He was the youngest of eight children. His grandfather emigrated from Tyrone county, Ireland, early in the eighteenth century, and settled in the bounds of Barbacas congregation, Cumberland county, N.C. Our mother was a native of Jura, Scotland, and came to American about the same time. Her maiden name was McDuffer [sic McDuffie]. Our parents were married in the aforesaid congregation, and there all the children of our family were born, but the subject of this notice. He was born in Christian county, Ky., on the 26th of April, 1807. In his childhood he had severe fits, but they left him at about three years of age. Till about seven years of age he was remarkably careless. He had neither taste nor inclination for books, and, although he never was given to falsehood or profanity, he had no inclination to religion. At about the age of seven years he suddenly became as remarkable for his love of books and study as he had before been careless and inattentive; and this followed him to the last of life.

"The first lasting religious impression made upon him was at a public examination (common in that day), at which the adult members of the church were examined on theological questions predicated on some one or more questions in the Catechism, and the children of the church were examined on the Catechism at large. My brother readily answered all the questions asked him on the Catechisms. At the close the minister, Rev. Wm. Barnett, propounded a personal question to each child, and then there followed a powerful exhortation. The question put to my brother was: 'Do you ever pray?' He dropped his head. He said afterwards: 'I felt that I dared not tell a lie.' He answered, 'No, sir.' Then followed an exhortation of a powerful character, fastening conviction, from which he never got clear till it terminated in a sound conversion. His conversion took place at a camp-meeting in Illinois in 1822. While many were down crying for mercy, a friend in whom he had confidence went to him and asked him to bow in prayer. This he did, and there made a vow that he would never leave that spot until he got an evidence of pardon, or became satisfied there was no pardon for him. In after life he seriously condemned this course as rash and unauthorized. He remained there, however, till the congregation dispersed, and he was removed, unwillingly, into a camp. There the tempter suggested to him he had now broken his vow, and, like Annanias and Sapphira, he had lied to God, and now there was no mercy for him. Here he sank into the most gloomy despair. He told a friend there was no use in praying for him or in his praying: that his damnation was forever sealed. His friend told him, no; that the very fact of his being alive and out of hell was evidence that God had not yet cut him off from her mercy; and quoted to him that not a sparrow can fall without his notice or permission. At this he seemed to catch. His mind was directed in this wise: if God catches the falling, worthless sparrow, will he not catch and save the falling sinner for whom Christ died, who casts himself wholly upon him? Yes, he will. 'Here,' said he, 'I was enabled to put my trust wholly on him who watches over even a worthless, helpless sparrow, and more particularly a worthless, helpless, falling sinner.' He was now fifteen years old. He seemed to be impressed to warn sinners of their danger, and began without delay to urge those of his own age and younger to come to Christ.

"He joined Illinois Presbytery in the Fall of 1827. He made rapid progress in study until April, 1830, when he and his friends expected he would be licensed and placed on a circuit. But, contrary to this expectation, the Presbytery, on a close vote, did not sustain his piece, and ordered him to write again from the same text. He returned home very gloomy and cast down, thinking the Presbytery had no confidence in him. In this, however, he was mistaken. For a while he gave up the idea of preaching, went to farming, and made an engagement to get married. He did not attend Presbytery in the Fall, but in the Spring of 1831, at the earnest solicitation of a friend who had always exercised a great influence over him, he attended, and was licensed.

[Source: Logan, J. B. History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Illinois, Containing Sketches of the First Ministers, Churches, Presbyteries and Synods; also a History of Missions, Publication and Education. Alton, Ill.: Perrin & Smith, 1878, pages 100-102; taken from letters written by his brother, Rev. Neill Johnson]

1827
Illinois Presbytery - Fall 1827 - Hopewell
Archibald Johnson and Samuel Parr were received as candidates for the ministry.
[Source: Logan, J. B. History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Illinois, Containing Sketches of the First Ministers, Churches, Presbyteries and Synods; also a History of Missions, Publication and Education. Alton, Ill.: Perrin & Smith, 1878, page 40]

1829
Sangamon Presbytery - 20 April 1829 - House of William Drennon, Sugar Creek, Sangamon County, Illinois
Archibald Johnson, candidate, produced a regular dismission from the Illinois Presbytery, and was therefore accordingly received.
[Source: Logan, J. B. History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Illinois, Containing Sketches of the First Ministers, Churches, Presbyteries and Synods; also a History of Missions, Publication and Education. Alton, Ill.: Perrin & Smith, 1878, page 47]

1829
Sangamon Presbytery - Fall 1829 - Lebanon Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Archibald Johnson read a discourse from a text previously assigned him, which was not sustained, but another text was assigned.
[Source: Logan, J. B. History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Illinois, Containing Sketches of the First Ministers, Churches, Presbyteries and Synods; also a History of Missions, Publication and Education. Alton, Ill.: Perrin & Smith, 1878, page 50]

1831
Sangamon Presbytery - 7 April 1831 - schoolhouse in Concord congregation
Archibald Johnson was licensed to preach.
[Source: Logan, J. B. History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Illinois, Containing Sketches of the First Ministers, Churches, Presbyteries and Synods; also a History of Missions, Publication and Education. Alton, Ill.: Perrin & Smith, 1878, page 52]

1835
Illinois Synod - 20 October 1836 - Rushville, Illinois
Just one year from the passage of the order originating Rushville Presbytery, we find the Synod in session at Rushville, Illinois, October 20th, 1836, at which time and place the following resolution prevailed--Minutes p. 19:
Resolved, That a new Presbytery [Mackinaw Presbytery] be stricken from Sangamon Presbytery, to be composed of the following members, Neill Johnson, James McDowell, James E. Davis and Archibald Johnson.
[Source: Logan, J. B. History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Illinois, Containing Sketches of the First Ministers, Churches, Presbyteries and Synods; also a History of Missions, Publication and Education. Alton, Ill.: Perrin & Smith, 1878, page 70]

1838
Sangamon Synod - 18 October 1838 - Rushville, Illinois
Member absent, Archibald Johnson
[Source: Logan, J. B. History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Illinois, Containing Sketches of the First Ministers, Churches, Presbyteries and Synods; also a History of Missions, Publication and Education. Alton, Ill.: Perrin & Smith, 1878, page 72]

1853
Archibald Johnson - Commissioner from Mackinaw Presbytery to General Assembly May 1853, Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky
Served on the Committee on the Minutes of Indiana Synod.
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1853, pages 5, 6]

1854
Archibald Johnson - Mackinaw Presbytery - Sangamon Synod

1856
Archibald Johnson - Le Roy, Illinois
Stated Clerk - Mackinaw Presbytery
Commissioner from Mackinaw Presbytery to General Assembly May 1856, Louisville, Kentucky
Chairman of the Committee on the Minutes of Mississippi Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1856, pages 6, 8, 60]

1857
A. Johnson - Le Roy, Illinois
Mackinaw Presbytery - Sangamon Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1857, page 70]

1860
Archibald Johnson - Atlanta, Illinois
Mackinaw Presbytery - Sangamon Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1860, page 99]

1861
Archibald Johnson
Commissioner from Mackinaw Presbytery to General Assembly May 16, 1861, St. Louis, Missouri
Served on Committee on Overtures
Served on the Committee to Examine the Minutes of Union Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1861, page 4, 6, 7]

1862
A. Johnson
Commissioner from Mackinaw Presbytery to General Assembly May 15, 1862 - Owensboro, Kentucky
Served on the Committee on the State of the Church
Served on the Committee to Examine the Minutes of McAdow Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1862, pages 27, 28, 29]

1863
Archibald Johnson
Commissioner from Mackinaw Presbytery to General Assembly May 21, 1863 - Alton, Illinois
Served on the Committee to Examine the Minutes of Missouri Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1863, pages 64, 66]

1868
Archibald Johnson - Ottawa, Kansas
Kansas Presbytery - Missouri Synod
Archibald Johnson - Commissioner from Kansas Presbytery to General Assembly May 21, 1868, Lincoln, Illinois
Served on the Committee on Judiciary
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1868, pages 8, 10, 103]

1869
Arch Johnson - Ottawa, Kansas
Kansas Presbytery - Missouri Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1869, page 81]

1870
Archibald Johnson - Ottawa, Kansas
Kansas Presbytery - Missouri Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1870, page 76]

1871
Archibald Johnson - Ottawa, Kansas
Kansas Presbytery - Missouri Synod
Commissioner to General Assembly, May 18, 1871 in Nashville, Tennessee
Served on Committee on the Minutes of Pacific Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1871, pages 4, 8, 77]

1872
A. Johnston [sic Archibald Johnson] - Ottawa, Kansas
Kansas Presbytery - Missouri Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1872, page 122]

1873
Mortuary List
Rev. A. Johnson
Kansas Presbytery - Missouri Synod
[Source: Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1873, pages 15, 106]