Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Johnston, Robert Simpson January 13, 1957
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Robert Woolfitt http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00034.html#0008401 April 20, 2026, 5:32 pm

Virginian-Pilot January 14, 1957
NORFOLK — Robert Simpson Johnston, 74, past president of the Old Dominion Paper 
Co., died suddenly in the Norfolk General Hospital at 10 p.m. yesterday. Until 
recently, he had been active in business and civic circles here.
Mr. Johnston was born in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 13, 1884. He was the son of 
the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Johnston. He was brought to Norfolk in 1884 by his 
parents. The Old Dominion Paper Company, long a well-known institution on 
Commercial Place here, was founded by his father in the same year.
He was educated in the Norfolk Public Schools and completed his education at 
Davidson College, from which he graduated with a B.S. Degree in 1903. Upon 
returning to Norfolk, he was employed in his father's firm. He became secretary-
treasurer of the concern in 1903 and finally president in 1941. Under his able 
guidance the Old Dominion Paper Company finally outgrew its quarters on 
Commercial Place. In recent years, it removed to a larger plant on Colley avenue 
at 44th street. Mr. Johnston was past president of the concern at the time of 
his death and the chairman of its board.
In 1908, Mr. Johnson married Miss Abbie Wilson, the daughter of George and Ada 
Wilson. She does not survive him. They were the parents of Mrs. John B. Darden 
of Norfolk and Mrs. William Born Brooks of Arlington, Va.
Mr. Johnston was a deacon of the First Presbyterian Church, a past president of 
the Norfolk Rotary Club (1923-1924). He was also a past president of the 
Southeastern Paper Trade Association and the president of the National Paper 
Trade Assn. for 1954-1955. He was also prominent in the civic activities of the 
community in which he had made his home for almost all of his life.
Besides his daughters, Mr. Johnston is survived by two sisters, Mrs. J. Warren 
White of Norfolk and Mrs. Lulie K. Taussig of Washington, D.C., four 
grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
The body was removed to the H. D. Oliver Funeral Apartments. Funeral 
arrangements will be announced later.

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