Rienzi Melville Johnston

Rienzi Melville Johnston (September 9, 1849 – February 28, 1926) was an American journalist and politician. He edited the Houston Post from 1885 to 1919, and served a 29-day term in the United States Senate in January 1913 after the resignation of Joseph Weldon Bailey. His term remains the fifth shortest in Senate history. Johnston was a member of the Texas Senate from 1917 to 1920, and also its President pro tempore from 1918.

Early life Johnston was born in Sandersville, Georgia, on September 9, 1849 (some sources say 1850). He was born the son of Freeman W. Johnston and his wife Mary J. (née Russell). In his early years, Johnston worked in a print shop, but at the age of 12 was enlisted as a drummer in the Confederate States Army, serving a year from 1862 to 1863. After being discharged, he re-enlisted in 1864 and served until the end of the war. After the war, he returned to newspaper work.

Newspaper career In the early 1870s, Johnston became editor of the Savannah Morning News. He traveled to Texas in 1878, where he took on the editorship of the Crockett Patron. After a year at the Patron, he went on to edit the Corsicana Observer and established the Independent there. In 1880, Johnston moved to Austin, where he wrote for the Austin Statesman. The Houston Post also enlisted him to serve as a correspondent to cover the state capital. Elected to replace Johnston was Morris Sheppard who would go on to introduce the Eighteenth Amendment to the Senate, implementing the nationwide prohibition of alcohol. Following his Senate term, Johnston returned to Houston and resumed his role as editor of the Post. He retired from the newspaper business in 1919.

A collection of Johnston's papers is held at Rice University in Houston. His name has also been given to Rienzi, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston's house museum for European decorative arts. The house formerly belonged to Johnston's grandson, Harris Masterson III.

Personal life Johnston married Mary E. Parsons in 1875, and they had three children. He died on February 28, 1926, and was buried in Glenwood Cemetery, Houston.