Genesee-Oakland-Shiawassee County MI Archives Biographies.....Johnston, Robert L. 1825 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com July 12, 2007, 7:57 pm Author: Chapman Bros. (1892) ROBERT L. JOHNSTON. One of the venerable agriculturists of Mt. Morris Township, Genesee County whose face indicates his strong mental nature and with whom it is a pleasure to converse, he being so well-informed on almost all topics, is the gentleman whose name appears above and whose farm is located on section 32, where he is the owner of eighty acres of land. He was born in Penfield, Monroe County, N. Y., March 12, 1825, and was reared in his native State until fifteen years of age. His father, Abraham Johnston, was born near Saratoga Springs, N. Y., and his grandfather, also Abraham, was a native of Fairfield, Conn. He came to New York and owned the farm which was located on the present site of Saratoga Springs. He was a Revolutionary soldier and was one of the men who carried Warren from the battle of Bunker Hill. His father, James Johnston, was a native of the North of Ireland. Our subject's father owned about one hundred and sixty acres of land in what is now a suburb of Rochester. He devoted himself to farming until 1829 and then removed to Geauga County, Ohio, thence returned to New York, where he remained until 1842 when he went to Brentford, Canada, and in 1846 came to Michigan, locating first in Oakland County, and in 1852 came to Mt. Morris Township, Genesee County, where he purchased a farm of eighty acres where he died at the age of sixty-four years. Our subject's mother, Maria Becraft, was born in West Point, N. Y., and was the daughter of Moses Becraft, a native of Connecticut. He was an anchorsmith by trade and served in the Revolutionary War until its close, then went to Vermont where he married Margaret Fenton. In 1832 he came to Macomb County and engaged in farming until he died. He was of English descent. Our subject's mother died here in 1870 when about sixty-seven years of age. She was the mother of eleven children, of whom our subject is the second eldest. He was reared in Pen field, Monroe County, and in Livingston County, N. Y. His education was acquired in the primitive log school-house with slab benches and fireplace. When thirteen years of age he was sent to Rochester Academy and after finishing there taught one term, then removed to Brentford, Canada, where he worked for himself from the age of sixteen years, his father having lost all his property. He then began to work on the Genesee Canal, giving three summers to that class of labor. The last two seasons he served as foreman. When seventeen years of age he became captain of a steamer called the "Indian Chief" and was later master of different vessels for six summers. In 1846 our subject located at Southfield, Oakland County, this State, where he was engaged as a teacher in penmanship, also having classes in other places, and pursued this kind of work in fifteen different States. In 1852 he came to Mt. Morris Township, Genesee County, and from here went to Corunna, Shiawassee County, and while he was thus engaged as a writing master he originated the stem with the dot, afterward taken up by Spencer. He purchased a farm in Venice Township, Shiawassee County. Prior to this he had studied law under Judge McCurdy and was admitted to the Michigan bar in 1857. He began practicing in Corunna and remained until 1858, then continued his practice at Flushing although living in Venice, Shiawassee County. In 1865 our subject sold his farm of one hundred and sixty-two and one-half acres in Venice and purchased one of eighty acres in Hazelton and also one in Mt. Morris Township comprising one hundred and forty acres. He located upon and improved the farm on section 33. He here has eighty acres of some of the finest land in the State that is capable of raising anything adapted to this latitude. He has fine buildings and his barns are filled to overflowing with grain produced upon his own farm. He is particularly interested in the breeding of fine stock and has some standard-bred Hambletonians. One mare, sired by "Yokoff," has a record of 2:30. He also has some fine colts and owns "Robert Bonner," who when two years old trotted one mile in 2:20 and is the fastest two-year-old in the State. He bred "Dick Turpin," sire of some of the finest horses in Genesee County. The horses that Mr. Johnston has bred have taken premiums many times. He also raises the finest wheat in the county. The original of our sketch was married in Venice, Shiawassee County, June 13, 1852, to Miss Helen B. Potter. She was born in Hartland, Niagara County, N. Y., in 1831, and is a daughter of Darius Potter, a native of Vermont, who was the son of a soldier in the Revolutionary War. The Potter family trace their genealogical line back to the landing of the "Mayflower." Her mother was Zulpha C. Calvin in her maiden days, whose family were also of the Puritan stock. Mrs. Johnston's mother came to Michigan with her daughter and died here at the age of sixty -four years. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston are the parents of nine children whose names are Blanche, Mrs. D. B. Soper; Eugene L., Robert B., Hattie M., Ralph, John R., Capitola, Dilno D. and Delia, Mr. Johnston was the first Superintendent of Sehools in Mt. Morris Township and maintained the position for two years. He has been Justice of the Peace here and in Shiawassee County for thirty-five years and was Drain Commissioner here for four years, during which time he accomplished much toward improving the condition of the land. Socially he is an Odd Fellow. He is also a member of the Alliance. He is a Democrat and has been a delegate to county and State conventions. Mrs. Johnston's uncle, D. D. Calvin, was previous to his death a member of the Canadian Parliament and was one of the prominent men of Canada. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Portrait and Biographical Record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola Counties, Michigan, Containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, Together with Biographies of all the Governors of the State, and of the Presidents of the United States Chicago: Chapman Bros. 1892 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/genesee/bios/johnston788gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 6.6 Kb