Representative Rowland Louis Johnston

Rowland Louis Johnston (April 23, 1872 – September 22, 1939) was a U.S. Representative from Missouri’s 16th congressional district. Born in Louisiana, Pike County, Missouri, on April 23, 1872, he was raised in that community and attended the local public schools. Little is recorded about his family background, but his early years in a small Mississippi River town in northeastern Missouri shaped his familiarity with the concerns of both rural and developing urban constituencies in the state.

After completing his public school education, Johnston studied law, preparing for a professional career in the legal field. He was admitted to the bar in 1894 and commenced the practice of law in St. Louis, Missouri, then a rapidly growing commercial and industrial center. His move into legal practice in St. Louis provided him with exposure to complex civil and criminal matters and positioned him to enter public service at an early age.

Johnston’s political and legal career began in earnest in the 1890s. As a member of the Republican Party, he was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives, serving from 1892 to 1896. During this period he participated in state legislative affairs at a time when Missouri was grappling with issues of economic development, transportation, and governance in the post-Reconstruction era. Building on his legislative experience, he was elected prosecuting attorney of St. Louis County, serving from 1904 to 1908. In that role he was responsible for the prosecution of criminal cases in one of the state’s most populous jurisdictions. His growing prominence in Republican politics was reflected in his service as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1908, where he took part in the party’s national deliberations.

In addition to his legislative and prosecutorial work, Johnston held several other public positions that broadened his experience. He served as a member of the State militia, and during the Spanish–American War he acted as a recruiting officer, contributing to Missouri’s role in the national war effort in 1898. Later, he served as assistant circuit attorney for the city of St. Louis from 1920 to 1926, participating in the prosecution of cases in the city’s circuit courts during a period marked by Prohibition and significant social and economic change. In 1926 he moved to Rolla, Phelps County, Missouri, where he continued the practice of law and became active in the civic and political life of that community.

Johnston’s long involvement in Republican politics and public law culminated in his election to the United States House of Representatives. He was elected as a Republican to the Seventy-first Congress, representing Missouri’s 16th congressional district, and served one term from March 4, 1929, to March 3, 1931. His tenure in Congress coincided with a significant period in American history, including the onset of the Great Depression following the stock market crash of 1929. As a member of the Republican Party representing Missouri, Johnston contributed to the legislative process during his single term in office, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents in a time of mounting economic crisis.

After his term in Congress, Johnston sought to continue his service at the national level but was not returned to office. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1930 to the Seventy-second Congress and again an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1932 to the Seventy-third Congress. Following these defeats, he resumed the practice of law in Rolla, Missouri, where he maintained his legal career and remained a figure in local and state Republican circles.

Rowland Louis Johnston continued to reside in Rolla and practice law until his death there on September 22, 1939. His remains were cremated, and his ashes were deposited in the mausoleum at Oak Grove Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri. His career reflected more than four decades of engagement in Missouri public life, encompassing service in the state legislature, county and city legal offices, military-related duties during the Spanish–American War, and a term in the United States Congress.