ADAM and JANE (JENKINS) JOHNSTON FAMILY of MALAKOFF

Transcription

1 ADAM and JANE (JENKINS) JOHNSTON FAMILY of MALAKOFF The surviving land assessment rolls of Marlborough township, Carleton county, Ontario, first listed a Johnston in 1825; rolls for 1823 and 1824 are lost and may, or may not, have listed him. There was no entry for John Johnston in the years , the earliest years for which there were rolls. Until 1828, he was the only Johnston on the rolls. A John Johnston, likely the same person who was listed in the early years, remained on the rolls until 1841, always in connection with the east ½ of lot 3, concession 7, a lot near Goodstown and the North Gower township townline. The rolls from 1842 to 1850 have been lost so it cannot be said whether or not he was assessed for that lot in those years. He was not listed on the 1851 (January 1852) census of the township so he must have died before that time. In the 1851 census was listed Anne Johnston, a widow aged 40 years, with a family of nine children ranging from twenty-eight to twelve years. Although locations were not disclosed in 1851, in 1861 and 1871 the family occupied lot 3, concession 7. Apparently this group represented John s widow and children. From the 1851 census we learn that three of Anne s children were born in Ireland; the youngest of these, Ellen, aged twenty-six, was born in Ireland. Rebecca, aged twenty-four, and those younger, were born in Upper Canada. This reasonably fixes the year of the family s arrival as about the mid-1820 s. On August 17, 1830, Francis Duke wrote from Richmond, Ontario, to the Hon. Peter Robinson, at York, as follows: I wish to purchase clergy reserve Number 2 in the seventh concession of the township of Marlborough in the County of Grenville for which I will pay ten shillings per acre one Eighth part cash down and the remainder in five yearly instalments with interest. Sir, I am your humble servant, Francis Duke. NB please direct to Francis Duke - Richmond Military Settlement. On the margin of this letter it is noted that: This lot has been applied for by John Johnston and Bryan Kennedy to purchase - Applicants are recommended by the Council for a Lease. On September 10, 1830, John Johnston and Bryan Kennedy wrote from Richmomd to Peter Robinson as follows: Having about seven years since applied for a lease of Clergy lot No. 2 in the 7th Con of the Township of Marlboro and having since resided and improved thereon we now beg to become purchasers thereof and will pay 10s per acre for it or as much as it may be valued at as we are informed that an attempt is making in another hand so as to obtain possession of our improvements which we trust the Government will protect.... A speedy reply is humbly requested as we are in dread of being deprived of the fruits of our industry. On the margin of this letter is the note that:

2 John Johnston and B Kennedy returned by Mr. Heward as recommended for a lease... On November 2, 1830, from the office of the Commissioner of Crown Lands, Peter Robinson wrote to Francis Duke as follows: Sir Your proposal of the 17th of August last to purchase No. 2 in the 7th concession of Marlorough a Clergy Reserve was handed to me by the Lord Bishop of Quebec, on Saturday last. In answer I beg to acquaint you, that in the books of the late Secretary to the Clergy Corporation, Mr. Howard, I find John Johnston and Bryan Kennedy named instead as recommended for a Lease and the same persons have an application have an application to purchase lodged in this office so that Johnston and Kennedy have the...?... in leasing or buying. On November 11, 1830, Peter Robinson wrote from the Office of the Council of Crown Lands at York to John Johnston as follows: In reply to your letter respecting Lot No 2 in the 7th Concession of Marlborough a Clergy Reserve, I beg to acquaint you that in the books of the late Secreatry for the Clergy Corporation I find John Johnston & Bryan Kennedy names entered as recommended for a Lease. Under these circumstances you are quite secure in the possession and may either take out your Lease or purchase after the lot has been valued. Your application to purchase to purchase is also lodged in this office. PS - You may acquaint Bryan Kennedy that he is also quite secure in holding his portion of the lot. In any case, it was Francis Duke who was eventually assessed for the lot; he must have made a deal with Johnston and Kennedy. Apparently there was not the same problem with the east half of lot three. The John Johnston family group, over several decenniel censuses after John s apparent death before 1851, consisted of: Born Johnston, Thomas Ire Johnston, Anne Ire 40W 50W 60W Johnston, Ellen Ire Johnston, Rebecca Can 24 Johnston, Anne Can 22 Johnston, Sarah Can 20 Johnston, Mary Can Johnston, Catherine Can 16 20W Johnston, Eliza Can Johnston, John Can 12

3 Construction of the Rideau Canal from Ottawa to Kingston, both in Ontario, occurred between 1826 and Among the canal workers listed in a report of 1829 was the name of John Johnston, a native of the townland of Drumconnor, parish of Kilinamery, in County Leitrim. (In the General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes and Baronies of Ireland, based on the Census of Ireland for the year 1851, is found a listing for the townland of Drumconor, parish of Killanummery, in County Leitrim). He reported a family of two males and five females. The 1830 Marlborough township land assessment roll reported that John Johnston s family consisted of one male over 16 and one under and one female over 16 and four under. That is, the two reports matched very well. It is likely that there were marriages or deaths between 1830 and the time the 1851 census was recorded in January 1852 which prevents us from using that census to identify, with any certainty, all of the individuals who made up the family in 1829/30. Nevertheless, the group in 1829/30 must have included: Males: (2) John, over 16; and Thomas, born in Ireland about 1823/4. Females: (5) Anne, over 16; Ellen, born in Ireland about 1825/6, Rebecca, born in Upper Canada about 1827/8, and perhaps Anne, born in Upper Canada about 1829/30. The rest of the children were born later. Although John died before the time of the first nominal census in 1851/1852, Anne lived longer. Thomas, the oldest son, was assessed for the east half of lot 3, concession 7, from 1851 to Thomas died around 1861/62 bequeathing: to his mother, Anne Johnston, the east ½ of lot 3, concession 7, during her lifetime, and to his nephew Thomas, son of his brother, John, after her death; to his sisters, Mary, Catherine and Eliza, the proceeds of the east ½ of lot 3, concession 7, if his nephew was not 21 years old at the time; to the same three sisters, the proceeds of the east ½ of the west ½ of lot 2, concession 7, and of the west ½ of lot 3, concession 7. In 1851 Thomas brother, John, was 12 years of age. John s son, Thomas, was certainly not 21 years old when Anne died about 1873/74. Accordingly the property was sold (to William Good). It may be that Thomas brother, John, had died before Thomas. Had John been still alive, it might be expected the he would inherit the family home on his mother s death. But Thomas bequeathed the property to his nephew and not to his brother. Still, there is no sign of either his brother or his nephew in either the 1861 or 1871 census. From 1864 to 1873, the east ½ of lot 3, concession 7, was assessed to the Widow Johnston. Thereafter it was assessed to William Good. The west ½ of the lot was assessed in 1864 to Thomas and Adam Johnston and thereafter to Robert Johnston, probably their brother. Thomas had named as executors of his will his cousins Thomas and Adam Johnston. There is no sign of a gravestone for John or Anne or for their sons Thomas and John. In 1845 another group of Johnstons arrived in Marlborough township to settle in the Malakoff area.

4 These were Adam and Jane (Jenkins) and their family born in Ireland. That they arrived in 1845 is based on the 1901 census; the children who lived that long reported that as the year of their arrival. Whether or not John Johnston, the original settler, and Adam Johnston Sr. were related (perhaps brothers) is not certain. When Thomas Johnston, John s son, died his 1862 will named his cousins, Thomas and Adam, as his executors. Those forenames were common in the Johnston families but at that time, only two sons of Adam Johnston Sr. could reasonably have been his designates. The Marlborough township 1863 land assessment roll listed Thos & Adam Johnston, Executors as occupants of the west ½ of lot 3, 100 acres, and the west ½ of lot 2, 50 acres, both on concession 7. The east ½ of lot 3 was assessed to the Widow Johnston. That did not change in The roll was poorly prepared in 1865 so the status of the lots in that year is not known and by 1866, Thomas and Adam were no longer listed; Robert Johnston (likely another brother of Thomas and Adam) was assessed for the lots previously assessed to them as executors. This continued through The 1875 roll is incomplete and by 1876 Robert was still assessed for the same lots but the Widow s lot was occupied by an outsider. Robert s name is last seen on the roll in 1882 and his family were not enumerated in Marlborough township censuses after Adam Johnston Sr. (Jane Jenkins) settled on lot 6, concession 6, Marlborough township about He, his wife and all of their children were born in Ireland. His children who were enumerated in the 1901 census reported that it was in 1845 that they had entered Ontario. The family group over a number of nominal census dates were: Born Died Johnston, Adam Ire 52M 61M 1863 Johnston, Jane Ire 51M 59M 69W 78W 1885 Johnston, Thomas Ire Johnston, Adam Ire Johnston, Robert Ire 21 Johnston, William Ire Johnston, Elisa Ire 14 Johnston, MaryIre Johnston, Jane Ire 7 Johnston, Edward Ire 16 From a Lanark County, Ontario, marriage register we have: Thomas, age 34, son of Adam Johnston and Jane Jenkins, on January 23, 1862, born County Leitrim, to Sarah, born Beckwith township, daughter of George Kerfoot and Deborah Smith; witnesses: Wm. Kerfoot, Montague township, and Adam Johnston, Marlborough township.

5 Accordingly this family (i.e., the family of Adam and Jane (Jenkins) Johnston) also emigrated from County Leitrim, but their parish is not known. According to the township land assessment rolls, as early as 1829 there was a Robert Johnston on lot 6, concession 6. After 1832, and until 1845, Robert was assessed for lot 7, concession 6, the lot across the road from the first. The rolls from 1842 until 1851 are lost and in 1852 Adam Sr., age 54, was the occupant of the rear half of lot 6, Thomas, age 25, and Robert, age 22, were assessed respectively for the south-west and south-east quarters of the lot. Obviously Thomas and Robert were the oldest sons of Adam Sr. but there was no sign of the Robert who had been on the assessment rolls in the early years. A Wesleyan Methodist church had been built on the north corner of lot 7, concession 6, as early as 1850; it was replaced in 1892 with a new brick church. Across the road, first on the east corner of lot 7, concession 7, and later on the west corner of lot 6, concession 6, (i.e., on Adam s farm) a school was built. Along the north side of Adam s farm a Wesleyan Methodist cemetery was established. Although there may have been earlier burials in this cemetery, his was the earliest for which a cemetery stone now exists. Whether he sold the lot to the congregation, or donated it, is not known. Perhaps it was his death which resulted in a cemetery being created. In the early years the Malakoff congregation was part of the Richmond Circuit of the Wesleyan Methodist church. In 1860 a number of congregations were split off to form the North Gower Circuit and Malakoff was one of those. In the Malakoff church minutes of September 22, 1885, there was a resolution to obtain a deed for the cemetery and to fence it. However it was created, it seems to have been fairly informal. At that time there were only about a dozen gravestones in the cemetery, two of which were those of Adam and his wife, Jane. In 1889 the congregation paid John Hill $18 to plant trees around the cemetery. John Hill owned the farm on which the church was built; there was, and still is, a maple bush on his farm, probably the source of the trees. Many of those maples still stand 110 years later although clearly at the end of their useful lives. The cemetery has been enlarged twice.