James Johnston

The Scotland-to-Zion pioneer

Born on the tiny Orkney island of Graemsay, baptized LDS at fifteen, James crossed the plains with the William Empey Company in 1854 at age seventeen — burying his father on the Wyoming trail along the way. He later served an LDS mission to Great Britain. His estate (probated in Salt Lake County in January 1904, with a related Weber County real-estate case) shows he accumulated meaningful property over his life. He is buried in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.

At a Glance Has open questions

Born: November 1, 1836, Graemsay, Orkney Islands, Scotland
Died: September 25, 1903, Salt Lake City, Utah (age 66)
Parents: Hugh Johnston & Cecelia Yorston (Scotland)
Spouse: Bianca Jane Gibson (married September 1, 1862, Utah Territory)
Children: At least nine or ten. Per Bianca's 1916 obituary: Bishop Jacob Johnston, Mrs. Staker, Garfield, Cecilia, Gertrude Thompson (of Logan), and Clarence Earl Johnston (b. July 13, 1885, Jerry's paternal grandfather, among the youngest); records also name daughters Ellen, Mary, and Elspie, and a son Stewart.
Family line: Johnston line (Jerry's father's side)
Relation to Jerry: Great-great-grandfather (paternal) — born on Graemsay, Orkney Islands, Scotland; son of Hugh Johnston who died on the Wyoming trail in 1854

How sure are we? Birthplace on Graemsay, Orkney Islands, Scotland is confirmed — no hedging. His pioneer trek and mission are documented.

Still to find out

Whether his name survives carved into Independence Rock, which his company passed in late August/early September 1854.
The specific Orkney parish records for the Johnston and Yorston families on Graemsay.

Read about James in…

From Scotland to Zion · The Name You Carry · The Family Tree

Sources for this page

LDS Church History Biographical Database
Institutional archive

Confirms Hugh Johnston's death (Sept 29, 1854, age 54, Empey Company), James Johnston's 1890 British Mission, and the Blackett family (John William Blackett ID KWCF-N6M; Robert Collingwood Blackett Sr. ID KWJH-KQV).
Peter Sinclair Journal, 1853–1854 (pp. 167–270)
Primary source — trail journal · 1853–1854

First-person account placing the Johnston family in his tent ('four Johnstons together,' Sept 1, 1854). Held at the LDS Church History Library, Salt Lake City.
Bushels of Wheat Family History (bushelsofwheat.com)
Compiled family history

Detailed Johnston/Wayman family history citing Emigration Book #1040, British Mission Records 1854–1855, and the Church Journal History. Compiled by a Johnston descendant with access to the typed transcription of Cecelia's letter.
Salt Lake City Cemetery records
Cemetery record · established 1847

200 North Street, Salt Lake City. Resting place of James Johnston, Bianca Jane Gibson, Clarence Earl Johnston, Tessie Sims Smith, John Paul Johnston, and Fern Blackett Johnston.
LDS emigration registry — ship John M. Wood, 1854 (page 41)
Primary source — passenger registry · 1854

The original LDS emigration application book for the John M. Wood survives at the Church History Library. Page 41 lists Hugh Johnston (occupation Fisherman) with his wife (recorded as 'Annie', age 55), Margaret (24), James (17), and William (14), address Edinburgh; Peter Sinclair (Sailor, age 22) is listed immediately after. The family traveled at the £13-company fare.
Bianca Jane Gibson Johnston obituary, 1916
Obituary · 1916

Names surviving children of James and Bianca Johnston: Bishop Jacob Johnston, Mrs. Staker, Garfield, Cecilia, Gertrude Thompson (of Logan), and Clarence; other records add daughters Ellen, Mary, and Elspie, and a son Stewart.
James Johnston estate — Salt Lake County probate & Weber County real-estate case, 1904
Court / probate records · 1904

Bianca filed for probate in Salt Lake County in January 1904; a related case in Weber County (Ogden) concerned real estate James owned there. A guardian was appointed for the two youngest children, Clarence and Stewart, as minor heirs.

Notes from the family

Remember something about James? A story, a photo, a correction, a date? Even a messy note helps. Just open the plain-text file research-notes/james-johnston-notes.md and type it in — or tell Scott (or Claude Code) “add this to James’s page,” and it will be woven in properly, with the source recorded.