A Narrative History of The People of Iowa with SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY, BUSINESS, ETC. by EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M. Curator of the Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa Volume IV THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc. Chicago and New York 1931 RUFUS SHERMAN JOHNSTON, president of the Louisa County National Bank of Columbus Junction, is one of the most important citizens in this section of Southeastern Iowa. His name has been closely associated with the county for forty years as a farmer, business man and promoter of the material and civic interests of the community. Mr. Johnston was born at Columbus City in Louisa County, October 4, 1864. His father James Harvey Johnston, was born in Tennessee, and settled near Columbus Junction, Iowa, in 1856. He was an early settler, and his enterprise and industry made him one of the leaders in the farming industry of the county. He died in June, 1890. His wife, Miss Esther A. Orr, was also born in Tennessee, and died in 1913. Of their four children two are living, Rufus Sherman and Mrs. Laura Gilkey, whose home is in Pennsylvania. Rufus Sherman Johnston finished the work of the public schools at Columbus Junction in 1881 and for three years pursued the liberal arts course in the Eastern Iowa Normal School, graduating A. B. in 1886. He played on the college baseball team and was valedictorian of his class at graduation. While in school he was associated with his father's farm. After graduating he clerked for a time in Blair's Book Store, and in 1887 resumed his place on the farm. For forty years he has owned and supervised valuable farming interests in this section of the state and has been a leader in farm organizations. From 1896 to 1903 he was secretary of the District Fair Association, and he served ten years as a member of the Iowa State board of agriculture. Mr. Johnston in 1891 became a partner of E. G. Amuryl in a hardware business at Columbus City, and was active in that until 1896. He has been on the board of directors of the Louisa County National Bank since 1890. Since 1913 Mr. Johnston has been in the automobile business, as a partner in the local Ford agency, and they also handle the Durant cars. Mr. Johnston was county supervisor of Louisa County from 1906 to 1912, and has served as a member of the local school board for over thirty-six years, several times being president of the board. He married, March 6, 1896, Miss Louie Colton, of Columbus City. They have three daughters, Dr. Helen Johnston, of Des Moines, Edith, of Columbus Junction, and Pauline, of Columbus Junction. Debbie Clough Gerischer _http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm_ (http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/index.htm) _http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm_ (http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm) _http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/_ (http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/)