He was born on 2 December 1841, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Thomas Johnston (born Ireland) and Isabella McKee (born Ireland). [sources: date: 16, 18; 6 (19 in 1861), 7 (22 probably in 1863), 17 (35 in 1880). place: 7, 16, 17, 18. parents: 16]
When he enlisted, he was a carter. [source: 6]
When he enlisted, he was 5 feet 8 inches tall, and had a light complexion, hazel eyes, and brown hair. [sources: 6 (5'8-1/2", fair complexion, grey eyes, brown hair), 7 (5'8", light complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair)]
He enlisted and was mustered into service on 23 October 1861. He was enlisted for three years, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by Captain Keyser. He was mustered in as a private at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a private in company B. [sources: 1, 6, 7, 9, 12, 19, 20]
He was transferred to company C. [sources: 1, 6]
On 3 June 1863, he returned to his company, probably from detached duty. [source: 5]
On 15 August 1863, he was detailed as a driver in the Brigade ambulance corps. [source: 2]
He reenlisted as a veteran volunteer on 26 December 1863, at Bealton, Virginia. [sources: 1, 6]
On 26 April 1864, he was detailed by Lieutenant Colonel Sinex for duty in the ambulance corps, and ordered to report to brigade headquarters. He was still an ambulance driver in September (?) 1864. [sources: 3, 4 (27 Apr), 8]
He was absent when the regiment mustered out on 10 July 1865. He was a private, in company C. [sources: 1, 6, 9 (discharged 10 July 1865), 19, 20]
In 1865/66, he married Mary [unknown surname]. She was born in September 1849, in Germany. She immigrated to the United States in 1854. They apparently had nine children, five of whom were alive in 1900, including:
[sources: 17, 18]
In 1880, he was living at 212 McClellan Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Mary, and children Mary, John, Robert, and A Fanny. He was a laborer. [source: 17]
In 1890, he was living at 1715 Dutton Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was a driver. James Robinson, a driver, was also living there. [sources: 9, 10]
On 7 October 1890, he successfully applied for a pension from Pennsylvania. [sources: 11, 12, 13]
In 1900, he was living at 113 Watkins Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was living with his wife Mary, and children John, Robert, Thomas, Cassie, and Annie, and Robert's wife Mary. He was a produce huckster, and had not been out of work in the previous year. [source: 18]
On 19 February 1906, at 6.30 AM, he died, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He died of apoplexy. He was a dealer. He was living at 114 Watkins Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On 22 February 1906, he was buried in Northwood Cemetery, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. [sources: 12, 14, 15, 16]
On 24 [?] February 1906, his widow, Mary Johnston, successfully applied for a pension from Pennsylvania. [sources: 11, 12, 13]
1 Bates, Samuel Penniman. History of Pennsylvania volunteers, 1861-5. Harrisburg: B. Singerly, state printer, 1869-71. 5 volumes. 'Ninety-first regiment', volume 3, pages 186-233. (In the roster)
2 special order 54, HQ 91st PA, 15 August 1683
3 special order 38, HQ 91st PA, 26 April 1864
4 [list of detailed men, probably from Sept 1864] (Thomas Johnston [sic])
5 consolidated morning report, HQ 91st PA, 3 June 1863 (Private Johnson)
6 Civil War Veterans' Card File, available at the Pennsylvania State Archives, searched 28 June 2004 (Thomas Johnson)
7 company C, descriptive roll, entry 93 (Thomas Johnson)
8 consolidated morning report, 91st Pennsylvania, 27 April 1864 (Thomas Johnson)
9 1890 United States census, veterans schedule, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 128, enumeration district 17, page 3 (image 81 on Ancestry), line 32 (Thomas Johnson)
10 1890 Gopsill's Philadelphia directory (searched January 2005, on Ancestry) (Thomas Johnson)
11 pension index, by regiment (Thomas Johnston [sic])
12 pension index, by regiment, 91st PA Infantry, company C (Thomas Johnston)
13 pension index, by name (Thomas Johnston)
14 Pennsylvania death indices, 1906 ("Johnston, Thomas: 17347; Phila.; Feb. 19.")
15 death notice, Philadelphia Inquirer, 20 February 1906, page 7 (Thomas Johnston)
16 death certificate, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19 February 1906 #4983 (Thomas Johnston)
17 1880 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 27, microfilm series T9, film 1167, pages 429 = 19 C to 439 = 20 D handwritten (FamilySearch) (Thomas Johnson)
18 1900 US census, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, ward 1, supervisor's district 1, enumeration district 17, microfilm series T623, film 1451, page 219 = 7 A handwritten (FamilySearch) (Thomas Johnson)
19 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Thomas Johnson)
20 index to compiled service records of volunteer Union soldiers who served in organizations from the state of Pennsylvania (Thomas Johnston)
| line | 48 | 49 | 50 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| street name | McClellan Street | McClellan Street | ||||
| house number | 212 | 212 | ||||
| dwelling visit # | 169 | 169 | ||||
| family visit # | 169 | 169 | ||||
| name | Johnson Thomas | Mary | Mary | Johnson John | " " Robert | " " A. Fanny |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | F | M | M | F |
| age | 35 | 30 | 10 | 8 | 4 | 1 |
| month born if born in year | ||||||
| relationship | Wife | Daughter | Son | Daughter | Daughter | |
| single | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| married | 1 | 1 | ||||
| widowed/divorced | ||||||
| married during year | ||||||
| occupation | Laborer | Keeping house | At School | School | ||
| months unemployed | ||||||
| currently ill? | ||||||
| blind | ||||||
| deaf/dumb | ||||||
| idiotic | ||||||
| insane | ||||||
| disabled | ||||||
| school this year | 1 | 1 | ||||
| can't read | ||||||
| can't write | ||||||
| birthplace | Phila | Germany | Phila | Phila | Phila | Phila |
| father's birthplace | Phila | Germany | Phila | Phila | Phila | Phila |
| mother's birthplace | France | Bohemia | Phila | Germany | Germany | Germany |
| line | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 |
| street | Watkins | |||||||
| house number | 113 | |||||||
| dwelling number | 119 | |||||||
| family number | 123 | |||||||
| name | Johnson Thomas | - Mary | - John | - Robert | - Thomas | - Cassie | - Annie | - Mary |
| relationship | Head | Wife | Son | Son | Son | Daughter | Daughter | Daughter in law |
| color | W | W | W | W | W | W | W | W |
| sex | M | F | M | M | M | F | F | F |
| birth date | Dec 1841 | Sept 1849 | Sept 1872 | June 1877 | May 1879 | Oct 1882 | Aug 1886 | Aug 1882 |
| age | 58 | 50 | 27 | 22 | 21 | 17 | 13 | 17 |
| married? | M | M | S | M | S | S | S | M |
| # years married | 34 | 34 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| mother of how many children? | 9 | 0 | ||||||
| # of children living | 5 | 0 | ||||||
| birthplace | Pennsylvania | Germany | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| father's birthplace | Ireland | Germany | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
| mother's birthplace | Ireland | Germany | Germany | Germany | Germany | Germany | Germany | Pennsylvania |
| immigration year | 1854 | |||||||
| # years in USA | 46 | |||||||
| naturalized citizen? | ||||||||
| occupation | Huckster (Produce) | Stevedore | Teamster | Box Nailer | Servant | |||
| # months not employed | 0 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 6 | |||
| # months in school | ||||||||
| can read | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| can write | yes | no | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| speaks English | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| owned/rented | R | |||||||
| free or mortgaged | ||||||||
| farm/house | H | |||||||
| # of farm schedule | ||||||||
JOHNSTON.--Suddenly, February 19, 1906, THOMAS JOHNSTON, beloved husband of Mary Johnston. Relatives and friends are invited to attend funeral, Thursday afternoon, at 1.30 P.M., at his late residence, 114 Watkins st. Front and Morris. Interment at Northwood Cemetery.