My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM JOHNSTON, contractor and County Commissioner, Piqua; was born in Franklin Co., Penn, May 2, 1804; he and four sisters are still living, of a family of six children of James and Mary (Adams) Johnston; his father came from Pennsylvania to Ohio, and located one mile and a half from Piqua, in 1811, where he farmed till 1821, when he bought a farm on what is now called Upper Piqua, where he lived till he died, in December, 1847, aged 77 years. William Johnston received his early education in the old log schoolhouse, which was the best facility afforded in those days, having about three months’ schooling each year, the balance of the time was applied to hard labor in clearing up the farm and making a home; Mr. Johnston remained with his father till he was 31 years of age, when he was united in marriage, April 28, 1835, with Mary Bercaw, and, May 1, 1840, she was snatched from him by the remorseless messenger Death; in 1842, April 25, he was again married, to Mary Ann Brown, daughter of Aaron and Hannah (Kirk) Brown, who came to Ohio at quite an early day, coming from Fayette Co., Penn.; about the time of his first marriage, he entered upon the milling business, about three miles from Piqua, in which he continued till 1850, when he rented his mill, and started West across the plains for California, having under his conductorship eighty-nine men; they left Kansas City on the 8th of May, 1850, arriving at Sacramento City on the 20th of September, following, where he remained till the 1st day of June, 1853; while there he was engaged in the grocery trade, doing a very flourishing business, but suffered much loss, being burnt out by the great fire in November, 1852; and, in January, 1853, his goods were destroyed by water from the great freshet; on the 1st day of June, 1853, he embarked on board a steamer for New York City, where, after a twenty-three days’ trip, he arrived safely, and from there came direct to Piqua; from his return to Piqua up to the present time he has been engaged on the public works of the county as builder and contractor on the railroads, canal and turnpikes, and during some five years on the hydraulic works of Piqua; he is now County Commissioner, having been elected to that office last October; he was also superintendent on the canal for some four years, and filled various other offices of trust. Mr. Johnston is now about 76 years of age, and is quite hearty and robust, having never experienced any severe sickness during his life, which he claims to be partly the result of his active out-door exercise, having been all his life in very active business; he has accumulated a great deal of property, has been very liberal to all public and charitable purposes, and still has a goodly portion of this world’s goods, sufficient to enable him to pass the remainder of his life in comfort and plenty. He holds his faith with the Episcopal Church of Piqua, to which his father belonged for many years.