WI BIO - Dane Co - JOHNSTON, George
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol II, pp 557-558

George JOHNSTON, the head cook in the Wisconsin State Asylum for the Insane, 
was born in Black Rock [Cayuga County], NY, in 1854, a son of Andrew 
JOHNSTON, who was born in Edinburg, Scotland, in 1822. His father, George 
JOHNSTON, was a native of the same place, and died there at the age of 65 
years. He was highly educated, a great worker in the temperance reform of 
the second Athens of the world [Edinburg], and established some of the first 
coffee houses there. He reared four sons and two daughters, giving each a 
good education. Andrew JOHNSTON is a graduate of St. Andrew's College; then 
he learned the trade of baker and confectioner. Andrew JOHNSTON was married 
in Edinburg to Elizabeth CORMACK, a native of that city, and soon afterward 
they came by sail vessel to America. After landing in NY he went immediately 
to Buffalo [Erie County, NY], where he worked in an hotel for a time, and 
later followed the same occupation at Niagara Falls [Niagara County, NY]. He 
has been in many parts of the U. S., and is well known in his profession, 
from Manitoba to New Orleans. For the past ten years, Mr. Andrew JOHNSTON 
has been engaged as cook in an hotel in Evansville [Vanderburgh County], IN. 
He and his wife have two living children: George, our subject; and Daniel, 
an electrical engineer in Chicago, Cook County, IL. Four of their children 
died in early childhood.

George JOHNSTON, the subject of this sketch, came to the State Asylum for the 
Insane in the fall of 1872, at the age of eighteen years, as an attendant; 
was then employed as farm attendant some years, next as a butcher, and then 
was promoted to the position of head cook. After marriage George JOHNSTON 
purchased 18 acres of land near the asylum for the insane, one mile east of 
the asylum, for which he paid $850, erected a good brick dwelling, at a cost 
of $1,200, and has added to his original purchase from time to time, until he 
now owns 75 acres. George JOHNSTON was married 01 Sep 1875 to Jennie 
McCRYSTAL, a daughter of A. M. McCRYSTAL, who settled in this country about 
forty year ago [about 1853]. Mrs. JOHNSTON was an attendant at the asylum 
when she met her [p 558] husband. George and Jennie (McCRYSTAL) JOHNSTON 
have had five children, four now living: (1) Andrew, aged sixteen years, is 
in the preparatory department of Mrs. RICHMOND's school; (2) George, aged 
fourteen years; (3) Grace, thirteen years; and (4) Daniel, nine years. The 
family are members of the Presbyterian Church.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly