Grundy County IL Archives Biographies.....Johnston, Matthew 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com March 25, 2006, 3:50 pm

Author: Bio/Gen Record LaSalle/Grundy 1900

Matthew Johnston, whose long and active useful life is well worthy of 
emulation and who is accounted one of the leading citizens of Mazon, was born 
in Uniontown, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, June 27, 1821, his parents being 
Andrew and Mary (Thompson) Johnston. The father was a native of Pennsylvania 
and a son of William Johnston, whose birth occurred in Ireland. The 
grandfather was probably of Scotch-Irish lineage, and in his religious faith 
was a Presbyterian. Andrew Johnston was born in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, 
and worked as a teamster in the days when freight was transported by means of 
horse power. He married Mary Thompson, also of Fayette county, and to them 
were born the following children: William, Matthew, Jane, Lorrimer, Sidney, 
Ann and Sarah. Leaving the county of his nativity, Andrew Johnston removed 
with his family to Richland county, Ohio, becoming one of the pioneer 
residents of that locality. There he followed farming and freighting until his 
death, his demise occurring when he was thirty-five years of age, while making 
one of his trips. His widow survived him until eighty-two years of age, making 
her home with her son Matthew, in Grundy county, Illinois.

Matthew Johnston was only about a year and a half old when his parents removed 
to Richland county, Ohio. He received a limited education in the public 
schools, but was not yet eight years of age at the time of his father's death. 
He then went to live with an uncle, William Thompson, with whom he remained 
until seventeen years of age, when he went to Uniontown, Pennsylvania, to 
learn the brick-mason's trade. He served a three-years apprenticeship under 
William Meredith, receiving at various times four, five and six dollars per 
month. When he had thoroughly mastered the business he returned to Guernsey 
county, Ohio, where he worked at his trade for six years, after which he spent 
six years in Jefferson county, Ohio, following the same pursuit.

On the 19th of April, 1842, in Guernsey county, Mr. Johnston was united in 
marriage to Miss Mary Jane Preston, who was born September 6, 1824, in 
Tuscarawas county, Ohio, a daughter of William and Annie (Carson) Preston. Her 
paternal grandparents were William and Zubah (Sweet) Preston: the former was 
born in Vermont, near Lake Champlain, and was descended from English ancestors 
who located in America in colonial days. By occupation he was a farmer, and at 
an early period in the pioneer epoch of Ohio he removed to Tuscarawas county. 
His children were Elijah, Sarah, Mary, John, Oliver, Elizabeth, James and 
Zubah. William Preston, Jr., was reared upon a farm and was married in 
Tuscarawas county to Annie Carson, a daughter of Andrew and Jane Carson, the 
former of French lineage and the latter of Holland-Dutch descent. Andrew 
Carson was a farmer and tanner, and removed to Sandusky, Ohio, locating upon a 
farm, where he died at an advanced age. His children were Zachariah, John, 
Samuel, Andrew, Margaret, Jane and Annie. For a number of years William 
Preston, Jr., resided in Tuscarawas county, Ohio, but afterward removed to 
Hancock county, that state. Their daughter, Mrs. Johnston, however, was born 
in the former county. By her marriage she became the mother of ten children: 
William, the oldest, born April 9, 1843, in Guernsey county, was a soldier in 
the civil war. He enlisted at Mazon in August, 1862, as a member of Company D, 
One Hundred and Twenty-seventh Illinois Infantry, under Captain Chandler, for 
three years or during the war, continuing at the front until honorably 
discharged on the 5th of June, 1865. He participated in the battles of Lookout 
Mountain, Vicksburg, the Atlanta campaign and the memorable march to the sea 
under Sherman. He is now living in York county, Nebraska. The other children 
of the family are Andrew C., who was born in Guernsey county, April 28, 1845; 
Mary A., born October 9, 1847, in Jefferson county, Ohio; Harriet M., born 
July 4, 1850, and died in 1851; Sarah M., born April 5, 1853, in Mazon 
township, Grundy county, Illinois; Finley P., born March 4, 1856; John F., 
born July 2, 1860; Charles S., born April 1, 1862; Clara B., born September 
20, 1864, in Mazon township; and Nellie A., born January 28, 1868.

After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Johnston, of this review, located in 
Guernsey county, Ohio, where he worked at his trade and erected many 
substantial buildings, including the Catholic church in Washington, Ohio, and 
many good residences. In 1847 he removed to Jefferson county, Ohio, locating 
on a farm. In 1852 he came to Illinois, taking up his residence in Mazon 
township, Grundy county, a mile south of the village of Mazon. There he 
successfully followed farming for some time. He bought land and became the 
owner of a valuable property, which he continued to cultivate until 1884, when 
he removed to Mazon. In the village he purchased a comfortable residence, and 
has since practically lived a retired life, although he has been the promoter 
of various enterprises which have contributed to the welfare of the town, and 
was one of the builders of the opera house, of which he is still one of the 
proprietors. His wife has for many years been a member of the Methodist church 
and he contributes to its support.

In politics, Mr. Johnston is a stalwart Republican, served as supervisor for 
three terms, as assessor for nine years and as a member of the school board 
for four years, discharging the duties in a most prompt and able manner.



Additional Comments:
Source:  Biographical and Genealogical Record of La Salle and Grundy County, 
Illinois, Volume 11, Chicago, 1900, p636-638

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