John Thomas Williston (1791 - 1865)

Born 20 Aug 1791 in Bay du Vin, Hardwicke, Northumberland, New Brunswick

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Muncey) Williston — married 10 Aug 1830 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada

Died 23 Mar 1865 at age 73 in Chatham, Northumberland, New Brunswick

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Biography

John was born in 1791. He was the son of John Williston and Phoebe Stymiest. He married Elizabeth (Eliza) Muncey, 10 August 1830, in Halifax. They settled at Chatham and had ten children.

At various times a businessman, JP, customs officer, and MLA.

He passed away in 1865, buried at Chatham.

Research Notes

FamilySearch profile: John Thomas Williston LRR2-BGN

children of John Williston and Eliza Muncey:

• Eliza Jane Williston - b.28 Jul 1831, d. 30 Apr 1905; m. James Charles Edward Carmichael, Esq
• John Thomas Williston b. 31 Aug 1832, d. ----
• Mary Ann Williston, b. 29 Apr 1833, d. Mar 1919; m. Alexander Russell Ramsay
• Susannah Bacon Williston, b. 30 Jun 1836, d. 11 Apr 1909; m. Phineas Williston
• Henry Cunard Williston, b. 6 Jul 1838, d. 1901
• Caroline Gertrude Williston, b. 13 Feb 1840; m. Ambrose L. Brown
• Adelaide Williston, b. 15 Aug 1842, d. 28 Nov 1880
• Elizabeth Sarah Mignowitz Williston, b. 20 Jan 1844, d. Apr 1909; m. John Henry Sutherland
• Edward Bailey Williston, b. 8 Apr 1845, d. (Australia)
• Francis Singleton Bailey Williston, b. 26 Nov 1850, d. 10 Sep 1851

bio text from Carman Williston book, page 6:

John Thomas was educated in the lumber camps working with his father according to different reports. He supposedly learned to read and write using birch bark and charcoal from the camp fire.

Regardless of how he obtained his schooling, he did well, becoming a Justice of the Peace and issuer of licences and permits. He drew up deeds and mortgages and was a candidate in two elections. The first in 1843 was won by him, but upon scrutiny afterwards, instigated by his opposition the election was declared void and he was replaced by his opponent. He won the nest election and served a full term in the legislature. He did not run in the subsequent election and was appointed as Harbour Master at Miramichi.

He was a partner in several enterprises in the retail business with different brothers, none seemed to have been entirely successful, possibly due to the difficulty of collecting from customers who had little or nothing with which to pay or to lose. One of his businesses was to erect a sawmill at Black Brook, now Loggieville, which was completed and put into operation before he sold it, and it became a successful business for many years.

John and Eliza were married by Rev GW Morris at Halifax. She was the second daughter of her parents.

Sources

• Bio: (Dictionary of Miramichi Biography): John Thomas Williston
• The New Brunswick Genealogical Society web site, "First Families", at: https://nbgs.ca/cpage.php?pt=249 --> member access only
• The United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada; website, http://www.uelac.org/Loyalist-Info/detail.php?letter=w&line=416
• area history book - Black River and Its First Settlers, by A. W. Macdougall, 2nd ed., ed. by W. D. Hamilton and Margaret A. Macdougall (2010).
• area history book - Looking Back: A History of Bay du Vin New Brunswick, Anglican Church of Canada, Anglican Church Women, Bay du Vin; 1979; 126 pages; John Bailey Williston, page 18.
• Stymiest genealogy - Down by the Old Mill Stream: A Stymiest Chronicle, Carl W.W. Stymiest, U.E.; Trafford Publishing, 2001, 598 pages; page 262, line 49: Williston, John Thomas 1791-1865, son of Stymiest, Phoebe, 1770-1845 and John Bailey Williston 1757-1833; married Munsey, Eliza.
• Williston genealogy - Descendants of John Bailey Williston and Phoebe Stymiest, Charles Carman Williston; 2002, 455 pages. John Thomas Williston 1789-1865, p4, 6.
• 1830 marriage - Province of Nova Scotia; John Thomas Williston and Eliza Muncey, 9th August 1830, Halifax, Nova Scotia; marriage # 1800-05929; Nova Scotia Archives https://archives.novascotia.ca/vital-statistics/ItemView/?ImageFile=1800-5929&Event=marriage&ID=196839;
• 1850-1854 MLA - Williston, John T; independent member of the 15th sitting of the New Brunswick Legislature; Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/15th_New_Brunswick_Legislature
• 1851 Census of Canada - New Brunswick, dist of North'ld, sub-dist of Chatham (47), page 28, microfilm: C-995, ref RG31, item i464432; Williston, Jno T 56, head, Justice of the Peace; in household with Eliza Williston 43, wife; Eliza J 20; Mary Ann 17; Susannah 15; Henry 13; Sarah J 11; Adelaid 9; Elizabeth Sararh 4, Library & Archives Canada: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1851/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=1464432;
• 1861 Census of Canada - New Brunswick, dist of North'ld, sub-dist of Chatham, page 48, microfilm: C-1003-1004, ref RG31, item 1308543; Williston, John T 70, head; in household with Eliza Williston 53, wife; Mary Ann 28; Susannah 24; Adelaid 19; Elizabeth Sarah 14; Henry 23; Edward 16; Library & Archives Canada: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1861/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=1308543;