Samuel H. Johnson, 1862

JOHNSON, MACMILLAN, DUNHAM

Posted By: Mona Sarratt Knight
Date: 10/24/2015 at 15:50:14

SAMUEL H. JOHNSTON, who is now serving as mayor of Carroll for the third term, has been successfully engaged in the practice of veterinary surgery here for the past twenty-three years. His birth occurred in Ontario, Canada, on the 12th of October, 1862, his parents being Henry and Jane (MacMillan) Johnston, the former a native of Scotland and the latter of Canada. Henry Johnston, who emigrated to Canada when a boy, was successfully engaged in general agricultural pursuits throughout his active business career. He died when our subject was still a child, passing away in the faith of the Presbyterian church. His widow has now attained the age of eighty-seven years and is living on the old homestead in Canada with a son and daughter. She was reared in the Episcopal faith, but is a member of the Presbyterian church.

Samuel H. Johnston, who was the ninth in order of birth in a family of ten children, attended the public schools of Canada in the acquirement of an education. When twenty-two years of age he entered the Ontario Veterinary College, from which institution he was graduated in 1888. In that year he located for practice in Carroll, Iowa, and this city has since remained the scene of his professional labors, which have been attended with a gratifying measure of success. He has landed interests in Crawford county, this state, and is widely recognized as a prosperous and leading citizen of the community.

In 1891 Mr. Johnston was united in marriage to Miss Sophronia Dunham, who was born in Dunlap, Iowa, in 1867. Unto them has been born one child, Roswell, whose natal year was 1898. Mr. Johnston is a stanch republican in politics and has been a member of the school board for twelve years, while for eight years he served on the city council. He is now serving his third term as mayor of Carroll and has exercised his official prerogatives in support of many measures of reform and improvement. Under his administration the city sewage system was inaugurated at a cost of thirty thousand dollars and this has since proved of immeasurable benefit. The water system was remodeled and improved at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars and the saloon license increased from fifteen to fifty dollars per month. The paving ordinance has been passed and over a mile of paved streets is under way. Also a franchise for city electric lighting and city heating was granted and valuable plants installed; also a gas franchise has been granted and a large plant put in operation. Mr. Johnston is a worthy exemplar of the Masonic fraternity and also belongs to the Knights of Pythias and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. Of a sociable nature, he has found life enjoyable in the acquirement of a circle of friends that grows as grows the scope of his acquaintance.

Source: History of Carroll County Iowa, by Paul MacLean, Illustrated, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company (1912) Chicago, Volume II, page 28.