BIO:  William S. Johnston, York County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

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History of York County, Pennsylvania.  John Gibson, Historical Editor.
Chicago: F. A. Battey Publishing Co., 1886.
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Part II, Biographical Sketches, Jackson Township, Pg 118

WILLIAM S. JOHNSTON, a descendant of old representative families, was born in Spring Garden Township, in 1834.  His great-grandfather was a pioneer of the county, a farmer and one of the founders of the Episcopal Church of York, in the church-yard of which he lies buried.  His grandfather, William Johnston, was a farmer of Spring Garden Township, where he resided until his death; he was the father of eleven children, two of whom are now living; Mrs. Mary Hantz and Sarah, both residents of York.  Samuel Johnston, the father of our subject, was born in Spring Garden Township, where he resided until 1838, when he removed to Jackson Township, where he became a leading farmer and resided until his death, which occurred in 1872.  The mother of our subject, Mary Smyser, was a daughter of Michael Smyser, of West Manchester Township, and a descendant of an old family of the county.  She was the mother of two children:  William S. and Mary (deceased).  The mother died in 1857.  Our subject was reared upon a farm, and in the field of agriculture he had devoted the entire attention of his life.  Mr. Johnston has been a resident of Jackson Township since he was four years of age; he became the manager of the old homestead farm in 1857, and in 1872 he became the inheritor, upon the death of his father.  This farm consists of 200 acres of superior land, finely improved, the most of the improvements having been made by our subject; he also owns a tract of land in Codorus Township.  Mr. Johnston is one of the solid, substantial citizens of York County; he is enterprising in all matters of public improvement, and one of the esteemed citizens of the county.  Mr. Johnston was married, in 1857, to Miss Julia Bott, a daughter of Jacob Bott, of Jackson Township, and of an old family.  Three children have been born to them:  Sarah Smyser, William Allen (deceased at the age of eighteen) and an infant daughter.  The family have always been members of the Lutheran and Episcopal denominations.