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My grandfather on my father's side was William Johnston. He was Scotch-Irish, born in the north of Ireland in the County of Fermanagh. My grandmother, Margaret Johnston, was born in County Tyrone. Her maiden name was Johnston. My father, Thomas Johnston, was also born in County Fermanagh, ten miles from Enniskillen, and one mile from Irvinestown. He had only one sister who died young and one brother, Frank Johnston. He was living, I think, when my father died. He died April 26, 1836. My father had an Uncle, Frank Johnston, and two cousins, Thomas and Frank, sons of Frank, living five or six miles below Steubenville, Ohio.
Illustrative Family Chart (Not in Original Letter)
[Unspecified Great-Grandfather of Author]
├── William Johnston (b. County Fermanagh); m. Margaret Johnston (maiden name Johnston, b. County Tyrone)
│ ├── Thomas Johnston (father of author; b. County Fermanagh, d. April 26, 1836)
│ ├── Father's sister (died young)
│ └── Frank Johnston (living at the time of Thomas's death)
└── Frank Johnston (Uncle of Thomas; author uncertain whether Frank was a brother of William or Margaret)
├── Thomas Johnston (cousin, lived near Steubenville, Ohio)
└── Frank Johnston (cousin, lived near Steubenville, Ohio)
Sixty years ago this last October, the Fall Nancy Matthews1 was born, November 15th, my Father and Mother had been to visit [New] Hagerstown and took Andrew2 home with them and on their way called to visit Uncle Frank and his two sons. My mother said that father looked very much like his Uncle. I am not able to say whether old Uncle Frank was Johnston on Grandfather's side or Grandmother's side, the Tyrone Johnstons, but I have an idea it was on her side. And father had two other cousins, James and John Johnston. James was held by the Indians in Ohio, before Ohio was a state. I can't say what side they were on either, but I have an idea they, too, were Tyrone Johnstons. John kept store near the mountains and my father was in his store when he and mother were married. Cousin John gave mother a set of china and a gold chain to wear around her neck, a bridal present. He married a wife in old Philadelphia and moved to Piqua, Ohio. He became very wealthy. He was an Indian Agent for several years. You have seen his name in Ohio history, I will send you his obituary.
Father had two other cousins. I know that they are in his father's side, William and Alexander. My father and those two cousins were three brothers' sons. Cousin William Johnston owned a flour mill up the Loyalhanna Creek about half way between Latrobe and your Uncle Thomas Forbes. He went by Miller William. He was a very handsome man. He married a wife, Mary Murray of Murraysville on the northern pike beyond Pittsburgh. Alexander Johnston owned a farm 7 miles east of Greensburg, one mile east of Youngstown, Westmoreland County on the bank of Loyalhanna Creek. His son Armstrong owns it now and lives on it.
Andrew Armstrong Johnston (b. circa 1813), son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Freame) Johnston
William Freame Johnston (1808-1872), son of Alexander and Elizabeth (Freame) Johnston, 11th Governor of Pennsylvania
Representative Edward Johnstone (1815-1891)
My father had a fortune in Ireland. It was in land. He always thought he would get back. Those two full cousins, William and Alexander, were so anxious for us to get it. After father died, then brother John by the laws of the Country would be the legal heir. While those two were living, they could prove him to be father’s eldest son. Uncle Frank has it all. He and his children. Had I known of Henry and Amanda going to the old country and right into Ireland, I would have got Henry to see about it. The time mother died, a nephew of Mrs. Brown in Hagerstown, Mr. Christmas of Mansfield seen a pamphlet advertised that all the names of men in Ireland and England that had estates coming to them. Mr. Christmas sent and got a pamphlet to see if he had anything coming to him or connections. Mr. Henry C. Hager had heard me say father had, so he brought it to me and I seen Thomas Johnston, north of Ireland, the only one of the name, spelled with a T as father spelled it.
My Father and Mother
Grave of Agnes (Nelson) Johnston (1776-1862), mother of the author. Photo by Debe Clark, 2013.
My Father was born February 22, 1766. Mother was born March 28, 1776. They were married April 27, 1797. Father came in from Ireland about the year 1793 or 4, came to Westmoreland County about 1800. He and my cousin Alex was the only Johnstons in the country. My parents never owned a homestead. My father farmed and for years he kept a hotel in New Alexander, and they moved one mile up the Loyalhanna Creek from the town, where the Crabtree empties into the creek. There my brother, Thomas, Catherine, Frank and I were born. There is where your father and your mother and your Aunt Margaret was married. Your uncle John N. Johnston and Mary Morton was married in Blairsville, PA. Nancy and Catherine and I was married on the banks of the Conemaugh River. I believe you know the rest of your grandfather's history. If not, I can help you. If I was better gifted and a good deal better speller I might do a good deal better. I want you to see a Greensburg newspaper that Uncle Frank has and you'll see where I get part of the schooling.
Now, for my mother's side of the house on her mother's side. Margaret Hamilton was her mother. My great, great grandmother was Nancy May came from Scotland when she was ten years old and stood on a hill and seen King William cross the Boyne Water.
Background on the Battle of the Boyne. This battle occurred near the River Boyne in Ireland and involved the forces of the Protestant King William III of England (also known as William of Orange) and the Catholic former King James II.
"The Boyne Water" rendition by Raymond Crooke.
When she was a little girl, the Indians were very bad and often they would have to sneak into the block house in Carlisle. Her father, William Hamilton, went with eight or ten men to see if their grain was ready to harvest. The Indians were hiding in his barn. He was riding a valuable horse. They shot him in the breast. He fell and the Indians took after his horse and his company. He crept to a swamp here and hid himself. The horse went back to Carlisle with his company. The Indians came to the swamp and not finding him left. The next morning, a company came on the hunt of him, got him at his own gate and took him to Carlisle and he died.
Uncle David had four or five hundred acres of land and good deal of it was pine. He had a sawmill and them days there was a great deal of rafting lumber down French Creek into the Allegheny to Pittsburgh. Uncle done a great deal of it. He always took his Army horse on the raft and would ride home. He and Aunt Jane had several children dead. Their eldest daughter, Mrs. Mary Meyers, is 85 last month. Mrs. Betsy McDonnel is 83. This is about all I can tell you and if there is anything more you want me to write or about my brothers and sisters, I will as far as I know. Do let me know how this history will do. I do want you to let me know if you got the socks I sent you by mail week before last. We had quite a snow storm Saturday and yesterday. It is very cold5.