JACOB JOHNSTON

 The following bio was taken from page 262 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Brimley Mayfield, Cemeteries of Texas

Jacob Johnston was born November 20, 1813 in Maury County, Tennessee.   His parents were Colonel Amos Johnston (1772) and Elizabeth Preston Stokes, who were from Dobbs County, North Carolina.  Elizabeth died in 1860 in Smith County, Texas.  The Johnston’s have been traced back to William Johnston (1648) whose will was probated September 28, 1719 in the Isle of Wight County, Virginia.  Maternal names include Prestons, Randells, Wallers, and Griffin or Griffith. 

Jacob married Eleanor Wortham in 1834 in Monroe County, Mississippi.  The Worthams have been traced as far as James, whose will was probated in January 1770 in Brunswick, Virginia.  The only known maternal family names are Duke and Green.  These were Virginia and North Carolina families.

The Johnston’s are shown in Smith County, Old Omen, before Jacob came to Rusk County.  In Smith County, he owned property and some city lots in Old Omen.  When he moved to Henderson, he bought land and some city property.  He is shown as being in business as Johnston-Burnett.   At least two of Jacob’s children married Burnetts.  His son William Amos’ second wife was Martha Burnett, who is buried in the Flanagan Cemetery.  William and Martha had three children – Annie, Charlie Burnett and William T.  Charlie first married Ethel Rushton and had one son, Lonnie.  By his second wife, Millie Ann Swain, he had Johnny Sylvester, Jesse, Amos and Winnie Tucker.

Jacob and his wife Martha are buried in the Henderson City Cemetery.  Several of their children, grandchildren, and in-laws are also buried near them.  (See Alston Ferguson account.)

Submitted by Myrle Clary