Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-08-10
WEALrhIEsr CITIZEN OF rAMA
COUNTY PASSES AWAY
At TOLEDO.
LAND HOLDINGS IMMENSE,
OTHER INTERESTS LARGE
Mr.. Johnston Long President Of Board
of Trustees Of Cornell College and
Contributor TO School to Amount of
zoe, ooo-A Liberal Contributor to
Special to Republican.

Speclat 10 IlmeS-RepuDllCan.
Toledo. Aug. 10.-Hon. W. F. John
ston died at his home in this City Aug,
s. at 6;15 .. N. He was the oldest of
family OF three boys and six girls. all or
whom survive except two sisters, one of
which died but few days ago.
Mr.. Johnston was born in Westmore-
land county, Pennsylvania, April 90
1888. He atteided public. school and at
the age of ii began working on . farm.
going to school in winters only. AT the
age OF IL he was apprenticed as a car
penter, and worked at this trade for
five years. In the spring OF 1852 he came
west with his father but returned TO
Pennsylvania in the fall, and renamed
there till the summer of 1856, when, in
company with J. 4. keister and C. r.
Kemp, he came west again. He worked
at his trade and clerked in a store for
time at Iowa City. In 1858 he came to
Toledo and in company with H. Galley
bought a stock of merchandise. In 1879
Mr. Johnston bought the entire bust
ness but almost Immediately sold out
to j. A. Owen. He had become inter-
ested in real estate, and from this
time he gave his attention along this
line. He was married in 1855 TO Miss
Maria j. Newcomer, of Westmoreland
county, Pennsylvania. One child, a
daughter Anna, was born to them. who
survives. Mrs. Johnston died six or
seven years ago. In 1881 he built the
home in which he died, which was one
of the largest and most expensive in
the county.
Served in Legislature.
In 1852 he was appointed as repre-
sentative in the state legislature 10 fill
the vacancy cansed by the resignation
Of Maj. Leander Clark to go into the
army, and was elected and served the
succeeding term. In politics he was
republican He was one OF the incor-
porators of the Toledo Savings Bank
and, also OF the First National Bank of
Tama- In 1872 he was elected presi-
dent of the Toledo & Northwestern
railway, which position he held till 1879.
He early became interested in higher
education and became a trustee OF Cor
nell College in 1871, then was chosen a
member of the executive committee,
then vice president and later was
chosen president OF the board Of trus-
teee, which position he held at the time
OF his death. He was a liberal con-
tributor to this college and his gifts
from time to time amounted to some
SCOT, 700.
Land Holdings Immense.
He was also a liberal contributor to
Leander Clark College of Toledo. He
became possibly the largest individual
owner Of land in Tama county, owning
some 5000 acres of land in the county
Besides his land holdings in Tama
he a n1 in,
Minnesota, some 1000 acres in South
Dakota, 800 in Nebraska, $50 in Kansas.
and in company with others owned an
immense tract in Cuba. He owned large
interests in mines in Oregon, was a di-
rector in the Northwestern Portland
Cement Company, of Mason City and
also in the Southwestern Portland Ce-
ment Company, of Texas. He was also
president of the GerInan-American COT
fee Company, Of Mexico, with head
quarters in New York City. He was
Toledo's first mayor, and afterwards
served another term. He had been
member of the Methodist church from
his earlier years and was a contributor
to the church. He had been falling in
strength since last November, but was
confined to his bed only about a week.
While he was wealthy, his property
holdings totalling something like
s1.000,000, he was extremely democratic
in his life and was in no way ostenta-
tious He had been identified with the
growth and interests of the town, coun-
~ and state, in all of which he took
deep interest. He was exemplary IN
his habits, never having used tobacco
or alcoholic liquors in any form.
The funeral viii take place Tuesday,
Aug. H. at $3.50 2. m. and the inter
ment will be in the family inausoleum,
which he had built after Mrs. Johnston
died.