JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Persistence pays off!After 22 years of a somewhat frustrating but nevertheless fruitful search I made contact last night with a formerly unknown elderly family member who clearly remembered her grandfather's stories about our Johnstons coming over to Canada from Tara - "Just like in the movie...".She was quick to add that we were Scots from the western border with England - Annandale Johnstons.
Looking for anyone with connections to the Johnston men whom I refer to as the "Wee Three":Robert "Red Robin" (b.ca. 1808, 6'-5" with red hair - my gggrandfather), Archibald "Archie" (b. ca. 1815), and Francis "Frank" (b. ca. 1805) - all born in Ireland of a Scots father (name unknown) and an unknown mother.They came to Canada ca. 1832 and settled in N. Plantagenet Twp. of Prescott Co., Upper Canada - near what is now Pendleton, Ontario;actually the 2nd and 3rd farms due north of Pendleton.I have been told that a flying club is now on Robert's original homestead.Francis may have been a cousin/uncle rather than a brother - we have conflicting oral history on this point and no hard documentation.
Oral history has another brother, name unknown, taking ill, remaining behind in Quebec City, recovering, marrying, farming south of the St. Lawrence River, and eventually moving on to the U.S..Other siblings may have been with him.This information came from only one source and has not been corroborated.
Sometime in the late 1800's at least two of Robert's sons, Christopher Colin (b. 3-16-1855) and Archibald (b. ca. 1850), went on to Michigan.I had made contact with one of Colin's descendants in the Grand Rapids area of Michigan about 2 years ago, but that contact has fizzled out somehow.I have some oral history that Archibald married a native Indian woman and lived in the "bush country".They had children, names and numbers unknow, who are said to have gone on to California.Archie is said to have lost one of his legs.Any information or contact with descendants would be welcome.Just before my ggrandfather James died in 1933 he traveled from Ontario to visit his two brothers in Michigan for the last time.
A third son of Robert remains a mystery - Robert, Jr..We have no information on him other than he was born ca. 1847 in N. Plantagenet Twp., Prescott Co., Ontario.
Oral history also has a sailor hired to locate family showing up at my ggrandfather's farm ca. 1905 searching for family members.Evidently a relative in Ireland had died without a will and had an estate which included an inn.He also had no living relatives in Ireland.I do not know what became of this contact.
If you have, or think that you may have, a connection with any of the above "Wee Three" and their descendants I would enjoy hearing from you.I also keep track of all "wild hairs" - Johnstons of uncertain connection, just in case something comes up down the road.
Cliff. Johnston
Stephenville, TX
More Replies:
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Julie Johnston 12/21/01
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Clifford Johnston 1/10/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Julie Johnston 1/12/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Clifford Johnston 1/12/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Julie Johnston 1/13/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Clifford Johnston 1/13/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Rona Moore 7/03/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Clifford Johnston 7/03/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Victoria Mocklin 7/01/06
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Clifford Johnston 1/15/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Julie Johnston 1/15/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Clifford Johnston 1/15/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Rona Moore 5/12/02
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Clifford Johnston 12/02/01
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Gayle Nee 12/04/01
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
Clifford Johnston 12/05/01
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario
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Re: JOHNSTON: Tara, Ireland, to Prescott Co., Ontario