Sarah (Orr) Johnston (1880)

Born 31 Aug 1880 in Cavanreagh, Ballynascreen, Magherafelt SRD, County Londonderry, Ireland

Ancestors

Wife of John McGeagh — married 22 Aug 1899 (to about 1901) in Maghera, County Londonderry, Ireland

Wife of John Johnston — married 11 Apr 1931 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States

Descendants

Biography

Sarah (Orr) Johnston was born in Ireland.

Sarah was born 31 August 1880 at Cavanreagh, Ballynascreen, County Londonderry. She was the daughter of James Orr and Margaret Jane Barnett. ^[1]

Marriage to John McGeagh

On 22 August 1899 at Maghera Presbyterian Church, she married John McGeagh. John was a 42-year-old farmer, the son of James McGeagh; whist Sarah was a few days shy of turning 19. (Nonetheless, she declared herself as age 21+ for the marriage record!). Both lived at Labby Vale. ^[2]

Witnessing the marriage were her sister Maggie Orr, along with Robert Black, who would themselves marry a few weeks later and move to Buffalo, New York where sister Minnie already lived.

By the time of the 1901 census, the marriage to McGeagh seems to have already broken down: a pregnant Sarah was back living with her parents; while John was living with his brother.

In July 1901, Sarah's father sued John McGeagh for maintenance of Sarah. It was testified during the case that defendant had agreed to pay his wife 100 pounds as part of a separation order. John had sold his farm; and Sarah lived with her parents . Sarah also alleged that John mistreated her and she was afraid for her life. ^[3]

Emigration to Buffalo

Sarah (Orr) Johnston migrated from Ireland to United States.

Sarah (Orr) Johnston was a resident of Buffalo, New York.

Not long after this, Sarah decided to emigrated to the United States. Leaving her infant son Ross behind to be raised by his grandparents, she travelled as Sarah Orr aboard the Majestic, arriving at New York on 1 May 1902. There was a traveling companion Robert Hamilton (age 20, servant, Draperstown) -- her cousin. ^[4] As of 1905, Sarah was still living in Buffalo with sister Margaret.

In 1909 a marriage licence was issued -- to John Johnston (age 27) of 337 Ellicott Street, and Sarah Orr (age 28) of 19 Iroquois Place, Buffalo. ^[5]

Move to Detroit

Sarah (Orr) Johnston was a resident of Michigan.

John and Sarah moved to Detroit, where John worked as a mechanic. They had a daughter Marion.

The couple may have divorced -- as Sarah is listed as "divorced" on the 1930 census. Another possibility may be that they did not go ahead with the marriage from the 1909 licence. In either case; in 1931 at Detroit, another marriage licence was obtained and ceremony performed. ^[6] John passed away in 1934.

As of 1950 Sarah was living with Marion and her family in Detroit.

Research Notes

An ancestry-com user suggests death 12 May 1954 at Detroit although I couldn't find a primary source to confirm this.

Sources

1. ↑ Sarah Orr, 1880, Magherafelt at Irish Civil Registration - Births.
2. ↑ John McGeagh, Sarah Orr, 1899, Magherafelt at Irish Civil Registration - Marriages
3. ↑ "Husband and Wife", Mid-Ulster Mail - Saturday 06 July 1901
4. ↑ Passenger List: "New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957"
   Year: 1902; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 20; Page Number: 34
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7488 #4002851414 (accessed 23 October 2022)
   Name: Sarah Orr; Gender: Female; Ethnicity/ Nationality: Irish; Age: 21; Birth Date: abt 1881; Departure Port: Liverpool, England; Arrival Date: 1 May 1902; Arrival Port: New York, New York, USA; Ship Name: Majestic.
5. ↑ Newspapers.com Clip, The Buffalo Times, 19 Feb 1909, Page 6.
6. ↑ Marriage: "Michigan, U.S., Marriage Records, 1867-1952"
   Michigan Department of Community Health, Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics; Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952; Film: 256; Film Title: 82 Wayne 082800-086039; Film Description: Wayne (April-July 1931)
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 9093 #4024635 (accessed 23 October 2022)
   Sarah Johnston (50) marriage to John Johnston on 11 Apr 1931 in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA.

• 1901 Ireland census - Residents of a house 18 in Labby (Bancran, Londonderry). James(61), Margaret Jane(55), Robert(30), Bella(22), Eliza Jane(18), Martha(14), Sara McGeagh(20, boarder).
• 1905 Census: "New York, U.S., State Census, 1905"
  New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: E.D. 03; City: Buffalo Ward 07; County: Erie; Page: 15
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 7364 #3510722 (accessed 22 October 2022)
  Sarah Orr (23) sister-in-law in household of Robert Black (30) in Buffalo Ward 07, Erie, New York, USA. Born in Ireland.
• 1920 Census: "1920 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1920; Census Place: Detroit Ward 6, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: T625_806; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 199
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6061 #75135173 (accessed 23 October 2022)
  J Johnston (39), wife, in household of John Johnston (41) in Detroit Ward 6, Wayne, Michigan. Born in Ireland.
• 1930 Census: "1930 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1930; Census Place: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0152; FHL microfilm: 2340772
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 6224 #12009022 (accessed 23 October 2022)
  Sarah Johnston (49), divorced, Waitress, head of household at 4041 Norwood-Place, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA. Born in Ireland.
• 1940 Census: "1940 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1940; Census Place: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: m-t0627-01845; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 84-184
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2442 #85161209 (accessed 23 October 2022)
  Sarah Johnston (59), widowed mother-in-law, in household of Leonard G Talbert (27) in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. Born in Northern Ireland.
• 1950 Census: "1950 United States Federal Census"
  United States of America, Bureau of the Census; Washington, D.C.; Seventeenth Census of the United States, 1950; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790-2007; Record Group Number: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home in 1950: Detroit, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: 4116; Sheet Number: 3; Enumeration District: 85-2581
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 62308 #174930351 (accessed 23 October 2022)
  Sarah Johnstone (69), widowed mother-in-law, in household of Leonard G Talbot (37) in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, USA. Born in Ireland.