Ebenezer Johnstone was born in 1789, son of George Johnstone, wool manufacturer in Galashields. He was a private in the Forfarshire Militia at the battle of Waterloo. When he was discharged he settled in Stirling and ran a school. In 1831, he bought the bookselling and printing business of William Macnie, who in turn had bought that of the Randall's. Admitted a Burgess of Stirling 7 November 1833, he was elected to the Town Council, but lost his seat in 1840. He published only a handful of chapbooks, perhaps because he started the “Stirling Observer”, the first number of which appeared 15 September 1836. It was a Liberal and Free Church paper. Johnstone was his own editor. A James Fraser claimed to have locked up the first issue of the paper. Ebenezer Johnstone retired 1 November 1860 and died 25 October 1864, aged 75.
More Information
Dates of Activity1831-1860
Activityprinter, bookseller and stationer
Online Resourcehttp://www.nls.uk/ Scottish Book Trade Index online (list)
HeadingJohnstone, Ebenezer used in: National Library of Scotland, Scottish Book Trade Index
Sources
Found in“Stirling Observer Press: Ninety years progress 1836-1926”. Stirling, 1926. “Local Notes and Queries reprinted from The Stirling Observer”. Stirling, 1886. — Harvey