GEN.GEO D JOHNSTON
  ANSWERS LAST CALL

Distinguished Tuscaloosa Citizen and
  Confederate Veteran Passed Away
      at 3:15 This Morning

 
  The death of Gen. George Doherty
Johnston, brigadier general in the
Confederate Army, and one of the 
most distinguished citizens of Tus-
caloosa occurred at his residence in
this city at a quarter past three
o'clock this Wednesday morning.

  Gen. Johnston, who was nearing his
eighty ninth birthday had not been
strong for several years.  Though all
his facilities were wonderfully pre-
served, he has been growing percep-
table weaker for some time and was
seldom seen on the streets during
the last few months.  A year or two
ago he had an apoplectic stroke and
has since had several attacks of simi-
liar nature.  He seemed in his usual
health and spirits, however, last week
and on Thursday morning was dress-
ing to go out and see a neighbor
when he was seized with an attack
somewhat different from those he had
sustained formerly.  This was more
like a heart affection.  He was immed-
diately put to bed and though all that
medical skill or the most loving care
could devise was done nothing could
avail and he gradually grew worse.

  By Thursday night it seemed that
the end was near and he had lapses 
of unconsciousness, which kept up
from time to time until his death.  One
side became paralyzed and he was un-
able to take any food from Thursday
night.  His vitality was remarkable.
It was not thought he could possibly
last over twenty four hours when
first taken and the way he held up
against the approach of the destroyer
was a splendid tribute to his superb

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constitution.

  His sons from distant cities were
summoned and he passed away sur-
rounded by his whole family, the only
absent one being a daughter, living in
a far distant city.

  In his death Tuscaloosa loses one of
most prominent citizens and one of
the most respected and esteemed men
this community ever boasted.  In-
deed Gen. Johnston was known all
over Alabama and his reputa-
tion was not confined to this state.
He had held positions that brought
him prominently before the public in
other states and in the national capi-
tol and he was one of the most dis-
tinguished of living southern men.
His services to the Confederacy, his
public life and his gentlemanly quali-
ties had made him an invaluable citi-
zen and he was a man universally ad-
mired.  He had hosts of friends in
all walks of life.  Old and young,
black and while, men and women, all
esteemed and loved him and his death
will cause a great deal of sorrow to
many hearts outside of his home
circle.

  Gen Johnston came of a distin-
guished North Carolina family having
been born at Hillsborough, N. C.
May 30th, 1832.  He thus had lived
out nearly the four score years that
so few men reach.

  His father moved to Alabama in
1834, locating at Greensboro.  Gen.
Johnston was educated at a private
school at Marion, Ala., and was gradu-
ated with the degrees of both Bachel-
or of Arts and Master of Arts at
Howard College in 1849.  He took his
degree in law from Cumberland Uni-
versity at Lebannon, Tenn., in 1852.  He
began to practice law in Marion, Ala.,
in 1854.  He was Mayor of Marion in
1856 and a member of the General
Assembly from Perry County from
1867-1868.

  He held many positions of distingu-
ished honor.  He was the Command-
ant of Cadets at the University of Ala-
bama from 1871 to 1873 and was the
Superintendent of the South Carolina
Military Academy (more familiarly
known as Citadel) from 1885 to 1890.

-----------end column --------

He was United States Civil Service
Commissioner from 1892 to 1893, be-
ing on the Board at the same time
with Theodore Roosevelt.  He was
State Senator from Tuscaloosa County
in 1900.

  He had a brilliant and enviable re-
cord as a Confederate soldier and
was loyal to the cause he fought for
to the very last, having been an offi-
cial of the local camp of Confederate
Veterans and holding offices in the
larger conventions.

  He was in the Confederate Army
from the first, being second lieu-
tenant of Company "G", 4th Alabama
and in April of the same year was
made Lieutenant Colonel of the same
regiment.  He was made a full Colonel
in 1863 and became a Brigadier Gen-
eral of the Confederate Army in July,
1864, serving in this high capacity
with conspicuous gallantry until the
end of the war.  He was one of the
last surviving Brigadier Generals in
the south.

  He was a member of the Elks, he
was a Mason and also a member of
the Order of the Cincinnati, sharing
this honor with only one other Ala-
bamian.

  In politics he was a staunch demo-
crat and was always interested in
public [cannot read remainder of line]
public questions, upon which he was
exceedingly well informed.

  From early life he was a loyal mem-
ber of the Presbyterian Church, and
died upheld by a serene faith.  Before
he passed away he made all the ar-
rangements for his funeral, selecting

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the songs that should be sung and
giving other instructions.  He had ex-
pressed himself long before as ready
to meet his God and his courageous
facing of the dread visitant and his
words of cheer to those left behind
are precious memories indeed.

  Gen. Johnston had been married
three times.  In 1853 he married Miss
Euphradia Poellnitz of Marengo Coun-
ty and four children blessed their
union as follows: George Burke John-
ston, now of Uniontown, Charles Poel-
lnitz Johnston, now of New Orleans,
Milton H. Johnston, who died several
years ago, and Euphradia Johnston,
a former Tuscaloosa belle, now Mrs.
Arnold Jolly of Hamburg, Iowa.

  After the death of his first wife he
married Miss Maria Barnett of Col-
umbia, Tenn., who died leaving no
children.

  In 1876, he married Mrs. Stella
Searcy Harris, daughter of Dr. Reu-
ben Searcy of Tuscaloosa and sister
of Dr. James T. Searcy and Mr.
George A. Searcy.  This devoted wife
survives him with one son, George
Doherty Johnston, Jr.  Four other
children of Mrs. Johnston are bereav-
ed of a father's love in his death - 
they are Mrs. John M. Francis and
Mr. Robert T. Harris of Detroit, Mich.,
Miss Stella Harris of Tuscaloosa and
Mrs. James C. Ester of Chattanooga.

  Gen. Johnston was a brainy man
and a particularly fine speaker.  He
had the rare gift of real eloquence
and he had written several lectures
which he had delivered here and else-
where with great success.  Among
the best known of these were "Me-
mories of the Old South", about which
he was so well equipped to write, 
"The Women of the South" and he
was at work upon another, "The Life
of Jefferson Davis".  Indeed he was
to make an address at Central College
this  Wednesday  morning and
the day he was stricken he was pre-
paring to go over to a friend's house
near by to read the address over to
him.

  His mind remained clear and vigor-
ous to the last and though during the
last days he was often unconscious it

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was remarkable how clearly his mind
worked in the moments of conscious-
ness that he had.

  He was one of the most courtly
men that ever lived.  He was a de-
lightful embodiment of the real old
time southern gentlemen of song and
story.  There are few of them left
nowadays, which the present genera-
tion has a reason to regret.  Gen. John-
ston's chivalric manner was not
simply the expression of good breed-
ing, he was an innate gentleman,
with a great soul, generous and high
minded, and his tenderness with
children, his courtly deference when
meeting a lady, all these bespoke the
real, not the make believe gentleman.
No knight of old was more chivalric
or more great hearted than was Gen.
Johnston.

  A true soldier of the south, a culti-
vated scholar, an able man in public
life, a friend true as steel one who
had many firends with a rare singleness
of heart, a kind, a big hearted and a
most useful citizen, a strong forceful
character, and above all a christian,
we shall not soon look upon his like
again.

  The funeral will occur from the
Presbyterian Church Thursday morn-
ing at ten o'clock.

---end

typescript:
Frances P. Morrison
pictures added 8 July, 1999; created: 11 January 1999