John Johnston was born on August 25, 1762, in Belfast, Ireland, and died on September 22, 1828, in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. His parents were William Johnston of Portrush (Northern Ireland) and Elizabeth McNeil, and he belonged to an upper-class Scots-Irish family. He oversaw Belfast’s waterworks in 1778 and 1779 and travelled to Montreal in 1790. In 1791, he voyaged to La Pointe, on Lake Superior’s southern shore near present-day Ashland, Wisconsin, as a fur trader for the firm Todd, McGill, and Company. Here, he met the Ojibwe and learned their language and traditions. He befriended Waubojeeg (White Fisher) who was the Chief and he married Waubojeeg’s daughter, Ozhaguscodaywayquay (Woman of the Green Glade). She was given the name Susan after they married in Fort St. Joseph, and they had eight children together. Their marriage provided the grounds for a trading alliance between the North West Company and the Ojibwe of La Pointe. In 1793, Johnston established himself at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, as an independent trader. In 1808, he became a member of the Beaver Club and between 1814 and 1816 he received a commission of the peace. During the War of 1812, Johnston joined a small British force and took part in the capture of Mackinac Island and later defended Mackinac Island for the Americans.

James Bell Johnston of East Angus, Quebec, a Canadian who graduated in medicine at University of Edinburgh, in 1833. He was the first doctor to establish a practice in Sherbrooke, Quebec. He is the father of Wyatt Galt Johnston (M.D., C.M., McGill, 1884).

Hugh Johnston was born on January 5, 1840, in Southwold, Elgin, Ontario.

He was a Methodist minister and author. He graduated from Victoria University (M.A., 1865; B.D.; 1869; honorary D.D., 1874). He was ordained a minister in 1866 and served large churches such as Centenary (Hamilton), St. James (Montreal), and Metropolitan (Toronto). He was elected President of the Toronto Conference in 1890, and in 1893, he moved to the United States and served Methodist Episcopal churches in Washington and Baltimore. He was an extensive traveler, well known as an author, and won fame with his book, "The Life Beyond" (1903). He also published the book "Toward the Sunrise" (1881), a sketch of his travels in the Holy Land; and a collection of sermons and other writings.

In 1867, he married Elizabeth Holland (1848–1931). He died on September 24, 1922, in Baltimore, Maryland.

George Johnston, educator and Minister of the United Church of Canada, was born in Clydebank, Scotland, in 1913. Educated at Glasgow University he earned his M.A. with Honours in 1935, his B.D. with Distinction in 1938. In 1941 he was granted a PhD. from Cambridge University. George Johnston served in the Second World War. He was granted a D.D. from United Theological College in 1974, and from Montreal Diocesan Theological College in 1975. In 1974 he was awarded an LL.D. from Mt. Allison University. Between 1959 and 1981 he was Professor of New Testament at McGill University, Dean of the Faculty of Religious Studies from 1970 to 1975, Faculty Lecturer from 1981, and Governor of the University from 1971 to 1975. In 1982 Dr. Johnston was appointed Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies. He was a Lecturer, Professor and Visiting Professor at leading universities in Scotland, Canada and the United States, and was awarded many Fellowships. He is the author of many publications such as The Doctrine of the Church in the New Testament (1943), The Secrets of the Kingdom (1954), Discovering Discipleship (1983) and Opening the Scriptures (1992). He also worked as an editor.

George Johnston was born on July 20, 1797, in Swinton or Simprin, Berwickshire, Scotland.

He was a Scottish physician, naturalist, and author. In his infancy, his family moved to Ilderton, Northumberland, England. Johnston was educated first at Kelso, then at Berwick grammar school, and finally at the University of Edinburgh (M.D., 1919). He was apprenticed to Dr. Abercrombie, and in 1817, he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (R.C.S.E). In 1818, he began his practice in Berwick where he stayed for the rest of his life. In 1824, he became a Fellow of the R.C.S.E. He was thrice mayor of Berwick, and became LL.D. of Aberdeen. He retired from practice in 1853. Johnston was one of the founders of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club and became its first president in 1831. In 1837, he became one of the editors of the Magazine of Zoology and Botany, later the Annals and Magazine of Natural History, the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, Loudon's Magazine of Natural History, the Transactions of the Natural History Society of Newcastle, and he also contributed numerous papers to the Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club.

In 1819, he married Catharine Charles (1794-1871), an English botanical illustrator who illustrated many of his publications. He died on July 30, 1855, in Berwick, Sussex, England.