James Finlay Weir Johnston, FRS FRSE (13 September 1796 – 18 September 1855) was a Scottish agricultural chemist [1] and mineralogist.
Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Johnston was educated at University of Glasgow, where he studied Theology and graduated MA.
Johnston founded a grammar school in Durham in 1825, [2] which later merged with other local schools, such as Brandon and Bowburn, to form a single comprehensive school for the area, named Durham Johnston Comprehensive School, preserving James Finlay Weir Johnston's name. [1]
He acquired a fortune at the time of his marriage in 1830, and was able to devote himself to studying chemistry. He visited the chemist J. J. Berzelius in Sweden and was a co-founder of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. [3]
In 1832 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, his proposer being Thomas Charles Hope. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of London in 1837. [4]
He was appointed reader in Chemistry and Mineralogy at Durham University on its foundation in 1833, but continued to reside in Edinburgh out of term. [2] From 1847, his assistant was Augustus Voelcker who also lectured in agricultural chemistry at Durham University. [5]
In 1849 the Assembly of New Brunswick contracted Johnston to survey and report on potential development. [6] In his Notes on North America, Johnston reported that the Provincial soils were more productive than those of New York or Ohio.
Johnston died in Durham on 18 September 1855. [1] He is buried in the churchyard at St. Bartholomew's church in Sunderland Bridge near Croxdale. Choosing to be buried in a country churchyard rather than in Durham City to avoid polluting drinking water drawn from local springs in the city as his body decayed. [7]
Johnston's works are available through Internet Archive:
In 1830 he married the daughter of Thomas Ridley of Durham. [6]