Death Claims Noted Woman Social Leader.
Mrs. Margaret Avery Johnston Passes Away After Long Illness.
Mrs. Margaret Avery Johnston, widow of the late Colonel William Preston Johnston, and a leader in social life, civic and philanthropic life nearly half a century, died at her home, 2433 Prytania street, at 2 o'clock yesterday after a long illness. She was 77 years old.
She leaves three nieces, Miss Sarah Avery McIlhenny, who lived with Mrs. Johnston, Mrs. Joseph S. Clark of Philadelphia, Penn. and Mrs. Sidney Bradford of Avery Island, La., five nephews, Dr. Paul A. McIlhenny of New Orleans, John A. McIlhenny of Washington, D.C., Rufus A. and Edward A. McIlhenny, and John Leeds Avery of Avery Island, La., and many grandnieces and grandnephews.
Burial will be in the family cemetery on the country estate at Avery Island, Sunday.
Mrs. Johnston was born in Baton Rouge in 1848, the daughter of Judge and Mrs. Daniel Dudley Avery, and the granddaughter of Dr. Dudley Avery, who was the surgeon-general of General Andrew Jackson's army in the battle of New Orleans.
She spent her early life at Avery Island and was educated in private schools and by private tutors in New Orleans. In 1886 she was married to Colonel William Preston Johnston, first president of Tulane university and son of General Albert Sidney Johnston, leader of the Confederate army of Tennessee, who was killed in the battle of Shiloh, 1862. Colonel Johnston died in 1899.
Mrs. Johnston was a member of the Quarante Club, of which she was president several terms, the Country Club, Arts and Crafts Club, Art Society and the Golden Society. She took active interest in Tulane universityuntil a short time before her death.
Although she had been in ill health for more than six months, her condition did not become serious until late Thursday night. Dr. McIlhenny and Miss Sarah Mcilhenny were with her when she died.
