George Johnstone (April 18, 1846 – March 8, 1921) was an American politician and lawyer. A Democrat, he was a member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina.

Early life and military service

Johnstone was born on April 18, 1846, in Newberry, South Carolina,[1] the son of lawyer Chancellor Job Johnstone and Amelia DeWalt.[2] His younger brother, Alan Johnstone, was a member of the South Carolina Senate.[3]

Johnstone was educated at common schools. In January 1864, he enrolled at The Citadel, and in late 1864,[2] enlisted into the South Carolina Corps of Cadets, of the Confederate States Army.[4] He caught an illness during his deployment and was returned to Newberry. From 1866 to 1868, he studied at the University of Edinburgh,[2] and from 1868 to 1870, studied in Paris.[5] He was admitted to the bar at some point between 1871 and 1873, after which he commenced practice in Newberry.[2][4][5]

Politics

Johnstone was a Democrat. In 1874, he declined a nomination to the South Carolina House of Representatives,[4] though later served from 1877 to 1884, representing Newberry County.[1] During his tenure, he was a member of the Committee on Ways and Means.[6] In 1881, he worked to revise and amend the Constitution of South Carolina, namely its tax codes. He refused to run in the following election.[4]

On multiple occasions, Johnstone was nominated to the South Carolina Senate, declining all the nominations, saying that he was better heard in the House of Representatives.[2] He was a member of the South Carolina Democratic Executive Committee from 1880 to 1884.[4]

Johnstone served in the United States House of Representatives from March 4, 1891, to March 3, 1893, representing South Carolina's 3rd district.[1] He lost the primaries of the follow election.[4] He later unsuccessfully ran for the United States Senate.[5] He was a delegate to the 1895 South Carolina state constitutional Election.[4]

Personal and later life

After serving in Congress, Johnstone returned to practicing law in Newberry.[4] In 1903, he was a defendent in the trial against politician James H. Tillman for murdering journalist Narciso Gener Gonzales.[5] He also owned a farm in Newberry.[5]

On April 8, 1896, Johnstone married Katie Rutherford.[7] He died on March 8, 1921, aged 74, in Newberry, from an illness which inflicted a stroke and paralysis.[5] He was buried at Johnstone Cemetery, in Newberry.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Political Graveyard: Index to Politicians: Johnstone". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Evans, Clement A. (1899). Capers, Ellison; South Carolina. Confederate Publishing Company. pp. 685, 686.
  3. ↑ "George Johnstone Dies In Newberry". The Abbeville Press and Banner. 9 March 1921. p. 4. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Johnstone, George". bioguide.congress.gov. Retrieved 2026-05-09.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "George Johnstone Dies At Newberry Home". The Newberry Weekly Herald. 18 March 1921. p. 5. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  6. ↑ Journal of the House of Representatives of the State of South-Carolina. The State. 1878. p. 173.
  7. ↑ "Death of Col. George Johnstone, Former Brilliant Lawyer". The Newberry Weekly Herald. 11 March 1921. p. 8. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Johnstone_(congressman)