John Oliver Johnstone (January 21, 1892 – February, 1969) was an American
track and field athlete
Track and field is a sport that includes Competition#Sports, athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of ...
who competed in the
1912 Summer Olympics
The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv, Den V olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, be ...
where he finished sixth in the
high jump competition. He was born in
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge ( ) is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. As part of the Boston metropolitan area, the cities population of the 2020 U.S. census was 118,403, making it the fourth most populous city in the state, behind Boston, ...
and died in
Lancaster, Massachusetts.
John Oliver Johnstone was raised in
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, in the United States, and part of the Greater Boston, Boston metropolitan area. Brookline borders six of Boston's neighborhoods: Brighton, Boston, Brighton, A ...
. He was the son of Welsh immigrants, James G Johnstone and Bloodwyn Hannah Oliver Johnstone, and had one sister, Jenette. He spent much of his youth competing in track and field events throughout New England, attending the
Edward Devotion School
The Florida Ruffin Ridley School, formerly known as the Coolidge Corner School and the Edward Devotion School or Devo, is a public K-8 school located at 345 Harvard Street, Brookline, Massachusetts, United States. It is a part of Public Schools ...
in Brookline and then going on to Worcester Academy before becoming the youngest member at the time to represent the USA in the Olympics in
Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm () is the capital and largest city of Sweden as well as the largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people live in the municipality, with 1.6 million in the urban area, and 2.4 million in the metropoli ...
.
He was roommate with
Jim Thorpe
James Francis Thorpe ( Sac and Fox (Sauk): ''Wa-Tho-Huk'', translated as "Bright Path"; May 22 or 28, 1887March 28, 1953) was an American athlete and Olympic gold medalist. A member of the Sac and Fox Nation, Thorpe was the first Native ...
on the SS Finlandia, which took the team to Sweden. He graduated from
Worcester Academy, where he attained status as World Schoolboy champion - winning American Athletic Association championships. He graduated from Harvard in 1916 and moved with his wife, Ann Catherine Temple Jones, to
Lewiston, Maine
Lewiston (; ; officially the City of Lewiston, Maine) is List of cities in Maine, the second largest city in Maine and the most central city in Androscoggin County, Maine, Androscoggin County. The city lies halfway between Augusta, Maine, August ...
, where he was a professor of French and the Track Coach at
Bates College.
In December 1921, John and Ann had a daughter, Lywena Temple. By 1924 he became a teacher and coach at
Worcester Polytechnic Institute and moved his family to Worcester. He became active in the United Presbyterian Church.
John and Ann's second child, John Oliver Johnstone II, died in infancy. The following year John Oliver Johnstone lll was born healthy and became known as "Jack". They lived in
Holden, Massachusetts until 1966 when they retired. After retiring, John became a substitute teacher in the Worcester Public Schools.
He died in February 1969.
References
External links
List of American athletes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnstone, John
1892 births
1969 deaths
American male high jumpers
Olympic track and field athletes for the United States
Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics
Harvard University alumni
Bates College faculty
Worcester Polytechnic Institute faculty
Worcester Academy alumni
Harvard Crimson men's track and field athletes