ter, in March 1706. He was piously brought up, and when only twenty years old became a preacher. About 1741 he was appointed pastor of the Byrom Street Baptist Chapel, Liverpool, but left about 1747–8 in consequence of his doctrinal views having rendered him obnoxious to a section of the congregation. He and his adherents afterwards built a chapel in Stanley Street, Liverpool, opened in 1750, in charge of which he remained until his death on 20 March 1791, aged 85. His wife, whom he married about 1740, survived him.
Johnson had much vigour and originality of mind, and was the founder of a sect called Johnsonian Baptists. His followers were found for a long time at Wisbech in Cambridgeshire and elsewhere.
Among his numerous writings were: 1. ‘The Advantages and Disadvantages of the Married State,’ 5th edit. 1760, 8vo; often reprinted. 2. ‘A Mathematical Question propounded by the Vicegerent of the World,’ 1755; 5th edit. Windsor, U.S.A., 1794; another printed in London, 1859. 3. ‘The Election of God Undisguised,’ 1759. 4. ‘The Two Opinions Tried,’ &c., 1764. 5. ‘Divine Truth, being a Vindication of the Attributes, &c., of God,’ 1769. 6. ‘The Riches of Gospel Grace Opened,’ 2 vols. Warrington, 1776. 7. ‘A Scriptural Illustration of the Book of Revelation,’ Warrington, 1779. 8. ‘The Evangelical Believer's Confession of the Son of God,’ Liverpool, 1781. 9. ‘The Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures.’ 10. ‘Original Letters,’ 2 vols. Norwich 1796–1800. This contains an account of the author, probably by Samuel Fisher, who preached his funeral sermon.
[Letters as above; Thom's Liverpool Churches and Chapels, 1854, p. 43; Catalogues of Brit. Mus. and Manchester and Liverpool Free Libraries; Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Gardner's Faiths of the World, ii. 249.]
JOHNSON, JOHN (d. 1804), dissenting minister, born near Norwich, was one of the first students of the Countess of Huntingdon's college at Trevecca, and a minister in her chapels. He settled at Wigan, Lancashire, and preached there and in neighbouring towns. On one occasion his preaching caused a riotous disturbance. He moved to Tyldesley in the same county, and then, at Lady Huntingdon's desire, went to America to superintend an orphan asylum founded by Whitefield. The state authorities refused to recognise him, and he and his wife were imprisoned for resisting the sheriff's officers. On returning to England he was imprisoned for debts incurred in the erection of his chapel at Tyldesley. He subsequently settled at Manchester as pastor of St. George's, Rochdale Road, where he gathered an appreciative congregation. He was a good Hebrew scholar, and on three occasions he preached to the Jews in that language. He published ‘The Levite's Journal,’ and a prospectus of a universal language. Other works were left in manuscript. He died at Manchester on 22 Sept. 1804.
[W. Roby's Funeral Sermon, Manchester, 1804; Axon's Annals of Manchester, p. 133.]
JOHNSON, JOHN (1754–1814), architect, born in Southgate Street, Leicester, in 1754, was son of John and Frances Johnson, who are buried in St. Martin's Church, Leicester, where a monument was designed by their son to their memory. Johnson left Leicester early in life, and practised as an architect with great success in London and many parts of England. His principal works were at Chelmsford in Essex, where he designed the county hall in 1792, and published the designs in 1808. The one-arched bridge at Chelmsford was built by him in 1787; he restored the church of St. Mary there in 1803 after its fall in 1800, and completed the new county gaol and the house of correction. After the completion of the county hall, Johnson was presented with a testimonial and a silver cup by the gentry of Essex (see Chelmsford Chronicle, 13 Jan. 1792). He was for twenty-six years architect and surveyor to the county of Essex. On returning to Leicester, he built on the site of the house in which he was born a ‘Consanguinitarium,’ or home of refuge for his relations, which he endowed from a charge on an estate in chancery. A view of this building is given by Nichols in his ‘History of Leicestershire,’ i. 528, where a list of Johnson's architectural works will be found. Johnson died at Leicester in 1814, aged 60.
[Dict. of Architecture; Gent. Mag. 1814, vol. lxxxiv. pt. ii. p. 296; Nichols's History of Leicestershire, i. 528, 604.]
JOHNSON, JOHN, LL.D. (d. 1833), the kinsman and friend of William Cowper, was cousin to the poet by one remove, his mother being the daughter of Roger Donne, rector of Catfield, Norfolk, and brother to Cowper's mother. He was educated at Caius College, Cambridge, where he graduated LL.B. in 1774, and LL.D. in 1803. He became chaplain to the Earl of Peterborough, and on 1 Jan. 1800 was presented to the rectory of Yaxham with Welborne, Norfolk, which he held till his death on 29 Sept. 1833. He married a daughter of George Livius, who
