James A. Johnston

James Aloysius Johnston (September 15, 1874 – September 7, 1954) was an American politician and prison warden who served as the first and longest-serving warden of Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary, serving from 1934 to 1948. He had earlier served as warden of California state prisons at Folsom (1912-1913) and San Quentin (1914-1924).

Biography Born in Brooklyn, New York and orphaned at the age of ten, Johnston began working at age fifteen in a clothing store at Weinstock, Lubin and Company in Sacramento, California. He sold neckties in the menswear department. He rose to General Manager of Weinstock Lubin.

After moving to San Francisco, he started his own store, Johnston's Men's Wear, at 916 Market Street.

Entering politics in the young city, he was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1907. In 1911 he was appointed to the California State Board of Control, headed by new gubernatorial appointee John Francis Neylan. The state legislature had given the board "centralized control of the financial outlays of most state agencies."

The next year Johnston was appointed to serve as warden of the state prison at Folsom State Prison (1912-1913), followed by serving a decade as warden at San Quentin (1914-1924) (see caption of image of Johnston). He became known for his focus on redeeming offenders and work to improve their lives; for instance, he treated those who needed it for drug abuse, and established educational and employment programs for inmates. In 1912 the state hired its first dentists to treat prisoners.

Johnston died of a bronchial infection on September 7, 1954, in San Francisco, California.