Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-01-10
WEBSTER CITY MAN SEARCHES
FOR AND FINDS KIN OF
OWNER OF OLD BOOK.
FILTERED FROM HOME
DURING CIVIL WAR
Yale Glass Book 10 30 Returned -
Daughter of Col. William Preston
" Johnston, Member Of Distinguished
Southern Famiiy-Book Bought From
Comrade by Father of J. w. Let's.

Webster City, Jan. 10.-At least one
OF the wrongs committed during the
civil war will be made right within a
few days, when J. w. Let's, OF this
city. will return TO Mrs. Rosa john
ston Robinson. of Louisville, KY. the
Yale class book of 1852 belonging to
her father. the late Col. William Pres
ton Johnston.
This book in question. was bought
for 81 from soldier comrade by the
late j. r. Let's. a veteran Of the civil
war. 1t had been PLACED from the
Johnston home by ruthless despoN-
ers hand, altho it is a volume which
could have no possible value for any
but the owner to whom it would be
priceless. Mr.. Let's always felt that II
the opportunity offered, he would be
glad to return the volume to its right
full owner.
The volume Is handsome one
heavy, bound in gold lettered calf, with
the name of the owner and the year
stamped upon it's cover. The paper is
of heavy vellum, and the book is filled
with exquisite steel engravings Of the
entire Yale faculty of 1852, and also
the members of the class. The blank
pages opposite each engravings are
filled with the autographs Of Colonel
Johnston's classmates. Among the
names prominently stands forth that OF
William H Odel. Some of the auto
graphs are verses from favorite poems:
others are of a sentimental nature and
stlIl others were written with a GER
tain dignified righteousness which
marks the college wit Of 1852.
Long Search Ends.
AT some time IN 1899, the elder Mr..
Let's found newspaper dispatch from
Lexington, Va, announcing the death
of Col. William Preston Johnston.
president of Tulane University, of New
Orleans, La. This notice Mr.. Let's
pasted in the book beneath the engrav-
ing of the owner for future reference.
Last summer, the surviving members
of the Let's family agreed that Sle just
thing to do was to make extensive in
quiry for the living descendants Of
Colonel Johnston and deliver the book
to them. This duty devolved upon J.
w. Let's, who, in his several months
search for the family, retains an in
teresting correspondence with many
well known and notable people, includ-
ing William Howard Taft and Rev.
Arson Phelps Stokes, of Yale, and aleo
members Of the Johnston connection
in the Southland
These have vouchsafed the informa-
ton that Colonel Johnston was t3e
son of Albert Sidney Johnston, who
was killed at the ba tile of Shiloh; that
he went eintoStte war from Louisville,
KY, and was colonel of a regiment at
the first battle of Manassas. After this,
his health became impaired and for the
remainder Of the war he was on the
staff Of Jefferson Davis in Richmond.
Colonel Johnston was with Davis on
his retreat and was captured with him.
He was confined in a southern prison
for six months after the war after
which period he returned home
The story is an interest ting one; the
scattered family Of six children ne left,
of whom only two daughter are now
living-the eldest, Mrs. Roso Robinson.
who will receive the precious memento
of her fathers honora Bile college life
perhaps the only happy memory of the
north he was destined to retain.