David Johnston

Descendants

Died about 1790 in Scotland

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Biography

The following comes from the book 'Marine Officer, Convict Wife: The Johnstons of Annandale' by Alan Roberts:

David Johnston 'belonged to a junior branch of the Johnston family which had been prominent in lowland Scotland for centuries and whose senior line, the Marquises of Annandale, had estates centring on the dales of the River Annan in Dumfriesshire... Through the inheritances of his wife Isabell Mackie, they were joint proprietors of the Blue-Bell Tavern in the Southgate part of the large market town of Dumfries and of a two-acre park in the Cowies-holes district nearby. Their combined net annual rent was £42, insufficient to support his family and sustain any claim to the rank of gentleman.'... 'In 1774, Isabell also inherited from her parents 2 1/4 acres of feudal property in Troquer'. ^[1][see below]

To supplement their income, David joined the Marines and is listed in 1760 as Second Lieutenant in the Chatham division.

Their son George was born 19 March 1764,^[2] his baptism was on 30 March 1764 at Dumfries and the baptism record gives us his father's name, David Johnston, lieutenant of marines. His mother's name is not given in the baptism record, however we know she was Isabell McKie from a sasine record: "1774: Sasine: in favor of Isabell McKie only daughter of John Mackie, writer, Dumfries, and Mary Hodgeson spouse, both deceased, now wife of Captain David Johnston of the Chatham Division of Marines - 9 roods in Troquer." ^[3]

Another son Robert was baptised at Dumfries on 17 June 1773: "Robert lawful son to David Johnston Lieut. of Marines".^[4]

In 1774 his son George joined him in the Chatham division of the Marines and accompanied him, then a captain-lieutenant, to serve in Massachusetts. David was appointed aide-de-camp to the First Brigade commanding officer, Lord Percy (afterwards Duke of Northumberland). The Chatham division was there for five months before the armed revolt by the American colonists began and the Marines fought in the march on Concord in April 1775, and the Battle of Bunker's Hill in June. [Roberts pp.12-13] David Johnston received a serious chest wound during the battle. There is a family story that Lord Percy, 'to mark the high personal regard and esteem he entertained for' Captain Johnston, 'signified to him his intention of becoming a guardian to his son George, and to do what lay in his power to forward his interests through life, a promise he faithfully kept.'^[5] Lord Percy acceded to the title of second Duke of Northumberland in 1786 and he did take a life-long interest in George Johnston's career.[Roberts p.13]

David Johnston recovered from his wounds and continued to serve in the marines, however debts of £1,781 led to bankruptcy in 1785, and David and Isabell had to sell their Blue Bell Tavern in Dumfries.^[6] "David Johnston then appears to have worked as an inn-keeper, perhaps at the Blue-Bell Tavern in the employ of the new owners." [Roberts p.13]

The following comes from the book 'Johnston Family Tree' by Phyllis G. Ashworth:

Service of Captain David Johnston from lists of Marine officers:

1760 Second Lieut 3 Coy Chatham Div.

1762 Lieutenant 80 Coy Chatham Div.

1764 Lieutenant 19 Coy Chatham Div.

1774 Captain 1 Coy Chatham Div.

1775 Captain, Superintendent, Adjutant & Deputy-paymaster at Boston 20 May

1775 Wounded Battle of Bunker Hill 17 June

1776 Captain 30 Coy Plymouth Div.

1783 Posted to 152 Coy Chatham Div.

1788 Placed on half-pay

1790 Last mention

Presumed dead

Research Notes

Name: George or David? We know that George Johnston's father was David Johnston, thanks to the meticulous research of Phyllis Ashworth. Amazingly, in spite of Phyllis Ashworth's work published back in 1980, the incorrect name of George for his father still persists in George Johnston's biographies in Australian Dictionary of National Biography and wikipedia. The source for this incorrect information is probably the book Australian Men of Mark (pub.1888) and there is a family tree in a file at the Society of Australian Genealogists in Sydney, which has a notation in pencil 'Capt George Johnson, 4 Rgt of Foot'. Phyllis Ashworth in her book shows that no such person exists and that the father's name was David Johnston.

Sources

1. ↑ Roberts p.12 and note 2 on p.210. Roberts refers to Eighteenth Century Collections Online as a source for the Blue-Bell Tavern and Cowies-holes properties, and Ashworth for the Troquer land.
2. ↑ Date of George's birth: Watson, Roberts, Ashworth, and Lemke all have 19 March 1764, without giving the primary source, however Australian Men of Mark (1888) has birth date 19 January 1764, and incorrectly has his father George Johnston
3. ↑ Research by Robert Shannon, quoted in Ashworth p.64
4. ↑ Baptism record in Scotlands People
5. ↑ 1880 'A Page in the Early History of New South Wales.', Australian Town and Country Journal (Sydney, NSW : 1870 - 1907), 31 July, p. 17. , viewed 19 Mar 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article70946296 Note that this article incorrectly refers to David as 'George'.
6. ↑ Title Mem. and abstract, Goldie, &c. against Mackie, &c. July 12. 1785. Memorial, and abstract of the Prepared State, In the Process of sale, at the instance of Thomas Goldie Writer in Dumfries, and Alexander Williamson Agent to the late Duke of Queensberry, near Drumlanrig, Executors nominated and appointed by the deceased William Seton of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Master and Mariner. Against Isabel Mackie, Spouse to David Johnston, Captain Lieutenant of his Majesty's Marine Forces lately in America, Daughter to the deceased John Mackie Writer in Dumfries, and the said Captain David Johnston for his interest, and their Creditors; Author Goldie, Thomas and Williamson, Alexander, Microfilm Reel # 12751 ESTC Number T213391 Physical Description 5,[1]p. ; 4° Source Library Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, digital image Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) accessed via State Library of NSW e-resources 23 July 2021.

• Roberts, Alan. Marine Officer, Convict Wife : The Johnstons of Annandale . Paddington, N.S.W., Barbara Beckett Publishing, 2008.
• Ashworth, Phyllis G. Johnston Family Tree / by Phyllis G. Ashworth ; Drawing by Margaret Lourey. Kew, Vic.: P.G. Ashworth, 1980.  
• Lemcke, Geoffrey. Reluctant Rebel : Lt. Col. George Johnston, 1764-1823, Willoughby, N.S.W.: Geoffrey Lemcke, 1998.
• The Duke of Northumberland's cup https://sydneylivingmuseums.com.au/duke-northumberland%E2%80%99s-cup