From GREATER WHEELING AND VICINITY
By Charles A. Winegerter, 1912; pages 676-677.
     
Contributed by Linda Fluharty. 


     FRANK L. JOHNSTON. - To be the head of a large and prosperous business 
and to be recognized as capable of directing its policy and managing its 
complex interests in these modern days demands more than ordinary talent and 
those who occupy positions of this character in a community may justly be 
denominated prominent citizens. Thus attention is called to Frank L. 
Johnston, who is president of the Johnston-Carter Company, one of the largest 
business enterprises in the Ohio valley and operating the leading store at 
Follansbee, West Virginia. Mr. Johnston was born on his father's farm near 
West Beaver, Pennsylvania, October 31, 1878, the family being of the old 
settled and substantial class in that section. 
     Mr. Johnston is a man of education. He attended the public schools in 
boyhood in the vicinity of his home and was afforded higher advantages at Mt. 
Union College, in Ohio, afterward becoming a teacher. Subsequently he entered 
the law department of the Western Reserve University at Cleveland, and in 
1900 went to Steubenville. Just at that time the La Belle Iron Company 
started into operation and a favorable opportunity was presented to the young 
man to identify himself with one of its departments and he accepted, what he 
supposed was only a temporary position, but in which he displayed qualities 
which were recognized by his employers and he continued with the company for 
seven years. On leaving the La Belle Company, instead of turning to a 
professional life, he decided again in favor of an active business career and 
accepted a position with the Steubenville Hardware Company, which he retained 
for two years and then went into business for himself, on January 1, 1909, 
buying the company's branch store at Follansbee. He succeeded with his 
enterprise far beyond his expectations and, in association with others, 
organized the present company, which was incorporated on April 1, 1910, under 
the style of the Johnston-Carter Company, Mr. Johnston becoming president. 
Credit is given him for the great prosperity that has attended this business 
from its beginning, it being computed that since incorporation it has 
increased one thousand per cent, surely a most satisfactory showing. It has 
been found necessary to enlarge the original store building, which has made 
it one of the largest in Brooke county, while judicious advertising, together 
with the honest quality of goods handled, has widened the trade territory in 
every direction. Johnston-Carter Company are merchants, carrying a full 
general line of hardware, china and sporting goods. The china and crockery 
department is complete, all grades of ware being carried to suit all tastes, 
and here may be found the cheap brown crock of the commoner pottery and also 
the delicate Haviland china that is fit to adorn the table of those who pay 
as much attention to the plate as to the food that is placed upon it. The 
company has three plumbers in its employ, men of skill and experience in 
their line, and vouches for the reliability of their work. 
     On November 2, 1904, Mr. Johnston was married to Miss Beulah P. Stark, a 
daughter of S. R. and Lida (Atkinson) Stark, the latter of whom belonged to 
the same family that produced the late Governor Atkinson, a former chief 
executive of West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Johnston have one son, Samuel Stark, 
who, in developing into manhood, may well take his own father to emulate, 
learning by his example the value of energy, application and fidelity to 
employers and associates.  Mr. Johnston is a keen, able business man, but he 
is never so interested in his own affairs that he forgets public claims, and 
he lends his influence to all movements that promise to be of benefit to this 
section.