Mercer County PAGenWeb


David C. Johnston


DAVID C. JOHNSTON  was born on the Johnston homestead, in Pine township, Mercer county, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1844, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Crawford) Johnston, who married in 1837. His father was a native of Pine township, Mercer county, born in 1815, and by his marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Crawford, he was the father of ten children, as follows: Albert G.C.; Elizabeth; Jane; Catherine; David C.; Ruth; Margaret; Hannah; Kennedy K., and John N. The father died in the spring of 1864; his widow resides with her daughter, Catherine,  at Grove City. The subject of this sketch was reared upon the homestead in Mercer county, and received a common school education. He enlisted in Company H, Two Hundred and Twelfth Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was mustered into service at Camp Copeland. His company proceeded to Washington, D.C., and then went into service on the Alexandria railroad, where they remained eight months, then returned to the forts at Washington, thence to Camp Copeland, where Mr. Johnston was mustered out of service June 22, 1865. Returning to Mercer county he was engaged in the lumber business until 1869, when he embarked in oil producing at Parker City. From there he came to Butler and operated in the Thorn Creek field, and has continued the business up to the present. Mr. Johnston married Mary M., daughter of James McConnell, of Mercer county, June 4, 1868, to which union were born six children: Edwin E., deceased; Lester E.; Willna W.; Celia A.; Lizzie C., and John N. Mr. Johnston is a member of A. G. Reed Post, G.A.R., is a Republican in politics, and was one of the confreres that nominated John M. Greer  for State Senator in 1876. In 1875 he was a candidate for treasurer in Armstrong county, and received every vote but three in Hovey township, were he lived, and every vote in his precinct. Though he had been a resident of Armstrong county only five years, he was fourth in the contest for nomination.

History of Butler County, 1895, pages 1140-1141


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