Brief Life History of William B.
When William B. Johnson was born in February 1830, in Norfolk, Ontario, Canada, his father, Levi Johnson, was 28 and his mother, Margaret Backhouse, was 20. He married Mary B. Dubid on 7 May 1852, in Ontario, Canada. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 5 daughters. He died on 28 November 1904, in Brockway, Brockway Township, St. Clair, Michigan, United States, at the age of 74.
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Family Time Line
Sources (11)
- William B Johnston, "United States Census, 1900"
- Wm B Johnson in entry for Levi Johnson and Hannah Jones, "Michigan, County Marriages, 1820-1940"
- Wm. B. Johnson in entry for Mary H. Palmerlee, "Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897"
Spouse and Children
1830–1904 Male
1830–1909 Female
Children (6)
1855– Female
1856–1921 Female
1858–1913 Female
1858–1889 Female
1860– Male
+1 More Child
Parents and Siblings
1801–1867 Male
1809–1887 Female
Siblings (7)
1830–1904 Male
1832–1897 Male
1842–1930 Female
1846– Male
1849– Male
+2 More Children
World Events (8)
1832 · The Black Hawk War
Age 2
1837
Age 7
1863
Age 33
Name Meaning
English and Scottish: patronymic from the Middle English and Older Scots personal name Johan, Jo(h)n (see John ) + -son. It was often interchanged with Jenson and Janson . In North America, this surname has absorbed cognates from other languages, e.g. Norwegian, Danish, or North German Johnsen , Johannesen , Johannsen , Johansen , Jansen , Jantzen , and Jensen , Swedish Johnsson (see below), Johansson , Jonsson , and Jansson , Dutch Janssen , German Janz , Czech Jansa 1, and Slovenian Janša (see Jansa 2) and Janežič (see Janezic ). Johnson (including in the sense 2 below) is the second most frequent surname in the US. It is also the second most common surname among Native Americans and a very common surname among African Americans.
Americanized form (and a less common Swedish variant) of Swedish Johnsson: patronymic from the personal name John, a variant of Jon (see John ). Compare 1 above.
History: Surname Johnson was brought independently to North America by many different bearers from the 17th and 18th centuries onward. Andrew Johnson (1808–75), 17th president of the US, was born in Raleigh, NC, the younger son of Jacob Johnson and Mary (or Polly) McDonough. Little is known of his ancestors. The 36th president, Lyndon B. Johnson, dates his American forebears back seven generations to James Johnston (sic) (born c. 1662) who lived at Currowaugh, Nansemond, and Isle of Wight counties, VA. — Noted early bearers also include Marmaduke Johnson (died 1674), a printer who came from England to MA in 1660; Edward Johnson (1598–1672), a colonial chronicler who was baptized at St. George's parish, Canterbury, England, and emigrated to Boston in 1630; and Sir Nathaniel Johnson (c. 1645–1713), a colonial governor of Carolina, who came from County Durham, England.
Dictionary of American Family Names © Patrick Hanks 2003, 2006.
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