Robert Pulliam Johnston was born on October 17, 1870, in Burnsville, North Carolina. Johnston was a West Point graduate who served as an army engineer from 1891 until his retirement in 1908. He volunteered a second time for service upon the United States' entrance into World War I in 1917. During the war, Johnston served as colonel of the 314th Engineers and saw service in the St. Mihiel offensive and in the Meuse-Argonne sector. Following the war, he returned to the management of his orchard in Waynesville. He died in Asheville (Buncombe County) on June 6, 1924.