Re: William Johnston of Benton/ Calhoun County, Al.

Lee,

I am also researching the Johnston family of Calhoun County, AL. Did your William have a son named Dewey Johnston, born about 1888?

We know from the 1920 census that Dewey's mother, Martha, was widowed and that she was born about 1866. If William is not Dewey's father, he must be one of his uncles. William had at least seven brothers.

William Johnston appears as "Wm. A." in the 1860 Calhoun County, AL census, ranges 8&9, enumerated June 18th, 1860:

Thomas Johnston------54---Ireland - blacksmith
Ann------------------36---NC
James R.-------------16---AL
Samuel N.------------13---AL
Thomas P.------------11---AL
H.L.------------------9---AL
Harriet P.------------7---AL
Wm. A.----------------4---AL
Robert C.-------------2---AL
Mary L. -------------11 mos---AL
================================
And in the 1870 Calhoun County, Alabama Census, Pct 4, Oxford post office, Sept 10, 1870:

Ann Johnston-----46---NC - farmer
S.N. (son)-------23---AL
T.P (son)--------21---AL
H.L. (son)-------19---AL
H.T. (dau)-------17---AL
W.A. (son)-------15---AL
R.C. (son)-------13---AL
F.G. (son)-------10---AL
A.S. (son)--------7---AL
==========================
The family also appears in the 1850 Benton County census. Benton County became Calhoun County in 1858.
Thanks,
JMJ