Robert Harrison Johnston (1831-1914)

JOHNSTON, LOWRY, SHEPLER

Posted By: Larry Nelson (email)
Date: 11/4/2001 at 05:56:42

Robert H. Johnston, son of Samuel and Prudence (Hill) Johnston, both natives of Belfast, Ireland who came to Pennsylvania in 1825. The father operated the Pittsburg House on the Diamond, until his death in 1836. Prudence Johnston later brought her family to Iowa, arriving in Van Buren County in 1854 and established their home in Cedar township, east of Birmingham, where she resided until December 16, 1866, when she passed away at the age of 72. The family consisted of four children, Margaret, William, Henry, and Robert H. Johnston. Robert H. Johnston was the youngest child, and twenty three when his mother came to Iowa in 1854. His home farm, section 36, Liberty township about two miles north of Birmingham on the Van Buren County line, consists of 80 acres. In 1852 Robert married Hannah Shepler, native of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Their family consisted of six children: William, a farmer of Van Buren County, Margaret, who married Jackson Kirkhart of Cantril, Carrie, who passed away at the age of nine years, Mary, at home, Maria, who married Albert Parker of Derby, Lucas County and Reuben, a resident of Liberty township.