JOHN JOHNSTON
1798-1877
John Johnston was born in Ireland March 21, 1798. Nothing is known about his parents or educational attainments. He came to Pittsfield at an early age and became a shoemaker.
Pittsfield Historian Henry L. Robinson tells an amusing story which occurred when John was 28 years old. One evening in 1826 when the first cotton mill on Factory Hill was being erected, he visited the yard where the work of constructing the five story wooden building was taking place. A stranger who apparently thought he was in charge of the operation approached him and asked for a job. "What can you do?," asked Mr. Johnston. "I am a broad-ax man," answered the stranger. "Very well," said Mr. Johnston, "you can go to work tomorrow morning on that log over there." The next day the stranger went to work and after a discussion with the foreman about how he had been hired continued his work. The foreman said afterwards that he was the best ax man he had ever seen.
During 1835 Mr. Johnston was admitted to the church and became very prominent in its affairs. Indeed, he was one of the individuals singled out for special mention during the church's 125th anniversary celebration in 1914. The theme was "The Faces on the Wall," or "Those who have Wrought Among Us." Among the luminaries were charter members such as John Cram, Josiah White, Deacon Jonathan Perkins and their wives.
Mr. Johnston held several positions in the church. In 1859 and 1860 he was on the Committee for the Poor. In 1861 he was on the influential Examining Committee and in 1868 was paid for caring of the vestry. In During 1873 he was a delegate to the Merrimack Conference and in 1880 became Treasurer of Missions.
John Johnston
On April 28, 1836, Mr. Johnston married Lydia C. Pickering of Barnstead. The following year their first child, a son named John, was born, but he passed away 12 days later. Subsequently the couple had two more boys, John Walter and Albert Curtis and a girl, Ellen Maria. More about them will be mentioned in the biography of Lydia.
According to Historian Robinson, John was the last man to hold the office of tithing-man in the Town of Pittsfield. It was the duty of this officer to keep the boys quiet and old people awake during Sunday Church services. He had a long pole with a string attached to a ball. When the boys in the gallery got noisy he would prod them with it. Similarly if the old men started to doze off, he would bump them on the head with the ball.
Another
task of the tithing-man was to enforce Sunday as a day of rest. No one was
allowed to travel unless it was to the Meetinghouse or on a mission of
mercy. One day he stopped a stranger and asked where he was
going. The stranger replied that it was none
of his business. Mr. Johnston thought the matter over and agreed. He
resigned the office and it was never filled again.
On October 2, 1862 at the age of 64, he enlisted in the army, serving mainly as a nurse. At Camp Parapet he had charge of one of the hospital wards. He mustered out of the service on August 13, 1863.
Mr. Johnston passed away on November 14, 1877 at the age of 80. He is buried in Floral Park Cemetery alongside his wife who passed away three years later. Next to them are their sons John and Albert. Their son John Walter Johnston and his wives Susan A. Philbrick and Clara A. Philbrick are also buried there.
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SOURCES |
Biographical research and written profile by Larry Berkson, Historian, Pittsfield Historical Society |
Early Vital Statistics, Pittsfield, New Hampshire, in the possession of the Pittsfield Historical Society. Floral Park Cemetery Records, in the possession of Larry Berkson.
Manual of the Congregational Church, Pittsfield, New Hampshire, May 1, 1899, no place, no publisher, p. 45.
Records of the Congregational Church of Pittsfield, New Hampshire. Book beginning November 17, 1789, Book beginning January 1, 1855, and Book beginning January 1, 1875, in the possession of the Congregational Church.
Robinson, Henry L. Pittsfield, New Hampshire in the Great Rebellion (Pittsfield, 1893), pp. 88-90. Valley Times, "One Hundred Twenty-five Years in the Lord's Service," November 20, 1914.
Young, E. Harold. History of Pittsfield, New Hampshire (Concord: New Hampshire Bindery, 1953), p. 66.