Lapeer County MI Archives Biographies.....Johnston, Benjamin Franklin 1829 - 
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Author: Chapman Bros. (1892)

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN JOHNSTON. The pretty village of Almont is the prosperous
center of a thrifty and fertile farming region. There are here merchants of all
sorts who find a ready sale among the best class of the agricultural element
that here do their trading. The furniture dealer of the place, and a man who
always has on hand a choice stock that is adapted to the needs of his customers,
is he whose name figures at the head of this sketch, and whose portrait is shown
on the opposite page. Like many others who have settled in this portion of the
county, bringing hither their thrifty and provident ways, he is a native of New
York State, having been born in Geneseo, Livingston County, March 23, 1829. He
is a son of Daniel B. and Abigail (Lord) Johnston. The father, who was a farmer,
was born in 1791, in Columbia County, same State, and the mother at Sharon,
Conn., in 1793. Our subject's paternal ancestors were of English and Scotch stock.

  In his boyhood our subject received a common-school education, and in addition
the advantage of one term at the High School, lie came to Michigan as an early
settler, locating in Almont in 1848, when nineteen years of age. He at once
engaged in teaching, spending his winters in that way and painting during the
summers, which trade he had learned from his brother. In 1850 he returned to his
home in New York and the year that he spent as a teacher there was made notable
in his life by his marriage. He was united in wedlock March 25, 1851, to Miss
Betsey A. Worster, of Ripley, Chautauqua County, N. Y., who was there born
February 29, 1832. She is a daughter of Hiram and Catherine (Thorpe) Worster,
and of Welsh ancestry.    The young couple returned to Michigan and Mr.
Johnston, as previously, spent his winters as a teacher and his summers in
painting.

  In 1858-59 our subject began to devote himself to the cabinet-maker's
business, which he followed until the breaking out of the war, when he helped to
raise the first Michigan Cavalry. His business not being in a satisfactory
condition, he was unable to go to the front himself until August 26, 1862, when
he enlisted in Company A, Fifth Michigan Cavalry, and on being sent to the front
was under Gens. Kilpatrick and Custer. He took part in the famous Kilpatrick
raid on Richmond in 1864, and was taken prisoner at the famous charge at
Trevilian Station, Va., June 11, 1864. That charge resulted disastrously to the
regiment, the enemy capturing seventeen of the company and one hundred and
twenty-seven of the regiment.

  Our subject was taken to Richmond and then to Andersonville, where he was held
prisoner nine months until March, 1865. He is the B. F. Johnston who is
mentioned in the sketch found elsewhere of H. C. Wells, as saving the life of
the latter while in Andersonville. Mr. Johnson thinks that his standing as a
Mason was the means by which he got outside the stockade in October, 1864. He
left Andersonville March 25, 1865, to be exchanged in Vicksburg, and with
twenty-two hundred other prisoners of war was on the steamer "Sultana" when she
blew up, April 25, 1865, the lost being the ratio of two to one. He was asleep
when the explosion took place, but kept his presence of mind enough to try to
keep order among the passengers and sailors. When the vessel sank he caught a
piece of fence board and after he had been in the water for some time succeeded
in getting on an island, where the next day he was rescued by a boat. He had
enlisted as a private, but later was made a farrier, and as such was mustered
out July 7, 1865.

  After his return at the close of the war Mr. Johnston engaged in the
furniture, wall paper and undertaking business, and is now the oldest business
man in Almont. In the village he has held several offices, having been Justice
of the Peace many terms in succession, also Township Clerk,and member of the
School Board and of the Village Board the greater portion of the time since its
organization. He is Past High Priest of the Chapter of the Royal Arch Masons and
Master of the Blue Lodge, having held all the offices of the lodge and chapter,
and at one time was a member of the Grand Lodge of Michigan. In 1888 he was a
candidate for State Senator on the Democratic ticket for the Sixteenth
Senatorial District of Lapeer and Sanilac Counties, but was defeated, they being
strong Republican counties, although Mr. Johnston ran considerably ahead of his
ticket. Notwithstanding the fact that the township in which he lives is strongly
Republican he has been elected to official positions by handsome majorities.

  There have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Johnston three children, as follows:
Delphine, born July 29, 1852, married W. S. Washer, of Detroit; Maude Louise,
born October 5, 1854, became the wife of D. B. Bancroft, a jeweler of Detroit;
and Daniel W., born May 4, 1857, whose home is in Detroit and his office in
Chicago, where he is Passenger Agent of the Union Pacific Railroad. Both our
subject and his estimable wife are members of the Congregational Church, of
which he is a Trustee and has been Superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is at
the present time in charge of the mission school which is located about four
miles from town, and during his four years' connection with this he has missed
in attendance but a single Sunday.


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


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