Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/145

 JOHNSTON

JOHNSTON

death in 1888 she presided o%-er lier father's household, uud made her writing surbordinate to lier home duties. Slie is the autlior of: Prison- ers of Hope (1»98); To Have and 'To Hold (IS'JO), Her first book had a remarkably wide circula- tion, and the advance sale of her second book, 50,000 copies, was immediately followed by a phenomenal demand. In two months from the date of publication more than l.")0,000 copies had been sold, and the young writer received for her work uii4u;ilified praise fioin leading critics.

JOHNSTON, Richard Malcolm, author, was born in Hancock county, Ga., March 8, 1822; son of Malcolm and Catharine (Davenport) Johnston; grandson of William Johnston; great-grandson of the Rev. Thomas Johnston who emigrated from

Dumfriesshire, Scot- land, to America and settled finally in Char- lotte county, Va. He was a descendant on his mother's side from the Davenports of Connecticut. He was brought up on his father's planta- tion, was graduated from Mercer univer- sity in 1841, and taught school for one jear. He was admitted to the bar in 1343 and entered into partnership with Judge Linton Stephens at Sparta, Ga. H*^ declined the judgeship of the northern circuit court and the presidency of Mercer university in 1857. He relinquished his practice in 1858 to accept the chair of belles-lettres in the University of Georgia, which he held, 1858-62. During the civil war he served as aide on the staff of Governor Brown of Georgia and was very active in the organization of the militia of that state. He established a select classical school at Rockby, near Sparta, Ga. , of which he was principal, 1862-68. He then removed his school to Chestnut Hill, a suburb of Baltimore, Md., the school being known as the Pen Lucy institute, which he conducted until 1882, when he retired to devote his time to lit- erature. He was one of the regular staff of lecturers at the Catholic summer school, Platts- burgh, N.Y., 1895-98, having served in the same capacity at St. Mary's univei'sity, Baltimore, yU., for several years; and was also a popular lyceum lecturer. He was married in 1844 to Frances Mansfield, of Hancock county, Ga., and their son Lucien became a priest in the Roman Catholic church. He received the degree of LL.D. from St Mary's university, Baltimore, in 1895. He is

the author of: Georgia Sketches (1864); Dukes- boroufjh Tales (1871); Historical Sketch of EnrjUsh Literature (1872); Life of Alexander H. Stcpliens (1878); with William Hand Browne: Old Mark Langston (18^4); Two Gray Tourists (1885); Mr. Absalom Billingslea and Other Geor- gia Folk (1888); Ogeechee Cross- Firings (1889); The Widow Guthrie (ISdO); The Primes and Their Neighbors (1891); Studies, Literary and Social (2 vols., 1891-92); Dnkesborough Tales: Chronicles of Mr. Dill Williams (1892) -.Mr. Billy Downs and His Likes (1892); Mr. Fortnefs Marital Claims, and other Stories (1892); Litile Ike Tenqjlin. and other Stories (1894); Old Times in Middle Georgia (1897); Pierce Amerson's Will (1898). He died in Baltimore, Md.. Sept. 23, 1898.

JOHNSTON, Samuel, inventor, was born in Slielby, Orleans county, N.Y., Feb. 9, 1835; son of Henry and Nancy (Crippen) Johnston. His earliest inventions were in farm machinery, those on harrows, bean harvesters, corn-i)lanters and many other agricultural implements being widely em- ployed by the farming community. His next inven- tions were on self-raking machinery for harvesting grain in 1856. These came into extensive use and were exported to all parts of the world. His principal inventions wei'e on metals and metal workings, continuous moulds for castings, and methods of producing heat. His furnace for the production of heat from all natural fuels, at any desired temperature up to that of the electric furnace, was perfected in 1900. He was married, June 8, 1856, to Arsula S., daughter of Simpson and Minerva (Crippen) Vaughan, of Fort Ann, N.Y.

JOHNSTON, William Freame, governor of Pennsylvania, was born in Greensburg. Pa., Nov, 29, 1808; son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Freame) Johnston; grandson of Alexander Johns- ton, captain of Welsh fusiliers. who was kill- ed in the battle of Fontenoy April 13. 1745; and of William and Elizabeth (Johns- ton) Freame. His father immigrated to America from Ire- land in 1796 and set- tled in Westmoreland county. Pa., where he held civil office. William obtained a limited education, studied law under Maj. J. B. Alexander, was admitted to the bar in May, 1829, and practised in Armstrong county. Pa. He was married. April 12, 1832, to Mary Monteith. He was appointed