My Genealogy Hound

JAMES A. JOHNSTON, farmer, post office Herriottsville, was born in Fayetteville, this county, December 4, 1849. James Johnston, his grandfather, a native of Ireland, came to America in 1791 and settled in Western Pennsylvania. He was a farmer, and married Mary Linville, of Washington county, Pa. Two sons and four daughters were born to them, of whom John L., their second child, was born in Allegheny county in 1820. In 1848 he married Rebecca, daughter of John Scott, of Washington county, and she bore him two sons and two daughters.

Of these the subject of this sketch was the eldest. He was educated in the public schools of Washington and Fayette counties, and, like his father, has always been a farmer. In 1873 he married Lizzie F., daughter of Henry N. Freed, of Fayette county, and six children were born to them: Harry S., Ethel W., Louella P., Eva L., Sadie E. and John Dalzell. Mr. Johnston came to Upper St. Clair township in 1880, and purchased his present farm of one hundred acres, which he has improved and has now under a good state of cultivation. Politically he has always been a republican. He is a brother of the late Prof. John Scott Johnston, who was for six years superintendent of the public schools of this county.