A Portrait and Biographical Record of Hendricks County (Chicago: A.W. Bowen & Co., 1895)--pages 1068-1069
William K. Johnson, of Lincoln Township, Hendricks County, Ind., is a son of Jesse and Jane (Simcox) Johnson. The father was born in Greenbrier County, Va., but when young emigrated to Ohio, but later came to Indiana and purchased land in Marion County, where he passed the remainder of his life in farming. His children were named Aaron, Samuel, John, Ann, James, William K., Elisha, Mary J. and Sarah (deceased). The father of this family died in July, 1878, at the advanced age of ninety-two years; the death of his wife took place September 30, 1846, and the remains of both were interred in Marion County.
William K. Johnson was born March 20, 1819, in Ohio, but he was reared in Marion County, Ind., and remained on the home farm until his marriage at the age of twenty-three, and for three years thereafter, when he entered eighty acres in Marion Township, and farmed until 1848, when he purchased a tract of eighty acres in Lincoln Township, on which he still resides, and which he cleared and improved; he then purchased the eighty acres adjoining, and now has as fine a farm as there is in the township, being the oldest pioneer farmer. In early life Mr. Johnson was a Democrat in his political affinities, but on the formation of the Republican Party, became identified with that organization, and has since been one of its most ardent supporters. He was one of the original members of the Clermont M.E. Church, in which he has been class leader for over forty years, and in which he has also served as trustee and steward. The marriage of Mr. Johnson took place, in 1842, to Virginia, daughter of Joseph Patton, of Marion County, Ind., an old settler of that county. The children born to this union were named Joseph, Nelson (deceased), Lavinia (deceased), Frank, and one that died in infancy.