Fresno County, California Biographies Source: History of Fresno County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present (1919) History By Paul E. Vandor Illustrated, Complete In Two Volumes Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1919 Notes: Missing+page1185-1186 Transcribed by Peggy Hooper This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm E. MELVIN JOHNSTON, D.D.S.� In professional life as well as in other lines of business Fresno is well represented by native sons. E. Melvin Johnston is one of these. Born in Fresno, October 22, 1887, he attended the grammar and high schools of his native city, graduating from the Fresno High in 1907. He had set his mind on a course in college and in order to secure funds to do so he went into the oil fields in Kern County to earn the necessary money. In the fall of that year he entered Vanderbilt University at Nashville, Tenn.. where he remained for a year studying dentistry. He then returned to Fresno and became an assistant in the office of B. B. Cory and remained two years, when he returned to his Alma Mater for another year of study. Young Johnston was energetic and industrious and anxious to complete his course and in consequence he once more came back home and found employment with the San Joaquin & Eastern Railroad Company at construction work for six months. With his earnings he then entered the College of Physicians & Surgeons in San Francisco and was graduated from the dental department in 1912 with the degree of D.D.S. His first location was in San Luis Obispo where he was an assistant in the office of Dr. O. M, Polin for eighteen months. With his several years of practical experience, Dr. Johnston felt able to launch out for himself and in January, 1914, he re- turned to Fresno and opened an office and began to build up an independent practice and to reap the returns he knew awaited him. The war in Europe made a change in the plans of this rising dentist and on January 10, 1918. Dr. Johnston was commissioned First Lieutenant in the Dental Reserve Corps of the United States Army. On June 6 of that year he was called into active service and ordered to report at the dental officers training camp at Fort Oglethorpe, Ga. After two months' training he was assigned to Camp Grant, Ill., where he had charge of the dental work of the Eight Hundred Twelfth Infantry. From there he received over- seas orders as Dental Surgeon of Base Hospital No. 75. He arrived at Hoboken on November 11, the day the armistice was signed and remained in that city five and one-half weeks before he received his honorable dis- charge. Dr. Johnston returned to Fresno and on December 25, 1918, opened new offices in the Forsyth Building and resumed his practice. He was the only dentist from Fresno who saw more than four months' active service in the army. Dr. Johnston was united in marriage with Miss Ethel L. Thomas of San Francisco, and they have one son, E. Melvin, Jr., of whom both parents are justly proud. But for the fact that the child was two pounds over-weight he would have ranked as a one hundred percent, perfect baby. During the service of Dr. Johnston in the army he had his wife and son with him at the different camps until he received orders for overseas duty, when they returned to California. Dr. Johnston has been prominent in his profession and served as presi- dent of the San Joaquin Valley Dental Association for one year. He is now serving as councilman to the California State Dental Association as the repre- sentative of the San Joaquin district. He attended the meeting of the Na- tional Dental Association held in Chicago in August, 1918, and while there he was a member of the company that gave an exhibition drill before the Association and was reviewed by Major General Gorgas, Surgeon General U. S. A. and Brig. General Noble, U. S. A. Dr. Johnston is second vice- president of Fresno Parlor, N. S. G. W. ; is a member of the University Club of Fresno ; and is a charter member of the World's War Veterans and a member of the local executive committee.