of Coldwater, Mich., where he was born July 14th, 1857. He had been a resident of LaPorte for the past three years. His occupation was that of an iron moulder. He is survived by his widow, Anna Johnston, and four children, Clarence, Marie, Arthur and Florence. He had been ill for about three months. Mr. Johnston was at one time a member of a Knights of Pythias lodge in Chicago.