Bios of Johnston, William Austin (b.1862) Wabasha Co., MN
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Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara Timm
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This bio comes from "HISTORY OF WABASHA COUNTY" 1920.
Check out Barbara's site for more great information on this book:
http://www.rootsweb.com/~mnwabbio/wab3.htm
There are also some pictures and information from descendents for some 
of the bios on her pages.

Johnston, William Austin (page 409), a well known and respected citizen of
Elgin Village, who is engaged in light occupation but otherwise
practically retired, was born in Fond du Lac County, Wis., March 18, 1862,
son of Robert Bruce and Rosetta (Robbins) Johnston. The father, who was
born in Greenock, Scotland, in 1818, was originally a rope-maker by trade,
but later became a carpenter, and still later a farmer. His wife, Rosetta,
was born in Copenhagen, Lewis County, N. Y., and they were married in that
state. They located in Fond du Lac County, Wis., in 1856, and for some
three years Robert R. Johnston was there engaged in the manufacture of
garden planters, in company with his wife's father, Austin Robbins, the
inventor of the planter. After that Mr. Johnston worked 15 years as tank
and bridge builder for the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway. He then
came to Minnesota and located on a farm in Viola Township, Olmsted County,
having bought the property some eleven years previously. There he died
January 16, 1911. His wife survived him a little over two years, passing
away March 13, 1913. Their two children were: Emma M., who was born in New
York State, July 6, 1851, and William Austin, the subject of this sketch.
William Austin Johnston was educated in the stone schoolhouse of his
district in Viola Township, Olmsted County, and also at the Elgin high
school. He began industrial life as a worker on the home farm, of which in
1894, he became manager, and as such conducted it until 1916. He then
moved to Elgin and bought his present modern residence on Park street,
where he has since resided. He still works on the farm, however, helping
the tenant to whom he has rented it. It is known as Pleasant View Farm,
and contains 160 acres. All the important improvements on it were
instituted by himself, he having rebuilt the house, put up out-buildings,
and erected a good silo. During his independent career on the place he
made a specialty of raising Black Pole Angus cattle and Duroc-Jersey
seine, of which he bred large numbers, finding a profitable market. His
sister, Emma, who kept house for him there, still performs that function
in town. She was educated at Brandon, Wis., and at the Bernard School, a
private institution, at Watertown, Wis., and subsequently taught school
for several terms in Dodge County, Minn. Both brother and sister attend
the Methodist Episcopal church in Elgin, and are numbered among the
intelligent, progressive and useful members of the community.