Obituary of George Johnston

George was born in Coldwater, Michigan. Were it not for the handwritten piece of paper left in a Johnston Bible, there would have been no reason to think that the family had been in Michigan at any time. George's two oldest sisters were born in Ohio and the third in New York according to various census reports. George lived in four different states during his lifetime. He was born in Michigan and the family was residing there for the 1860 census. By 1870 they were in Cleveland, Ohio where they were recorded in the census. When George was about 17 he was listed as a laborer living at his parents address at 50 Cross St. and the next year as a plumber, same address.

Apparently after George's mother had died in 1876 and his sister Clara had married in 1875, George moved to Chicago, Illinois near where his sister Clara and her husband Henry H. Tegardine, and Henry's sister, Sarah Ann Hazen Lightbaum had moved in Hyde Park in Chicago. They were all residing there for the 1880 census.

The family has wondered about the "step-brother" Clarence. George is married to Sophia Engelbrecht in Dec of 1879, if my detective work holds. They are listed together for the 1880 census, listing George as working in a foundry. Clarence was born in 1882 according to the handwritten paper. There was no record of his birth at the Cook County Courthouse. Not all births had to be registered at that time. Then I assume that Sophia died before 1889 when George married Anna Julia Friese although I cannot find out what George did with Clarence if Sophia indeed died. I have not found Clarence in the 1900 census as yet. Clarence is listed in the 1910 census living at 1926 Sedgwick St. in Chicago, with his father George. See Clarence for further information.

In the 1900 census George and Anna live on Huron St. in Chicago, possibly with other families. The census taker did not mark dwelling numbers. They were still living in Chicago when Marie was married since Jane, her first child was born in Illinois.

In 1910, George was listed with Clarence. Apparently George and Anna had a falling out, possibly over Clarence or George's previous marriage. See Anna's notes as she is supposedly remarried in 1910 in Michigan.

George and Anna were still in Chicago and Douglas, Michigan respectively in 1911 when Florence was married in LaPorte, Indiana. By the1920 census they were back together living at 1022 1/2 Lincoln Way. This was the same address noted on the death certificate. Death certificate for George lists Hiram Johnston as George's father born in Ohio, his mother's name as not known, born in America. Information was given by Mrs. Anna Johnston. George was working for the Rumely Factory at his death. He died of ureanic poisoning due to chronic intestinal nephritis.

Anna Catherine Julia Friese or Freese had no birth certificate available from Chicago due to the Great Fire. The information on her birth came from the handwritten paper in the Bible and was the same on her death certificate where the information was given by her daughter, Marie. Recent research has located baptismal records from St. Peter Lutheran Church in Arlington Heights which also confirms this birth date.

In the 1900 census Anna and George are living at 39 Huron St. with four of the five children. Hiram George had been born and had died before this date. In 1910 George is living with Clarence and a live-in housekeeper at 1926 Sedgwick St. Anna was found living in Saugatuk, Allegan County, Michigan, married to Lewis H. Burlingham. She is there with Arthur and Virginia. According to the census they were married within the year prior to the census. The reasons for the split of Anna and George have not been found yet. Evidence now suggests that Anna went to Michigan to be near her sister, Pauline Kuhs who was living in Allegan County at that time. Daughter Florence is most probably a cook at a hotel in St. Joseph, Michigan, and Marie is divorced from John Fairgrieve and living in Trowbridge, Allegan County, Michigan with her daughter Jennie (later Jane) in 1910.

George and Anna were back together in the 1920 census in La Porte, Indiana living at 1022 1/2 Lincoln Way with daughter Virginia. It is not known as yet what happened to Lewis Burlingham.

After George died in LaPorte in 1922, Anna went to Holland, Michigan to be with her daughter, Marie, Mrs. Earl Dominy. She died there later the same year.