JOHNSTON, Archibald - Putnam

Archibald Johnston, was born Aug 28, 1810 in Wilkes Co NC and removed with his parents to Washington County Ind in 1818; from there he removed to Putnam Co iN in 1822 and settled where Greencastle was afterward located. In 1832 he was married to Sarah Keller, who survives him. By 1844 our subject was elected Sheriff of Putnam County, and re-elected in 1846, serving 4 years. In 1848 he was elected Representative for Putnam COunty and was reelected in 1850. In 1856 he was elected State Senator from Putnam County and in 1860 he was elected State Senator for the district composed of the counties of Putnam and Clay. In 1865 our subject removed from Putnam Co to Montgomery Co and settled upon a farm near Darlington. In 1868 he was elected Senator from Montgomery County serving 4 years. in 1878 he was elected joint Rep for the counties of Montgomery and Parke, and served as a member of the State Board of Agriculture for several years. His public services covered a period of 40 years. The death of Mr. Johnston occurred Dec 30, 1884, he being then 74 years, four months and two days. He left a family of 9 children. In his personal characteristics he was a powerful man, but only used his power to protect his honor or in defense of the weak. His convictions were strong and he held to them with tenacity, although he was kind, obliging, gentle, firm, independent and uncompromising in what he thought was right. He was not an educated man, but made good use of what knowledge he had acquired. As a speaker he had neither eloquence nor finish, but a directness that went to the bottom of the matter in hand, and he took a broad common sense view of things, which made of him a good parliamentarian. In Sept 1884, he made a speech at Clove's Grove, which was listened to with pleasure by all present.