He was baptised 12 July 1795 at Pentrich, a son of Alexander Johnson and Hannah formerly Fletcher. He married Maria Chadwicke at Pentrich 10 April 1815. Maria was buried at Pentrich 29 October 1820, aged 25.
He may have married Elizabeth Phantom, 14 October 1828 at Alfreton or Elizabeth Collins, 18 November1835 at Alfreton.
In the 1841 census of King William Street, Ironville, William (45-49) a furnace keeper, has a wife, Elizabeth, (35 – 39) and child William aged 2 (he appears to be a grandson, from the 1851 census). There was also Hannah Johnson aged 70 – 74. All were born in Derbyshire. When Hannah died in 1845, Elizabeth was probably the informant. There is a burial at Ironville of an Elizabeth Johnson, aged 53, of Ironville, 4 November 1857.
In the census of 1851, of King William Street, Ironville, William was 55, a furnace keeper born in Pentrich, his wife Elizabeth was 47 and born in Alfreton and there was a grandson William aged 13, a scholar, born at Ironville. This William seems to be the one in the 1841 census.
In the 1861 census of 63 King William Street, Ironville, William was a widower, aged 65 and an overlooker (Ironwork), born in Pentrich. He had a housekeeper (Elizabeth Peach {?}, aged 24) and a lodger, (Robert Smith, aged 18, a railway clerk, born in Rutland).
In the census of 1871, William, aged 75 was then living with his sister, Mary Harlow, at 5 Furnace Row. He was a widower, a retired workman and born in Pentrich.
William died 30 December 1878 and was buried 6 January 1879 at Christchurch, Ironville, aged 83. His gravestone is in the north east corner of the old cemetery, Christchurch, and reads
Affectionate Remembrance of William Johnson who departed this life Dec 30th 1878 aged 83 years.
The winter of trouble is past,
The storms of affliction are o’er,
The struggle is ended at last,
And sorrow and death are no more.
William’s will was dated 30 March 1878. He was described as of Ironville in the parish of Alfreton and a Furnace Keeper. His executors were Herbert Jeffries and William Handley Pegg of Ironville and the witnesses were Thomas Holmes and Albert Lowe. To his granddaughter, Maria Clark, the wife of William Clark, boiler maker, of 34 Fairfoot Road, Campbell Road, Bow Road, London he gave £100 from his account with the Butterley Saving Bank and the money he had deposited with Samuel Chadwick, farmer, of Pinxton. To his niece, Ann Jeffries, wife of Herbert Jeffries, of Ironville he gave the residue and his household furniture, clothes and also his watch. Ann was to have sole charge of his funeral arrangements and was to provide his grave with a decent headstone [which she did - see above]. Probate was granted 6 February 1879 at Derby to his executors, Herbert Jeffries, sexton and William Handley Pegg, schoolmaster, both of Ironville. His effects were valued at under £200. It was noted that there were no leaseholds.
Samuel Chadwick, the farmer of Pinxton was probably a relative of Maria, William’s first wife. In the 1881 census, he may be the Samuel, aged 63, farmer of 14 acres, born at Kirkby in Ashfield, living with his wife Jane N. and children in the village of Kirkby in Ashfield.
William seems only to have had two sons with Maria Chadwick (and no children with Elizabeth):