JOHNSTON family of Belfast and Co. Down

Hi,

Just started here so am playing "catch-up".

Looks like you have a pretty good deal of data from which to locate records from.

The Griffiths valuation http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

covers the mid years for your inital subject and depending on when his father William died, might even catch him thorough this tool.

Irish Times http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/genie/ has a lot to offer that is free and can lead you to where you need to look for your records.

This was also found at Irish Times:

"the University of Wollongong in Australia has produced on microfiche a complete index and transcript of all information concerning immigrants of Irish origin recorded on ships passenger lists between 1848 and 1867. The later lists in particular are extremely useful, often recording the exact place of origin as well as parents' names.

Other than these, the principal records likely to be of relevance are in the Colonial Office Papers of the United Kingdom Public Record Office at Kew, class reference CO 201.

This class contains a wide variety of records, including petitions for assisted passages, emigrants lists, records of emigrants on board ship, petitions from settlers for financial assistance, and much else. A number of these have been published in David T. Hawkings Bound for Australia, (Sussex: Phillimore & Co., 1987). "  They have a great site

Good Luck! Jeanette

Thanks very much Jeanette, I'll pursue the David Hawkings book and website. It is possible that William Johnston died in Australia in or near Bendigo, Victoria but so far I haven't found any definite death record for him. There are a couple of death records that could be for Sarah Gordon, his wife. While there are a lot of records that can be accessed online from the PRO, Kew most of them are not available unless you make a personal visit and locate the record yourself. A little beyond my resources at present, but may be one day...

Am particularly interested in any Irish records of John Johnston and his first wife Anne or Agnes Stewart (and their children) to whom he was married for 19 years. He married his second wife, Letitia Warnock, on 8 January 1852 at St Anne's Church of Ireland, Belfast. The couple appears to have sailed for Australia, with a number of children, on the Mooresfort arriving at Port Phillip on 13 January 1854.

John Johnston's parents were William Johnston and Sarah Gordon. They came to Australia as Bounty Immigrants with nine of their children on the Allen Kerr via Greenock, Scotland in 1841. For anyone looking for Irish forebears who came to Australia, the State Records Authority of New South Wales at http://www.srwww.records.nsw.gov.au and the Public Records Office of Victoria at http://www.pro.vic.gov.au have a wealth of information on convict and free settlers from Ireland, England, Scotland and elsewhere.

Best wishes, Jane

Hi,

Thanks for the links! They will be helpful to others!

A bit more that might be helpful to you.

http://www.from-ireland.net/genealogy/Research-Hints#display

You have both County Down and County Antrim for John and Sarah.  Under Surname search, key in one of the two last names, then on left menu, click the surname map.  Run comparisons for the areas showing the two last names.  Then find out everything you possibly can about those areas. Then run the same plotting work on John and (Agnes/Anne)

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/

Read this article for good explanation and example of how this person ?found? the corresponding family areas that they didn?t already have knowledge of.

http://www.from-ireland.net/genealogy/Don%27t-Pen-Them-In!#display

John named his children for his father, and two of his sons carry two of his brothers names, although those names could be from (Agnes?/Annes? or Sarahs?) side.

John also named his daughter after his mother, so it is possible that Jane is named for Agnes?/Annes? mother or that johns 1st wife carried that name.

One other item that I noticed is the biblical connection in naming patterns for William and Sarah.

(I?m not certain about the last name mentioned as that might by a nickname or partial.)

There is a definite split between the boys Biblical and the girls Non-Biblical name types.

The name Daniel stands out as it is not of the same category of the other boys biblical names and every family needs a Daniel. I won?t go further into this breakdown on naming patterns, origins and Religious indicators, but I would think over all, that Daniel and Rosanna might just be of some significance in family history.

http://www.behindthename.com

William and Sarah Gordon

Children:

John

Daniel

Alex

Eliza

Thomas

Rosanna

James

Catherine

Aley

Grandchildren by John who became a widower and Agnes or Ann Stewart

Jane born EIRE Possibly for her mother

Sarah born EIRE  for his mother

William born EIRE For his father

James born EIRE

You have a split in Johns childrens? naming patterns.

Grandchildren by John and Letitia Warnock

Letitia born EIRE for her - age 4 at time of immigration so DOB 1850-51 depending on what month she was born

Warnock born EIRE or AU -for her family name

Thomas Born AU After immig

One other question? What happened to Sarah? She was not listed in the immigrant data you posted?

Hope this helps, Jeanette

Hello Jeanette, Thank you for your interesting email. A few updates:

William Johnston, 39 and his wife, Sarah Johnston (nee Gordon), 38 arrived in Sydney on the Allan Kerr on 30 November November 1841 with the following children: 

Alexander JOHNSTON (c. 1823–??), 18 

Thomas JOHNSTON (c. 1823–11.8.1882?), 18

Rosanna JOHNSTON (c. 1826–??), 15

Eliza JOHNSTON (c. 1828–??), 13

Daniel JOHNSTON (c. 1830–26.7.1894), 11

James JOHNSTON (1833–??), 9

Isabella JOHNSTON (c. 1835–6.12.1898) One of my great-grandmothers, 6 (some records say 7). Her death records say she was "a native of Dundrum, County Down". Other records say she was born in Belfast. However, I gather immigrants often put down the largest town or city as their "native place". Belfast would have been the largest centre closest to Dundrum, County Down. I have found references to a couple of William Johnstons, both farmers, of Dundrum, County Down but can't be sure they are our forebears.

Catherine JOHNSTON (c. 1837–16.12.1902), 4

Alexander (Aley) (c. 1840–??), 1

Perhaps the first Alexander and Thomas were twins. They were both 18 years old on arrival in Victoria. I am still trying to find out if our Rosanna and Eliza married after they arrived in Australia. I have definite marriage details for Isabella and Catherine and information about their descendants and a marriage record for a Rosanna in 1863 but not sure if it is our Rosanna. Don't know why a second child was named Alexander. I have some definite information about Daniel but nothing definite about the first Alexander, Thomas and the toddler, Alexander (Aley). 

John Johnston (c. 1820-29.12.1897) who most likely arrived in Victoria on the Mooresfort on 13 January 1854 with his second wife, Letitia Warnock and Jane aged 12, William aged 8, James aged 6 and Letitia aged 4, died at Victoria Street, Long Gully Bendigo, Victoria, Australia on 29 December 1897. His death certificate lists the names of his children as: Jane 56, Sarah (deceased), William 53, James 51, Letitia, 49, Warnock (deceased) and Thomas 38. So from this information it can be deduced that Jane was born c. 1841, Sarah died sometime after 1841, William was born c. 1844, James c. 1846, Letitia c. 1848, Warnock died some time after 1848, Thomas was born c.1859. So Thomas was probably born in Australia, the others all in Ireland. The names, ages and deduced birth years for the other children suggest that this is the same John Johnston and Letitia Johnston nee Warnock. If Letitia was named after her mother, then she was born before John and Letitia married in 1853 which suggests that Anne or Agnes Stewart had died about or before 1848 or was ill for her last years perhaps and died c. 1852 or 1853.

I have seen a record on Ancestry.com or other such website suggesting that a Sarah Gordon had a mother called Jane, but can't be sure if this is our Sarah who was 38 in 1841. Which means she was born c. 1803. A lot more digging to be done. Kind Regards, Jane

Hi Jeannette

Some other family history resources available in Australia with some links to online websites are at the State Library of New South Wales at: http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/services/family_history/index.html?HomeLink=Se…. Examples of links to other online websites are Ireland-Australia transportation records (1791-1853) at the National Archives of Ireland: http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/ireland-aus…

Cheers, Jane

Hi Jane,

WOW!  Such great details on the death cert about Johns children. Wish they were all that way.

There is another possibility with Letitia Jr.s parentage that I have seen in some of my own family research. Sometimes if a mother is ill during the entire pregnancy or has other health problems making it a more difficult pregnancy, a close family friend or relative would ?caretake? the woman. Sometimes the child would be named for that caretaker. If the mother passed after childbirth, sometimes a father (with other children) would immediately remarry, sometimes remarrying the caretaker. (He?s already seen how she takes care of ?life chores?.) A bird in hand?

On Aley or Alexy-Families did sometimes recycle names after the death of a child, especially if there were some familial importance to the name. Perhaps a grandfather?

As there are a couple Williams for your locations, I?d see if I couldn?t continue tracking through offspring in the area, to eliminate one or the other. Similarity in naming patterns can be a clue. Then make contact with persons still in that area, searching for clues.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/SURNAMES/J/JohnstonAI.htm

http://www.ukisearch.com/down.html  both of these sites might be of help in your search.

Good Luck! Jeanette

Hi Jane,

I am also trackling Johnstons of County Down in Ireland.   William and Letitia are names that come up a lot in my research. There was also a William Johnston of nearby  Ballywalter and his brother born around 1720.

My Eliza Johnston was born in Ballydoonan to John and Esther Johnston in 1834. She came to Australia in 1857. She met up with her cousin Eliza Johnston McCarty (also born in Ballydoonan) who arrived in 1853 and settled at a place called Donnybrook, Victoria.  There were quite a few Johnstons here, perhaps your Johnstons?.

I have found "Trove" to be an invaluable help.  It is Australias newspaper archive.

Happy searching,

Gai Mac

Hi!

I'm a descendant of William (Sr.) Johnston of Ballynagarrick Townland in County Down. He was the father of William (Jr.) whose siblings were: Isaac, Jane, and John Johnston. William (Jr.) was the father of David Johnston (same Townland) who in turn was the father of Samuel Johnston who emigrated with his wife Margaret (Scott) Johnston (of Newry/Rostrevor) to New York, New York around 1890-1892.

Is anyone researching this Johnston family?

I am not related to the family but I am a volunteer for Ireland Reaching Out. There are 3 townlands named Ballynagarrick in Co Down, in the parishes of Drumbo, Saul & Tullylish. I am guessing that your family came from the one in Drumbo. Is this the Isaac referred to in your post?

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Drumbo/Ballymagar…

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Drumbo/Ballynagarrick/248044/

You may note they had 8 children but only 1 was still alive in 1911. Isaac married Mary Cairns on 28.1.1857 at Lisburn register Office. Probate abstract:

Probate of the Will of Isaac Johnston late of Ballymagarrick County Down Surfaceman who died 16 May 1916 granted at Belfast to Robert Carmichael and Charles Crawford Farmers

I can also see a marriage for David Johnston born c 1826 of Ballynagarrick to Mary Eliza Irvine at Drumbo Presbyterian on 9.9.1848.

I note that both David & Isaac’s father’s name was Andrew Johnston (farmer), so doesn’t quite fit with the information you have given.

Samuel Johnston married Maggie Scott on 21.6.1883 at Rostrevor Presbyterian church.

You can view the above certificates on this site:

https://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/

Probate abstract for someone who might be connected to the family:

Probate of the Will of Andrew Gillespie Johnston late of Ballymagarrick County Down Farmer who died 31 August 1916 granted at Belfast to David Gowdy and Echlin McFarland Farmers.

There are about a dozen more probate files for Johnston from Ballymagarrick/Ballynagarrick on the PRONI wills site. Not sure how they are all connected.

Hi Elwyn!

Thank you for responding and providing additional research tips. As to some of your observations:

1. Yes, Drumbo is the relevant Parish and (for some of the other Johnstons), Townland. Isaac actually farmed in the adjacent Leveroge Townland. I have his will references. He was David's father's Andrew's (Junior for want of a better descripter-  my direct line) brother.

2. It looks like the spelling of Ballynagarrick sometimes substitued a "m" for the "n". I do not think that this is significant.

3. I have a copy of the David - Mary Eliza Irvine (alternately spelled Irwin) marriage certificate. I will go to that site because I am also looking for the marriage certificate in a line that married into the Johnston line that took place on January 1, 1859. Family Search had the notation info for this wedding (William Scott - Jane McCullough), but a certificate was not attached and they can't find their original source microfilm, etc. I checked GRONI, but it doesn't have that marriage info. It was a Presbyterian wedding either in Newry or Rostrevor.

4. Griffiths Valuation shows Mary Eliza Irvine's father, William (Irwin) working and living on a farm in the Drumbo Townland next to David Johnston's home and farm.

5. The marriage certificate for the wedding of David indicates that his father's name was Andrew.  I have a copy of the Drumbo Presbyterian Church's vestry book showing a wedding of an Andrew Johnston and Sarah (maiden name not known) in which Andrew's father was identified as Andrew. The date is unclear on the original copy, but Sarah was buried at the Church (per Vestry book entry) on April 29, 1880 at age 84 and had been living at Ballynagarrick/Leverogue. There is another burial entry on the same page for another Johnston (age 21) also living at Ballynagarrick, but the first name is abbreviated and I cannot decipher that name. These Vestry Book entries were obtained by me at PRONI A FEW YEARS AGO.

6. As to the will for Andrew Johnston, I beleive he is the son of Isaac. I will check on all of the Johnston wills, as I did not have time to peruse all of them when I was last in Belfast.