Background
Robert Johnston was born on October 14, 1818, in Rockbridge County, Virginia, United States. His early life is unknown.
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Robert Johnston
Edit ProfileEducation
Robert Johnston studied law under John West Brockenbrough in Lexington in 1840.
Career
Robert Johnston moved to Clarksburg, Virginia (now West Virginia), in 1842 and began a law practice. He served in the House of Delegates from 1855 to 1858.
In January 1861, he led the meeting of the State Rights party. Although he was a secessionist, he was not elected to the secession convention.
However, he was elected to the provisional Confederate Congress without seeking the office and subsequently was elected without opposition to the first Confederate House and, with little opposition, to the second.
When the war ended, he moved to Harrisonburg, Virginia, and practiced law. He was also a judge from 1880 to 1885.
Achievements
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Robert Johnston served in the antebellum Virginia state legislature and later represented his state in the Provisional Confederate Congress, the First Confederate Congress, and the Second Confederate Congress. He represented Virginia's 15th district, comprising the counties of Lewis, Wood, Pleasants, Tyler, Ritchie, Doddridge, Upshur, Randolph, Webster, Tucker, Barbour, Harrison, Taylor, Gilmer, and Calhoun, all of which are now part of West Virginia.
Membership
Robert Johnston was a member of the Committee on Military Appointments and the committee to make the proceedings of the provisional Congress public. In the first and second Confederate Houses, Johnston was also a member of the following committees: Post Office and Post Roads, the committee to investigate the losses of Forts Donelson and Pillow, Currency, Accounts, Quartermaster’s and Commissary Departments, and the committee of State Claim against the Confederate government.
References
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Born
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Died
November 6, 1885 (aged 67) -
Resting place
Woodbine Cemetery, Harrisonburg, Virginia, United States -
Nationality
American -
Political Party
Democratic party
Career
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1855 - 1858
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1880 - 1885