William Butler Johnston

William Butler Johnston

William Butler Johnston, 1809-1887

• William Butler Johnston was born on 9 November 1809 in Eatonton, Putnam County, Georgia.
• He married Anne Clark Tracy, daughter of Edward Dorr Tracy and Susan Griffin Campbell, on 2 August 1851 in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia, or 2 September.
• Flora McQueen Campbell appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1860 in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Other members of the household included William Butler Johnston, Susan Campbell Rowland, Alexander McKenzie Rowland, Edwin Campbell Rowland, Anne Clark Tracy and Edward Tracy Johnston.
• William Butler Johnston and Anne Clark Tracy appeared in the US federal census of 1 June 1870 in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia. Other members of the household included Caroline Tracy Johnston, Mary Ellen Johnston, Susan Campbell Tracy, Georgia Elizabeth Tracy and John Spring Baxter.
• He was president of an insurance company, according to the 1870 census.
• William Butler Johnston died on 20 October 1887 at age 77 in Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.
• He was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Macon, Bibb County, Georgia.
• The following appeared on 21 October 1887 in The Macon Telegraph: William B. Johnston died at noon yesterday. /P/ In many respects Mr. Johnston was a remarkable man. His wealth, his palatial home anhd his connection with corporations gave him a prominence that made his face familiar to the people of Macon. . . . /P/ He was born in Putnam county in 1809. His father was a Virginian, and settled in Georgia to farm. . . . In August 1851, he married Miss Annie Tracy, a daughter of the late Judge Edward Dorr Tracy, one of the founders, and the first intendant of the city of Macon. Miss Tracy was one of the most brilliant young ladies of this entire section. . . . During the war he was appointed by his friend, C. G. Memminger, who was then secretary of the treasury of the Confederate states, an agent to purchase cotton for the government and to receive cotton on loans. In 1862 he was appointed by President Davis, at the unsolicited recommendation of the Georgia representatives in Congress the depository of the Confederate States at Macon, and this was one of the most important points in the South, doing a business almost equal to that of Richmond. . . . /P/ Mr. Johnston was taken sick in the early part of last March. He complained of a sore throat and for some time was unable to talk. He continued sick, and in August went with his family to Waukesha, in Wisconsin, where the water, but not the climate, agreed with him. He was then removed to White Sulphur Springs, in Virginia, and returned to Macon a few weeks ago. He was accompanied on his trip by Dr. Baxter, who was untiring in his efforts to render the invalid every possibly comfort. For several days he continued to grow worse, his disease being an enlargement of the heart, and yesterday at noon he quietly passed away. He leaves a sorrowing wife and two daughters, Mrs. George W. Duncan and Miss Mary Ellen Johnston. /P/ The funeral will take place this morning.

• Last Edited: 17 Jun 2010

• Charts: Descendants of CAMPBELL Archibald & Rebecca Kirk