The son of an agricultural worker, he was born at Lostock Gralam, in the parish of Eccles, near Manchester, in March 1706.
About 1741 he was appointed pastor of the Byrom Street Baptist Chapel, Liverpool.
He left around 1747–48, after his doctrinal views had made him unacceptable to a section of the congregation.
[1] Johnson and his adherents then 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 followers were found for a long time at Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, and elsewhere.