James Johnston (abt. 1785)

Born about 1785 in Ireland

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Scott Johnston [send private message]

We can speculate that James Johnston lived in Lancaster PA in 1830 because the obituary of his son Charles Washington Johnston who was born to James Johnston in 1823 (according to his death certificate) or 1824 (according to his obituary) states that Charles was born in Lancaster PA and that he went to Philadelphia at the age of nine years, i.e. after 1830.

A search of census records on FamilySearch.org shows that there was indeed one and only one James Johnston living in Lancaster PA in 1830, specifically in Lancaster City (and not Lancaster Township). The 1830 record shows one male of five and under ten years of age, one male of ten and under fifteen, three males and one female of twenty and under thirty, one female of thirty and under forty, one male of forty and under fifty, and one male of eighty and under ninety years of age.

This 1830 census record is consistent with it being correctly associated with the subject of this wikitree profile and with his two children. First, this record supports a theory that James had two boy children born after 1815 but before 1825 living with him in 1830. Second, it supports a theory that James Johnston was born between 1780 and 1790.

Sarah's birth date of 1786 from other sources is not quite consistent with the 1830 census record indicating the presence of one female born between 1790-1800. But it is not unheard of for census records to show a man's spouse a few years younger than she actually is. Or perhaps this record is correct about Sarah's age.

Lancaster PA probate court records (see below) "Index to Will Abstracts 1721-1820" link a James Johnston with a Samuel Johnston because both have the same index reference: 5-22. This would be more convincing if the name Sarah was shown. Perhaps a trip to the probate court would uncover the text of the will.

James and Samuel Johnston probate court record

Irish America Magazine gives some context for Irish immigration to Pennsylvania during James' time: "As was the case throughout the U.S., more and more Irish Catholics came to Pennsylvania during the first decades of the 1800s. Once arrived, there was hard work to be done. The Pennsylvania Canal from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh was completed in the 1830s. ... The Irish of Pennsylvania would spend the first half of the 19th century digging canals, and the second half digging in the mines."

Sources

• "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGT-CHT : 20 February 2021), James Johnston, Lancaster, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States; citing 40, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 153; FHL microfilm 20,627.