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         WILLIAM H. JOHNSTON, one of the old settlers of Louisa County, Iowa, now residing on section 21, Columbus City Township, was born in Queenstown, Canada, April 17, 1819, and is a son of Alexander and Amorat (Hamm) Johnston. His paternal grandfather was a native of Scotland, and his parents, both of whom were born in Barnet Township, Caledonia Co., Vt., removed to Canada shortly after their marriage. At the birth of our subject the mother died, and he was taken to Vermont, where he was reared upon a farm until fifteen years of age, when he served an apprenticeship with his father at the carpenter’s trade. After a term of three years he received wages for his labor, working at his trade during the summer and teaching school during the winter months. He taught twenty-two terms of school in his native State, continuing this alternate employment until responding to his country’s call for troops during the late war.

In the fall of 1849 Mr. Johnston started to make an overland trip to California, and proceeded as far as Kansas City, where he met a company of men who were engaged in freighting from there to Santa Fe, N. M. Engaging with that company they started for the latter city, but when having gone about 400 miles they were snowbound. The storms were very violent, 180 head of cattle being lost in the snow, and for five months the men were forced to encamp on the snowbound prairie, in constant danger of losing their lives at the hands of the red men, with whom they had several skirmishes. When the summer sun melted the snow enough to make travel possible, the company proceeded on their way to Santa Fe, where Mr. Johnston worked at his trade for three months, and then returned to his home in Vermont, where he resided until the breaking out of the late Civil War. In the fall of 1862 he enlisted in the 15th Vermont Infantry, and was chosen Captain of Company I, serving in that capacity for six months, when he was forced to resign on account of physical disability.

After his return to Vermont Mr. Johnston again worked at his trade until his removal to this county in 1865. After coming to Louisa County he purchased eighty acres of land on section 21, Columbus City Township, and, as it was in a wild, unbroken state, immediately began its improvement. He has since added to his original possessions until he is now the owner of 135 acres, comprising one of the best farms in that township, upon which may be . . .

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. . . found all the latest improvements, which show that the owner is a man of progress and enterprise.

In 1843 Mr. Johnston was united in marriage with Miss Emily A. Hight, a native of the Green Mountain State, and a daughter of John N. and Laura (Livingston) Hight, who were also born in Vermont. Their union has been blessed with three children: Laura, wife of Asa Merrill, of Columbus City; Clara, who is clerking in Mr. Merrill’s store; and A. Orlo, who resides upon the home farm, and is the husband of Cora Himmelriech, they being the parents of three children—Myrtle, Charles and Ray. Politically, Mr. Johnston is a stanch Republican. He is always well informed on public affairs, and is universally known and highly esteemed throughout the community.