Franklin Lewis Johnston

Full Name: Franklin Lewis "Frank" Johnston
Other surnames: Johnson
Date of birth: October 11, 1840
Date of death: July 12, 1897

Terms of Service
Biographical Notes
Committee Information

Terms of Service top

Chamber	District	Dates of Service	Legislatures	Party	City/County	Counties in District
S	2	Jan 9, 1883 - Jan 13, 1885	18th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾	Democrat	Buena Vista / Shelby	Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby
H	8	Jan 14, 1879 - Jan 11, 1881	16th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾	Democrat	Buena Vista / Shelby	Panola, Shelby
H	2	Jan 13, 1874 - Apr 18, 1876	14th ⁽⁵⁾	Democrat	Buena Vista / Shelby	Nacogdoches, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby

(1) Buena Vista, Shelby County, Democrat. Pocket Directory of the Eighteenth Legislature of Texas, 1883.
(2) 18th Legislature, Regular Session - All Senators except District 3 and 21 are listed in Roll Call as taking the oath of office, 1/9/1883, p. 2; resolution by Sen. Gooch that the Senators shall now be divided by lot into two classes, 1/10/1883, pp. 5-6; drew term of 2 years. Senate Journal. January 10, 1883 January 9, 1883
(3) District 9 - B.M. Baker, District 8 - F.L. Johnston, 1/14/1879, p. 5. House Journal.
(4) Bio states Baker represented Panola and Shelby counties [District 8] and F.L. Johnston represented Rusk, Panola, and Shelby counties [District 9]. Roster lists both Baker and Johnston as representing District 9. Texas Legislative Manual, 1879-80, 1879.
(5) BUENA VISTA, TX (SHELBY COUNTY). "Buena Vista is near the junction of Farm roads 1645 and 2026, twelve miles northwest of Center in northwestern Shelby County. The community was originally called Bucksnort when it began to form in the early 1830s; it was renamed Buena Vista when it received a post office in 1848." Handbook of Texas Online.

Terms of Service top

Senate District 2
Jan 9, 1883 - Jan 13, 1885
Legislatures: 18th ⁽¹⁾ ⁽²⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Buena Vista / Shelby
Counties in district: Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby

House District 8
Jan 14, 1879 - Jan 11, 1881
Legislatures: 16th ⁽³⁾ ⁽⁴⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Buena Vista / Shelby
Counties in district: Panola, Shelby

House District 2
Jan 13, 1874 - Apr 18, 1876
Legislatures: 14th ⁽⁵⁾
Party: Democrat
Home City/County: Buena Vista / Shelby
Counties in district: Nacogdoches, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby

Biographical Information top

Biographical Sketches

JOHNSTON, FRANKLIN LEWIS (1840-1897). Handbook of Texas Online.
Biographical sketch, "An Early East Texas Legislator and His Kin: Franklin Lewis Johnston (1840-1897), his wife Margaret Dysart, and Allied Families Farrar, Bowdon (Bowdoin), Roberts, and Allen," by Virginia Knobel Tschanz, great granddaughter of Franklin Lewis Johnston. Texas State Genealogical Society. Stirpes, Volume 38, Number 1, March 1998, pp. 3-12, crediting Texas State Genealogical Society. Franklin Lewis Johnston tombstone inscribed with birth date 10/11/1840, death date 7/12/1897, p. 7. Includes legislative service of allied families and Johnston's education, marriage to Margaret Dysart, legislative service, land investments, children, death and burial, and family tree. Relatives: Hon. Franklin Lewis Johnston (1840-1897) - father-in-law, Hon. Simon Bowdon Farrar (1866-1933) - son-in-law, pp. 7-8. Portal to Texas History (University of North Texas Libraries).
Biographical sketch, p. 254. Texas Legislative Manual, 1879-80, 1879.
Biographical sketch, Frank L. Johnston, p. 237. "Frank L. Johnston, of Center, Shelby county . . . " Texas Legislative Manual, 1882-83, 1883.

Military Service Notes

Confederate States Army, Sergeant and Quartermaster Clerk, Amason's Company H, 11th Infantry. Col. Robert's Regiment, Walker's Division. Enlisted 2/19/1862 in Shelby County, disbanded at Hempstead, Texas. Died 7/12/1897. Buried: Johnston Cemetery, Tenaha, Shelby County. Shelby County in the Civil War, Franklin Lewis Johnston. RootsWeb.com Internet genealogical service.

Other Resources

F.L. Johnston, Buena Vista, Shelby County. Legislative Reference Library Card File.
Johnston Cemetery, Shelby County, Texas. Died 7/1/1897. Name on marker, Franklin Lewis Johnson. Name on wife's marker, Margaret Johnston. Shelby County Historical Society Museum & Library, 2002.

Photographs

Photograph. F.L. Johnson, 14th Legislature, State Preservation Board

Composite Photographs on Display in the Capitol

18th session composite photo of Senate members (Senate chamber vestibule, east wall. 2E.V1). State Preservation Board.
14th session composite photo of Senate and House members (Ground floor elevator vestibule, east wall. GW.V3). State Preservation Board.

Committee Information top

18th R.S. - 1883 Agricultural Affairs Constitutional Amendments Education Finance Internal Improvements Judicial Districts Judiciary No. 1 Penitentiaries (Chair) Penitentiaries, Subcommittee on Public Lands Public Printing
16th R.S. - 1879 Claims and Accounts Division of Committee Rooms Finance Governor's Mansion, Select (Chair) Judicial Districts, Select Judiciary No. 1 Land Frauds Penitentiary Privileges and Elections Public Debt (Chair) Reduction of Expenses in Departments, Select Revised Civil Code, Select State Affairs
14th R.S. - 1874 Internal Improvements Judiciary No. 1 Military Affairs Private Land Claims

This website is a work in progress. Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.

Party information is not available for the 1st-11th Legislatures.

Have a question, comment or contribution? Email the Library or call 512-463-1252.

Many photos in Texas Legislators: Past and Present are used with permission of the Texas State Preservation Board. For permission to reproduce these photos, please contact the Texas State Preservation Board graphics coordinator at 512-475-3060.