JOHNSTON, George O.

JOHNSTON, PIGMAN, MOORMAN, THOMAS, MCMORRIS

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/28/2014 at 13:29:36

History of Decatur County Iowa and Its People
Illustrated, Volumne II.
Prof. J. M. Howell and Heman C. Smith
Supervising Editors
The S.J. Clarke Publishing Company. Pp. 215-16. Chicago. 1915.

George O. JOHNSTON

George O. Johnston, of Richland township, has served as a teacher in the rural schools of Decatur county for twenty-seven years, a. record not equalled by any other teacher of the county. He is widely known and holds a high place in the estimation of his fellow citizens. His birth occurred in Coshocton county, Ohio, March 25, 1859, and he is a son of Peter and Susan (Pigman) Johnston. His father was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but in 1841 emigrated to the United States, making his way to Coshocton county, Ohio, where he followed agricultural pursuits. He gained financial prosperity and was also quite influential in public affairs. His political belief was that of the republican party and he held membership in the Baptist church. During the Civil war he served in the Fifty-first Iowa Infantry and was at the front for four years, participating in a number of important battles. His colonel was Judge Stanley Matthews, of Cincinnati. Mr. Johnston died in 1880 when fifty-two years of age. His wife was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, a daughter of John and Rebecca Pigman, natives respectively of Connecticut and of Coshocton county, Ohio. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Johnston was celebrated on the 16th of March, 18.58. Twenty-one years later she passed away at the age of forty-two. To their union were born six children: George O.; James Riley, who died in 1878; Rachel Luella, the wife of Tully Moorman, a resident of Ashland county, Ohio; Gilbert H., who is living in Davis City, this county; Cora May, who became the wife of William Thomas, of Ashland, Ohio, and who was called to her last rest in 1910; and David L.

George O. Johnston passed the days of his boyhood and youth upon the home farm and attended the district schools in the pursuit of his education. In 1886 he removed to Decatur county, Iowa, and for four months was employed upon a farm. At the end of that time he began teaching in Iowa county but in the spring of 1887 returned to Decatur county, where he has since taught for twenty-seven years. He has taught in eleven townships of this county and for one year taught in Ringgold county. He is a very enthusiastic worker, taking commendable pride in his excellent record as a teacher, and expects to continue in the profession until he has taught for three decades. He has found much pleasure in his work and derives satisfaction from the knowledge that he is serving his community well in instructing its boys and girls, in guiding their mental development and in aiding them to form habits of industry and accuracy.

On the 20th of March, 1887, Mr. Johnston married Miss Lydia A. McMorris, who was born in Coshocton county, Ohio, in 1868 and came to Decatur county, Iowa, in 1880, with her mother, the family settling on a farm south of Leon. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston have a daughter, Nora, who was born in Eden township, November 26, 1892, and is engaged in teaching.

Mr. Johnston is a republican but has never taken an active part in politics. He has served as clerk of Eden township and as secretary of the school board. Both he and his wife belong to the Methodist Episcopal church, in which he is a deacon, and they take a prominent part in the work of that organization. They are highly respected by all who know them.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014