Reuben Samuel Johnston (1866-1953)

MCKEE, JOHNSTON, ROBERTS

Posted By: Larry Nelson (email)
Date: 11/4/2001 at 06:03:16

Reuben Samuel Johnston was born 25 June 1866 to Robert H. Johnston and Hannah Shepler, on the old Jim Nixon farm south east of Stockport. His family moved to Cedar Township east of Birmingham when he was 3 year old. During the move Reuben was ran over by a wagon.

He was married to Mary E. McKee, 1 March 1888 and had two children by this marriage, Ralph McKinley and Grant Harrison. She died on 5 October 1907.

His second marriage was to Cleo Desdemona Roberts on 20 September 1911. Three children came from this union, Naomi Roberta, Mary Beulah, and Glenn Lynford.

The first car Reuben bought was a 1921 Dodge, which he did not know how to drive. After driving with the dealer for a distance he tried it himself and learned to driving.

He had accumulated a farm of some 300 acres through his life. He purchased a farm for each of his sons to start them out in life. George Kerr was instrumental in and contributed to the purchase of a farm for Glen Johnston and Kathleen Kerr. After Reuben and Dessie left the farm and moved to Birmingham, he worked for the sawmill, shaping railroad ties. During the mid 1940’s he helped his daughter, Roberta work her farm south west of Stockport. He was an elder in the Presbyterian Church for many years.