Gaston, Joseph.  "Portland, Oregon Its History and Builders."  Vol. 2. 
Chicago and Portland, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1911. p. 8.
 
DAVID E. JOHNSTON

     Enjoying a large and lucrative law practice in Portland, where he
represents many corporations and other important business concerns, while to his
credit there is recorded eight years of capable and honorable service on the
circuit bench of West Virginia and two years service in congress, David E.
Johnston was born on the 10th of April, 1845, in Giles county, Virginia. He
comes of Anglo-Saxon ancestry long domiciled in the Annandale District,
Dumfriesshire, Scotland, whence representatives of the name emigrated to county
Fermanagh, Ireland, in the sixteenth century, settling near Enniskillen. The
first of the family in America arrived about 1727 in the Piedmont region of
Virginia, and later representatives of the name served under General Washington
in the Revolutionary war. The parents of David E. Johnston were Oscar F. and
Elizabeth Johnston, the former the owner of a Virginia plantation.
     In the common schools near his father's home, David E. Johnston pursued his
education and in 1861, when a youth of sixteen years, entered the military
service of the Confederacy, as a member of Pickett's famous Virginia division.
He was in many engagements, including the battle of Gettysburg, in connection
with which the story of Pickett's gallant charge has thrilled every American of
both north and south, and in which the contending armies had surged back and
forth over the disputed ground until the wide field that lay between was red
with the blood of those who had sacrificed life to the principle for which they
contended. On this field Mr. Johnston was wounded and on another occasion was
also wounded but recovered from his injuries, continuing with the army until the
close of the war.
     After having prepared for the bar, Mr. Johnston soon established himself in
a good practice and during his residence in Mercer county, West Virginia, served
for four years as prosecuting attorney. He was also prominent as a political
leader in his district and in 1879 was elected to the state senate where he made
a great record in formulating the laws enacted during his connection with the
upper house of the general assembly. High honor came to him in connection with
his profession in 1881 when he was elected judge of the circuit court, his
service on the bench continuing through eight years, or until 1889. His
decisions, strictly fair and impartial, embodied the most correct application of
legal principles, while the equity of the case was also manifested in his
opinions. A man of well balanced intellect, thoroughly familiar with the law and
practice and possessed of comprehensive general information, he displayed also
an analytical mind and a self-control that enabled him to lose his
individuality, his personal feelings, his prejudices and his peculiarities of
disposition in the dignity, impartiality and equity of the business to which
life, property, right and liberty must look for protection. His splendid service
in forming the laws of the state led to his selection as one of the lawmakers of
the nation, the third West Virginia district electing him to the fifty-sixth
congress on the democratic ticket. While a resident of West Virginia Mr.
Johnston was also prominent in financial circles of that section, becoming
connected with a number of banks, state and national. He was president of the
state bank of Bluefield, West Virginia, and vice president of the Princeton
Banking Company of Princeton, West Virginia, for a number of years. He was
likewise local attorney for the Norfolk & Western Railway Company for nearly
twenty years and was attorney for a large number of corporations in West
Virginia. Coming to Portland in 1908, he has built up a large and lucrative law
practice here. He possesses those qualities which are indispensable to the
lawyer÷a keen, rapid, logical mind, plus the business sense, and a ready
capacity for hard work.
     In February, 1868, Mr. Johnston was united in marriage to Miss Sarah E.
Pearis, a daughter of Col. Daniel H. Pearis of Mercer county, West Virginia.
Their eldest daughter, Loula, is the wife of Dr. Frank Wilson, a druggist of
Portland. The second daughter, Virginia, is the wife of W. E. Pearson, of the
firm of McCarger, Bates & Lively of Portland. D. H. Johnston, the only son,
married Miss Pearl McCreery of Beckley, West Virginia, and is now of the company
of A. J. Winters, on Sixth Street, Portland. Annie C., the youngest, is now the
wife of Dr. A. D. Wood of Bluefield, West Virginia.
     Since coming to Portland Mr. Johnston has joined the White Temple and has
been a lifelong member of the Baptist church. The vital questions of government
and of national policy are of deep interests to him and upon such he is always
found well informed, so that he is able to support his position by intelligent
argument. He cooperates in well devised plans for municipal progress and
endorses all movements for educational and moral advancement and at the same
time gives due attention to the duties of an increasing law practice. His
devotion to his clients' interests is proverbial and with a thorough and
comprehensive knowledge of the fundamental principles of common law he combines
a familiarity with statutory law and a sober, clear judgment which makes him not
only a formidable adversary in legal debate, but gave him the distinction, while
on the bench, of having exceptionally few of his decisions reversed.
 

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in March 2008 by Diana Smith. Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.