Johnston, Archibald, 1865-1948

Archibald Johnston (1865-1948) graduated from Lehigh in 1889 in Mechanical Engineering. Upon graduation he went to work for the Bethlehem Iron Company where he was put in charge of building and operating the first gun forging plant and armor plate department in a steel manufacturing plant in the United States. In 1899, when the company became the Bethlehem Steel Company under the directorship of Charles M. Schwab, he became assistant general superintendent. Later, Schwab appointed him a president of the steel company. In 1906, Schwab incorporated Bethlehem Steel. Johnston was made first vice president of the Corporation. Under the forceful nature of Schwab in the name of patriotism and the anticipation of the war (World War I), the boroughs of Bethlehem and South Bethlehem were consolidated in 1917with Johnston leading the effort. Johnston was elected the City of Bethlehem's first mayor in 1918 and served until 1922. During his term as mayor he improved the relationship between the Company and the community. He retired from Bethlehem Steel Corporation in 1927. Johnston married Estelle Borhek in 1891. She was a daughter of the prominent Bethlehem timber merchant family Brown-Borhek. She accompanied him on many trips to South America and on some occasions their children also came along according to some of the correspondence.

From the description of Archibald Johnston Letterbook 1912. 1911-1912. (Lehigh University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 471348077

Archibald Johnston was born in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania on May 30, 1865. Upon graduation from Lehigh University in 1889 he joined the Bethlehem Iron Company and remained with the firm and its successor, Bethlehem Steel until retirement in 1927.

At Bethlehem, Johnston was given the responsibility for the erection of the gun forging plant and the armor plate plant, both the first of their kind in this country. In 1900, he was appointed Assistant General Superintendent. Johnston was named General Superintendent and elected to the Board of Directors in 1901. From 1906 to 1908 he was president of its Bethlehem Steel Corporation. After Charles M. Schwab assumed the presidency in 1908, Johnston remained as First Vice President. In this position he was in charge of government sales, both foreign and domestic.

Johnston also served as the Republican mayor of Bethlehem from 1917 to 1921 and was active in national professional societies and civic organizations.

From the description of Papers. 1894-1923. (Hagley Museum & Library). WorldCat record id: 122567774