DAVID
C. JOHNSTON was born on the Johnston homestead, in Pine township,
Mercer county, Pennsylvania, March 17, 1844, and is a son of John and
Elizabeth (Crawford) Johnston, who married in 1837. His father was a
native of Pine township, Mercer county, born in 1815, and by his
marriage to Elizabeth, daughter of Alexander Crawford, he was the
father of ten children, as follows: Albert G.C.; Elizabeth; Jane;
Catherine; David C.; Ruth; Margaret; Hannah; Kennedy K., and John N.
The father died in the spring of 1864; his widow resides with her
daughter, Catherine, at Grove City. The subject of this sketch
was reared upon the homestead in Mercer county, and received a common
school education. He enlisted in Company H, Two Hundred and Twelfth
Pennsylvania Volunteers, and was mustered into service at Camp
Copeland. His company proceeded to Washington, D.C., and then went into
service on the Alexandria railroad, where they remained eight months,
then returned to the forts at Washington, thence to Camp Copeland,
where Mr. Johnston was mustered out of service June 22, 1865. Returning
to Mercer county he was engaged in the lumber business until 1869, when
he embarked in oil producing at Parker City. From there he came to
Butler and operated in the Thorn Creek field, and has continued the
business up to the present. Mr. Johnston married Mary M., daughter of
James McConnell, of Mercer county, June 4, 1868, to which union were
born six children: Edwin E., deceased; Lester E.; Willna W.; Celia A.;
Lizzie C., and John N. Mr. Johnston is a member of A. G. Reed Post,
G.A.R., is a Republican in politics, and was one of the confreres that
nominated John M. Greer for State Senator in 1876. In 1875 he was
a candidate for treasurer in Armstrong county, and received every vote
but three in Hovey township, were he lived, and every vote in his
precinct. Though he had been a resident of Armstrong county only five
years, he was fourth in the contest for nomination.
History of Butler County, 1895, pages 1140-1141
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