The Washington herald., 1921-01-12
NOTED SURVIVOR
lOF MEXICAN WAR
: DAYS DEAD AT 81
Mrs. Sarah Johnston,
Widely Known as Editor
Of ID. A. r. Lineage Book.

Mrs. Sarah Brown Hall Johnston,
widow of Judge Saunders w. John
ston, OF the Kansas Territorial su-
preme Court. and one of the few
noted remaining survivors of Mex
lean war days, died at her home,
5lO4 Mount Pleasant street, at 1850
o'clock last night. Mrs. Johnston
was 50 years old.
As editor OF the lineage book of
the National Society of the Daugh-
ters of the American Revolution,
from 1895 to 1918, she was known
to thousands Of women throughout
America. Her close association with
historic events and characters Of
official Washington covered a period
Of many years.
Mrs. Johnston was a direct des-
whom Bunker Hill was named. She
founded the Guadalupe Society OF
survivors of the Mexican war, In
honor of her husband. who was a
captain in that war.
Chosen as Typical American.
When the Southern CaIiforis Ex-
position was planned eight years
ago the Smithsonian Institution pre-
pared an exhibit Of life masks Of
typical Americans descended from
rot less than four generations OF
pure American ancestry. The ages
from five to seventy-five years. in
hve-year intervals, were selected,
kn
sentative Of the age of seventy-hVe
years.
Her birthplace was Utica, N Y.
She was a descendant of Capt. Daniel
Brown, Capt. Joseph Barpes, Moan
Kent and Calvin Hall, Of Cheshire,
Mass, and Jabez Cary, Of Mansfield
Conn, all of whom fought nobly
in the battle of Bennington. In
honor Of her Cheshire forbears, Mrs.
Johnston in 1914 donated to the viii
lage Of Cheshire a beautiful granite
fountain, the occasion being the
greatest event in local history.
The national officers of the D. A X
were her guests of the day, and
some 5000 people from the sur
rounding country attended the cere-
monies and partook OF her hos
pitality as hostess.
Judge Johnston had been an asso-
ciate justice Of the Supreme court OF
Kansas, 1886, in the trouolous
days when bleeding Kansas was
struggling with border rufians in
the fight between slavery and free
soil The border ruffians were the
prO-sIave partisans, determined to
establish whatever laws would aid
Slavery. Justice Johnston was equal
ly determined not to uphold dect-
sions handed down by the other two
members of the court, in many in
stances opinions based upon no cases
whatever before the court. President
Pierce summarily removed him from
ONCE at the dictation of the slave
power. He lived many years in
Washington and was one Of the most
intimate friends of President Gar
field.
Prominent in Society Abroad.
Prior to her marriage to the Judge
Mrs. Johnston had lived abroad sew
eraI years-in Switzerland, Italy and
France. She was possessed of an
independent fortune in those early
years and was a prominent leader in
social circles of the American colo
nies of European cities. She lived
in France during the days Of the
French empire.
When she was fourscore years of
age she suffered a fall downstairs,
which brOks her neck, several ribs,
and an arm, but, with astounding
vitality, she survived, and, in due
time, fully recovered, except as to a
little stiffness of the broken neck.
!, The cause Of her demise at 80 years
was the natural decreptitude Of age,
y vet even as late as last New Years
Day, she persisted in her social
habit of receiving at her home, The
Haven. when she greeted many
friends with her usual cheerfuIness
and kindly spirit.
Arrangements for the funeral will
be announced later. She will be
buried beside her soldier husband in
Arlington Cemetery.