Archibald Johnston (Bethlehem)
| Archibald Johnston | |
|---|---|
| Mayor of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | |
|
In office 1918–1922 |
|
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | James Yeakel |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Archibald Johnston May 30, 1864 Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Died | February 1, 1948 (aged 83) Bethlehem Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Spouse(s) | Estelle Sophia Borhek Johnston (1867-1952) (m. 1891–1948) |
| Children | Archibald Borhek Johnston (1894-1980) Elizabeth J. Jost (1899-1965) |
| Parents | Joseph Johnston (1827-1900) Martha Stroman Johnston (1823-1898) |
| Occupation | mechanical engineer business executive civic leader |
Archibald Johnston (February 1, 1864 – May 30, 1948) was a mechanical engineer who, favored by Bethlehem Iron Company management and senior Bethlehem Steel Company president Charles M. Schwab, became president of Bethlehem Steel Company. He was subsequently appointed as first vice president of the Bethlehem Steel Corporation in charge of foreign sales. While first vice president, he led a municipal consolidation campaign to create the modern city of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania from the boroughs of Bethlehem and South Bethlehem. As the first mayor of the newly incorporated city, he presided over the construction of the Hill to Hill Bridge as chairman of the Bethlehem Bridge Commission, significantly enlarged the city's area, extended paved streets, water mains, and municipal sewerage, and provided the city's first municipal park.
After leaving office, he returned to Bethlehem Steel and moved his family to nearby Bethlehem Township to a new property, "Camel's Hump Farm", formed from over 390 acres of land purchased beginning in 1919 from local farmers. Upon his retirement from Bethlehem Steel in 1927, he began describing himself as a "gentleman farmer" and continued in public service until his death at his home in 1948.
Archibald Johnston was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania on May 30, 1864 to Joseph and Martha (Stroman) Johnston. Joseph Johnston was employed by the Bethlehem Iron Company, one of the predecessor firms to the Bethlehem Steel Corporation. Archibald was one of 10 children.
Johnston attended Bethlehem, Pennsylvania's schools and received a high school diploma at age 15. After working at the Bethlehem Iron Company, he studied mechanical engineering at Lehigh University and received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1889. While at Lehigh, he played football and became team captain.
Johnston married Estelle Sophia Stadiger Borhek (1867-1952), daughter of Ashton C. and Louisa Borhek, on February 12, 1891. Reverend Morris W. Evert of Bethlehem’s Central Moravian Church officiated at the ceremony. They had two children, Archibald Borhek Johnston, (known as “Archibald Junior”), in 1894 and Elizabeth Johnston, born in 1899.
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