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Source:
A Centennial
Biographical History
of
Crawford
County, Ohio
- ILLUSTRATED -
"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote
ancestors will never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride
by remote generations."
- MACAULAY
Publ. Chicago:
The Lewis Publishing Company
1902
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H. D. E. JOHNSTON |
HENRY D. E. JOHNSTON.
Prominent among the pioneer families of Crawford county is that
of Johnston, of which Henry D. E. Johnston,
deceased, was a representative. His father, Thomas F.
Johnston, was a pioneer settler of the county, coming here
in 1826 from Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, where he was born
February 3, 1800. He was a son of an Irish emigrant who settled
in Lycoming county. In 1823 Thomas F. Johnston
married Martha L. Walton, a daughter of David
and Elizabeth (Rogers) Walton, and
was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, May 11, 1803; her
early ancestors in America were from England. It was soon after
his marriage that Thomas F. Johnston emigrated to Crawford
county, coming by wagon and team.
On coming to this county it was his first intention to
follow his trade, that of cabinet-making, in Bucyrus, then a
village of some eight log cabins and two frame buildings.
The place not promising much for him in the way of remuneration
from labors at his trade, because of which he turned his
attention to farming in Whetstone township until the year 1829,
he removed to Findlay, Hancock county, this state, where he
lived for three years, and then returned to Crawford county,
settling in Dallas township. While in Hancock he served as
county auditor one term. He acquired large landed
possessions in Crawford county and his farming interests grew to
larger proportions. He also became a large stock-raiser,
especially of sheep. He was a good business man and
amassed a good estate. His death occurred November 1,
1862. His wife survived him many years, dying at an
advanced age in Bucyrus, to which city she removed in 1865.
She bore her husband the following children: Henry D. E., the
immediate subject of this sketch; S. G. Johnston, who
died in 1870, aged forty-three years; Henrietta, who
married Thomas J. Monnett and died in 1871; Lavina,
who died at the age of fifteen years; Josiah S., who died
in infancy; W. H. H. Johnston, who, as a member of
the Thirty-fourth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, in the Civil war,
served for a short time and was honorably discharged on account
of failing health, and who died in 1865; James O.
Johnston, who also served a short time in the Civil war, but
fell a victim of consumption in 1865; Oregon Johnston,
who served also in the Civil war and died in 1876; and Agnes
J. Johnston, the youngest of the family, who also is
deceased. Consumption was hereditary in the family and of
it nearly all the children died. Henry D. E. Johnston
was born in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania, August 8, 1825,
and was reared amid the scenes of pioneer life, obtaining a
limited education. He was brought up on the farm and
farming and stock-raising was his life pursuit. He was a
shrewd, careful and successful business man. For a few
years he was associated with his brother, S. G., in the
business of dealing in stock. In 1857 he married Miss
Jane Ludwig. the youngest child of Samuel Ludwig, of
whom mention is made elsewhere in this volume. For two
years after his marriage Mr. Johnston was engaged in both
farming and stock-dealing, but, removing to Bucyrus, he engaged
exclusively in the stock trade for three years. He then
returned to the farm and was thereafter engaged in both farming
and the stock business until the time of his death, which
occurred April 19, 1870. He left three children, namely:
Nora, Zua and Mary Agness. In politics
Mr. Johnston was a Republican, and a short time before his
death he became a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
He was possessed of many sterling qualities. A creditable
portrait of him appears in this volume.
Source: A Centennial Biographical
History of Crawford County, Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 676 |
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ROBERT T. JOHNSTON.
Among the worthy pioneers of Crawford county was Robert
Thompson Johnston. More than a half century of his useful
and exemplary life was spent in Bucyrus, and to the upbuilding
of the city he contributed in no small degree, so that no
compendium of the county would be complete without the record of
his career. He was born on the 30th of October, 1822, in
Wooster, Ohio, his parents being Thomas and Abigail (Powell)
Johnston. In tracing the family genealogy it is found
that the first of the name in America was the father of our
subject. He was born in County Down, Ireland, in 1782, and
probably left the Emerald Isle when about seventeen years of
age, for he became a naturalized citizen of the United States in
1808, in Fayette county, Pennsylvania, where his naturalization
certificate was issued, stating that he had been a resident of
the country for five years. Hence the probable date of his
emigration was 1802. He was a tailor by trade, and in the
early part of the century he settled in Columbiana county, Ohio,
where in 1816 he took an apprentice. The paper of
indenture is now in possession of his grandson, and is a
contract between Thomas Johnston and a youth who desired
to learn tailoring. We infer that Mr. Johnston was
married at the time, for according to the terms of the contract
he agreed to clothe and board the youth, for in those days
apprenticeship nearly always carried with it the agreement that
the pupil should be taken into the home of the "master."
Thomas Johnston died at Wooster, Ohio, in the year 1853,
his wife preceding him in death, passing away in the year 1841,
aged fifty-seven years.
Unto Thomas and Abigail (Powell) Johnston five
children were born, namely: Thomas Powell, Mary Eliza,
Rebecca and Robert Thompson. With their family
the parents removed from Columbian county to Wooster, Wayne
county, and there they continued to reside until Robert T.
Johnston, their second son, was eight years of age, when
they removed to a farm in the same county, making it their home
for seven successive years. This while the early childhood
of Robert T. Johnston was spent in the town of his
nativity. His youth, up to the age of fifteen, was passed
upon the farm, where his lot was not unlike that of other
farmer lads, whose privilege it is while developing into manhood
to enjoy the wholesomeness of rural life and there learn lessons
of industry and perseverance. His educational privileges
were necessarily limited, for the schools of Ohio at that time
were quite unlike those of to-day, which have reached a high
standard of excellence. For the purpose of educating their
children the parents returned to Wooster, where Robert
attended school for a year and then entered a printing office,
where he was employed for a little more than two years.
Owing to failing health he decided to give up the printing
business and turn his attention to the study of medicine.
For three and a half years he was a student in the office of
Dr. S. Bissell, of Wooster, teaching school in winter,
and for two years he attended medical lectures at Willoughby
College. He then practiced for one year in association
with his preceptor at Wooster.
Dr. Johnston came to Bucyrus in November, 1845,
- a poor young man. His chosen profession did not prove
congenial and he engaged in the drug business shortly after
arriving in the city, opening the first drug store here in 1845,
with Jabez B. Larwill as a partner. This
relationship was maintained for about three years. While
Dr. Johnston remained a member of the medical fraternity
for only a brief period he was always called by the title.
Upon the close of the partnership with Mr. Larwill, Dr.
Johnston sought to continue in the drug business, but having
no capital of his own, and it being the custom of wholesale
druggists in the east to lend a helping hand to worthy and
reliable young men in the rapidly growing west, he was aided by
the firm of J. M. Maris & Company, of Philadelphia, which
house, at its own risk, in 1848 supplied him with a stock of
goods. This was a strong testimonial fo the business ness
reputation which he bore. The confidence thus reposed in him he
ever merited, and the firm of J. M. Maris & Company
remained his friends for years afterward, even until his demise.
It was at the beginning of his career as a druggist that
Jabez B. Larwell became associated with him. The store
was located in a frame building on the east side of Sandusky
avenue, but after the dissolution of the partnership in 1848
Dr. Johnston removed into the building still occupied
by the Johnston Drug Store. There he continued
business until his life labors were ended in death. For
more than half a century he was in the drug business in Bucyrus,
and throughout the greater part of that period he occupied one
building. As the years passed his trade became
increasingly profitable and he amassed a very comfortable
competence as the result of his
close attention to business, honest dealing, steady habits and a
thorough knowledge of drugs and their properties, together with
a spirit of kindness and friendship toward his fellow men.
In his youth Dr. Johnston was taught that
the principles of the Democratic party were for the good of all
classes, but he was opposed to the institution of slavery, and
as the Republican party opposed the extension of slavery he
joined its ranks in 1856. During the administration of
President James K. Polk he served as postmaster of
Bucyrus, but other than this he held no political position of
any importance. In matters religious he was of the
Presbyterian faith. The records of the Bucyrus
Presbyterian church show that on the 14th of August, 1846, he
united with that congregation by letter from the church at
Wooster, Ohio. His faithful, consistent and blameless
Christian life made him not only a strong influence in behalf of
Christianity at large but also a strong pillar in his immediate
church. His clear comprehension and unusually strong
mentality rendered him authority in all points of church
doctrine and polity. For years he was a ruling elder in
the church and labored earnestly and effectively for its
welfare. He was one of the organizers of the Oakwood
Cemetery Association and served as its treasurer for about
thirty years. For several years prior to his death he was
afflicted with rheumatism, and, being unable to walk, he would
ride each week day to and from his place of business, and seldom
did he miss divine services at the church on Sunday. He
was stricken with paralysis Tuesday night, Jan. 31, 1899, and on
Sunday, February 5, he passed to the great beyond. Thus
passed away a man whose life was blameless, whose example was
well worthy of emulation. His life shed a helpful and
beneficent influence upon all with whom he came in contact, and
his memory remains as a blessed benediction to all who knew him.
Dr. Johnston was united in marriage, Oct.
24, 1850, to Miss Pamelia F. Haskell, of
Pittsburg, who survives him and still resides in Bucyrus, where
she is loved and esteemed for her many sterling qualities and
Christian character. She was born in Newport, Ohio., Feb.
2, 1830, a daughter of Charles and Elizabeth (Dana) Haskell.
Her father was a son of Major Jonathan and Phoebe (Green)
Haskell, the former a native of Massachusetts, who served
with distinction as an officer in the war of the American
Revolution. Unto the marriage of Dr. and Mrs. Johnston
were born three children: Belle C., who lives with
her mother; Frank Thompson; and Pamelia
Dana, now the wife of Charles M. Hord, of Columbus,
Kansas. The son was born in Bucyrus, Mar. 23, 1857. was
reared in his native city and has here spent his entire life.
He pursued his preliminary education in the schools of Bucyrus
and then entered Wooster University, returning home in 1878.
He then became associated in business with his father, who made
him a partner in the enterprise, and in 1879 he was graduated in
the Cincinnati College of Pharmacy. After his return the
firm style of R. T. Johnston & Son was assumed, and for a
number of years before the father's death the son was the active
manager of the business which he has since conducted with
excellent success. In 1882 Frank T. Johnston was
married to Miss Clara L. Rupp, a native of Bucyrus and a
daughter of Charles G. and Margaret J. (Ruhl) Rupp.
Three children, Ralph R., Bessie P. and
Margaret H., have been born of this marriage.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History of Crawford County,
Ohio - Chicago: 1902 - Page 623 |
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ROBERT W. JOHNSTON was
born in Green township, Ashland county, Ohio. His father,
Thomas Johnston, was born at Frederick City,
Maryland, Sept. 12, 1809, his parents, John and Christina
(Johnston) Johnston, having emigrated from county Fermanagh,
Ireland, about the year 1808. When eighteen years of age
Thomas Johnston became a resident of that part of
Richland county, Ohio, which subsequently became a part of
Ashland county, where he resided continuously until his death,
Apr. 18, 1871. When but a little past his majority he
became a wagoner, and for a number of years followed the
occupation of conveying, by wagons drawn by six-horse teams,
merchandise from Philadelphia, Baltimore and Pittsburg for the
merchants in Richland and adjoining counties, and hauling the
produce of the then new country to eastern markets. The
advent of the railroads did away with this occupation, and his
life was then wholly devoted to farming and stock-raising, in
which he took special interest, being among the first to
introduce Durham or short-horn cattle into Ashland county from
the Blue Grass region of Kentucky. He married, in 1833,
Sarah Ann Workman, who was born at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania,
Sept. 16, 1813, and was brought by her parents, Joseph and
Lydia (Shields) Workman, to Vermilion township, Richland,
now Ashland, county in 1815. She died at Gallon, Jan, 27, 1893.
Joseph Workman was born in couny Monaghan,
Ireland, Mar, 12, 1786, and came to America with his parents in
1793. His father, Benjamin Workman, was educated
for the ministry in the Covenanter church, but instead of
carrying out his original plans devoted his life to teaching,
following that occupation until he reached the age of
seventy-five years. Joseph Workman was a
soldier in the war of 1812, being a member of a Pennsylvania
regiment, and two of his uncles, James and Hugh
Workman, served with Colonel Crawford in the
disastrous campaign against Sandusky. He was one of the
early justices of the peace in Vermilion township, have filled
that office in 1817-18, and and was a member of the first Ohio
state board of agriculture.
Robert W. Johnston spent his youth on the farm
in Ashland county, attending the public schools, Vermilion
Institute at Hayesville, and Green Town Academy at Perrysville.
In 1876, having decided to engage in the study of law, he
entered the law office of Henry C. Carhart, at Galion,
and graduated at
the Cincinnati Law School in the class of 1879. In the
same year he was admitted to the bar and immediately formed a
partnership with his preceptor, Mr. Carhart, and
has practiced his profession continuously at Galion. Mr.
Johnston has taken an active interest in all things
pertaining to the welfare of the city of Galion, and has been
concerned in the promotion of various enterprises which have
contributed to its progress. Politically he has always
been a Republican, and is a strong adherent of the principles of
the party, and although Galion is strongly Democratic he has
served both as mayor and city solicitor, having been elected to
the former office in 1883 and to the latter in 1893.
Source: A Centennial Biographical History
of Crawford County, Ohio - Publ. Chicago: 1902 - Page 651 |
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