Bio: Johnston, Dr. Gilbert B. & Maud

Surnames: JOHNSTON

----Source: ABBOTSFORD, WIS. CENTENNIAL BOOK - 1973

Johnston, Dr. Gilbert B. & Maud

Dr. G. B. Johnston and family moved to Abbotsford, Wis. about 1895 and their first residence was in the Dix building, which was located opposite the Presbyterian Church and was destroyed by fire some years after the Johnston’s had vacated it.

Their next residence was on the west side, in the home which they purchased from Mr. Roter. This home was the previous West Side Grocery store and residence. Some years later, Dr. Johnston purchased the home of A. H. Flaig.

The doctor’s first office was located on the property on which the bus station and restaurant are now located. He later moved to what was known as the Blanchard building which was immediately across the street from the Abbotsford State Bank. His next location was the one he occupied at the time of his death, shortly after which he was 68 years old.

Dr. Johnston died in 1931, having served the people of Abbotsford and the community within a radius of thirty miles. He was well known and was a generous contributor to charity, often taking groceries to his patients who had had hard luck, giving as much attention to those patients as those able to pay.

In addition to taking care of his private practice, Dr. Johnston also was surgeon for the Wisconsin central Railroad and later the Soo Line.

During the time he practiced medicine in Abbotsford, the railroad establish a division point here, which was moved in 1910. Railroad accidents were very common in those days when the old coupling pins were used on railroad cars, and with the heavy freight and passenger traffic in the Abbotsford railroad yards many serious accidents happened. No hospital was available and many seriously injured persons were given immediate attention, often involving amputations, in what was known as the Beanery, the railroad company’s hotel and restaurant.

Grain doors had to be used for operating tables, railroad lanterns (oil burners) for lights and citizens were drafted for assistants to administer the chloroform. Harry Treat, Ade Young, Walter Jackson, Oscar Mellen and Many others served in that capacity.

The doctor had the first telephone system in Abbotsford, which consisted of three telephones, one in his office, one in his home, and the other in the drug store. At a later date, a telephone exchange was installed by the Bell Telephone Company, and one was also installed by local interests, which necessitated having two phones so that one would be able to call those served by either exchange.

While no record was kept as to the number of babies the doctor delivered, it is known that hundreds were delivered by him. In those days babies arrived at a cost of ten dollars plus mileage and many hours were spent by the doctors awaiting the arrival, as all the deliveries were made at home and not in hospitals.

During the flu epidemic, while the first World War was being fought, Dr. Johnston worked night and ay, with only an hour nap snatched when he became completely exhausted. What rest he got was between country calls, sleeping in the cutter, buggy or car, as he had to have someone to do the driving for him.

It was not unusual for him to have three or four teams during a twenty-four hour period, starting out from Abbotsford, calling on patients, circling back to Abbotsford to get a fresh team and starting out in the next section of patients.

The doctor was an ardent sportsman and always maintained a large inventory of guns and fishing tackle, although it was seldom he could get away for a vacation. Usually, when he had a plans made, an accident would happen requiring his time, or some unborn citizen would indicate that he wanted to make an appearance.

During the early years of the 1900’s a young Dr. Green, set up practice in Abbotsford.

Mrs. Johnston always joined Dr. Johnston in working for the welfare of the community, always taking an active part in church affairs, Ladies Home Mission, Library Board, school activities, particularly while her children, Janet and Robert, were attending the Abbotsford School.

Her medical knowledge, gained from the doctor, was relied upon by many of the residents of Abbotsford and vicinity, whenever the doctor was not available and she spent many hours in helping in the care of children who were subject to convulsions, colic and other diseases which often panicked the young mothers.