John Johnston

As printed in 1881

JOHN JOHNSTON, tobacco dealer, Springfield. He was born in this county eight miles west of Springfield, on Donnel’s Creek, Feb. 8, 1825; is a son of James and Mary R. (Burgess) Johnston. James was a native of Ireland, born Jan. 5, 1784; Mary, born in Virginia Nov. 11, 1798. IDE wene to

Springfield at a very early date, and, in 1816, he completed the old two-story se Sues on the aut eee of Main street, west of the Run. While finishing the walls of this building, he also built a small one-story addition, where, in 1817, he began the manufacture of cut nails by hand, and the citizens were then supplied with the useful and much needed article of domestic manufacture. The nails used in the erection of Dr. Needham’s house were made by Mr. Johnston. He afterward became a farmer, and erected a saw-mill on Donnel's Creek, in Pike Township, where he died Jan. 5, 1847, and his wife followed him Jan. 18, 1805. When John was 12 years old, entered a dry goods store in New Carlslie as clerk. After clerking some eight years, started a store in his own name, and continued in the dry goods business about twenty-eight years; he moved to Springfield in 1868, and went into the tobacco trade, and at present is the senior partner of the firm of Johnston & Son, wholesale dealers in tobacco and cigars. He was married, Nov. 21, 1848, to Mary Garst, to whom three children were born. But two, M. D. and Charles E. are now living. This wife departed this life Feb. 25, 1863. He was again married, March 9, 1869. This time to Mrs. Elizabeth Serviss, widow of George Serviss, deceased. Both wives daughters of John Garst. Mr. Johnston is one of the leading members; also one of the Trustees of the Center Street Methodist Epsicopal Church.

As printed in The History of Clark County Ohio, (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.