Peasants to Puddles
My Family History - By Nicky Rowberry
The Johnstones
Page 5
I am indebited to Nora Johnstone for her invaluable help researching this branch of the Johnstone family and for supplying the photographs you see below.
James Johnstone was a brother of my 2xgreat grandfather William Johnstone. He was born in 1839 in Muirkirk, the second child of Thomas Johnstone & Helen McKersie. For more information on Thomas & Helen, please click on the following link: 
James Johnstone married Elizabeth Dickson Stewart in Muirkirk in 1868 and they had 7 children together. In 1871 James & Elizabeth were living at Midrow, Muirkirk with two young daughters and James's unmarried brother Samuel. By 1881 the family had moved to Cunningham Cottage, Muirkirk. The table below gives an abbreviated transcription from the 1881 census (GRO ref Volume 607 Enumeration District 1 Page 5).
| Page 5] | The undermentioned Houses are situated within the Boundaries of the | ||||||
| Civil Parish | Muirkirk, Ayrshire, Scotland | ||||||
| No. of Schedule | Road, Street and Name of House | Name and Surname of each person | Relation to Head of Family | Condition | Age | Profession or Occupation | Where Born |
| Cunningham Cottage | James Johnstone | Head | Married | 42 | Ag. Lab. | Muirkirk | |
| Eliza Johnstone | Wife | Married | 36 | Hurlford, Ayr | |||
| Agnes Johnstone | Daur | 11 | scholar | Muirkirk | |||
| Thomas Johnstone | Son | 9 | scholar | Muirkirk | |||
| William Johnstone | Son | 7 | scholar | Muirkirk | |||
| Grace Johnstone | Daur | 4 | Muirkirk | ||||
James's death is recorded on a gravestone in Muirkirk cemetery along with his parents and grandparents. A transcription of the stone is given below.
| Erected by Thomas Johnstone in memory of Janet Barry his mother who died 12th Septr 1820 aged 38 years; also John Johnstone his father who died 7th Jan 1840 aged 62 years; and his son John who died 25th Feb 1842 aged 4 years; also Helen McKersie his wife who died 2d May 1870 aged 61 years; the above Thomas Johnston who died 4th Oct 1886 aged 78 years; also his son James Johnston died 28th April 1887 aged 48 years; and Elizabeth Dickson Stewart wife of the above James Johnston who died 25th June 1905 aged 60years. |
James Johnstone and Elizabeth Dickson Stewart's eldest son was Thomas Johnstone, born in 1871 in Muirkirk. This Thomas Johnstone married Jane Prentice in 1893 and had 7 children.
Thomas Johnstone 1871-1923.
This Thomas Johnstone married Jane Prentice in 1893 and had 7 children. The following picture shows the 5 children who survived to adulthood, taken at a family wedding in 1959.
The family tree below summarises what I know about this part of the Johnstone family. It is hopefully reasonably accurate, but if you spot any errors, or any relatives, please feel free to E-mail me
Please click on one of the red links on the tree to move to a different page.
If any of the above is of further interest, please feel free to contact me at: n.rowberry@btinternet.com
Peasants to Puddles - My Family History. By Nicky Rowberry