Following the death of Archibald Johnston in 1877, control of the paper passed to his fourth son James, and eventually to Frederick, his youngest son, in 1882. Frederick Johnston was to remain as publisher of "The Falkirk Herald" for 53 years. Under his leadership, circulation of the Herald grew from around 7000 to 15,000 a week as public literacy rates improved and the demand for reading materials increased. In 1891, Johnston established the Linlithgow Gazette to serve the neighbouring county of Linlithgowshire.