WILLIAM B. JOHNSTON

Company "I" 3rd W.Va. Infantry, subsequently 6th W.Va. Cavalry

Researched & Compiled by Linda Fluharty

1850 Marshall County Census
WYKERT (530)
Nicholas...Farmer...$5,000...54-M...PA
Samuel...Constable...23-M...VA
Henry C...18-M...VA
Thomas B...10-M...VA
Thompson...8-M...VA
Marshall, Asberry...Laborer...23-M...PA
Johnston, Thomas...$2,000...41-M...OH
Phebe...35-F...VA
James...15-M...VA
John T...12-M...VA
William...7...VA
David B...5-M...VA
Franklin C...3-M...VA
Hanson...2-M...VA
Samantha E...3mo.-F...VA

1860 Marshall County Census
JOHNSTON (348)
Thomas...50-wm...farmer...OH
Phebe...44-wf...VA
James...28-wm...farm laborer...VA
John T...21-wm...farm laborer...VA
William...18-wm...farm laborer...VA
David...15-wm...farm laborer...VA
Franklin...13-wm...VA
Hanson...11-wm...VA
Clarence...9-wf...VA
Wily N...6-wm...VA
Bruce R...4-wm...VA
Harriett C...1-wf...VA

Service Record: Surname is spelled with equal frequency as “Johnson.” At age 20, joined for duty & enrolled on July 6, 1861 at Camp Hewes near Clarksburg; mustered in there on July 10. “Killed in action at White Sulphur Springs, Va., August 26, 1863.” “Killed at Rocky Gap, Aug. 26, 1863.” “Born in Marshall County, Va.”

He was the son of Thomas and Phebe (Logsdon) Johnston, found in the 1850 & 1860 Marshall County census records. William’s siblings in 1860 were James, John T., Franklin, David, Hanson, Clarence, Wily N., Bruce R. and Harriett C.

The mother died in 1860 and she is buried on the property of the Moundsville Rifle & Pistol Club, along with two of her sons, Franklin and John T.

In 1874, Thomas Johnston, father, received a government pension, based on William’s death; Certificate #183350.

William’s brother, Franklin, died in 1865, while serving in the 17th W.Va. Infantry. Brother, David, served in the 17th, as well, and a biography of him in the book, Presidents, Soldiers, Statesmen, notes his two brothers’ deaths. It is posted on the Marshall County WVGenWeb site. Another brother, John T., also served in the 3rd W.Va. Infantry, which became the 6th Cavalry.

“Johnston” is the most consistent spelling by the family.

While there are dozens of errors in the Civil War section of the 1925 Marshall County history book by Scott Powell, the book correctly states - TWICE - that this man died.


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