Ann, daughter to Angus Murray Blacksmith North Brora and Betty McDonald was Born 12th and Baptized 14th May.

The above extract was taken from page 21 of the Register of Birth & Baptisms in the Parish of Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland for the year 1825.

What can be said about Ann that hasn't been said about her brothers and sisters? She lived in Brora until about 1831 and then immigrated with her family to Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Her mother died when she was fifteen years old and her father died when she was nineteen.

We do know that by 1855 she was living in Fall River, Massachusetts, because she was married there on the 20 November, 1855 to Thomas Johnston. Ann acquired a ready-made family because Thomas was a widower with two living sons.

At the time of their marriage or shortly thereafter the Johnstons moved into a house at 35 Washington. They were still living at the same address at the time of the Fall River City directory in 1870/71.

Thomas was a Tinplate worker up to 1864 when he became a tinsmith. He worked at several addresses on Annawan until 1885. Part of this time he had his own business listing in the city directory.

Thomas and Samuel Johnston were sons of Thomas Johnston and his first wife. When Ann and Thomas married in 1855 the older son, Thomas (who later went by Thomas H.) was seven years old and the younger, Samuel, was five years old. They had been living with their paternal grandparents, but came to live with Thomas and Ann.

Thomas and Ann had a daughter born 18 April 1858. Her birth was registered as Elizabeth Johnson, although she went by Elizabeth M. Johnston.

At the time of the 1860 Federal Census the Johnston family consisted of Thomas, Annie, Thomas, Samuel and Elizabeth M. Later, that year a son was born.

John Johnston was born 27 August 1860. Although his birth was registered only as John, he went by John F. Johnston.

Annie and Thomas had another daughter, born 27 March 1863. She was named Annie C. Johnston. She was listed with the family on the 1865 State Census of Fall River.

Sadly, Annie C. died of diphtheria on the 8 Dec. 1868 at the age of five years, eight months and twelve days.

In the 1866 Fall River City Directory, Thomas H. Johnston, son of Thomas by his first marriage was still at home and his occupation was listed as "(5th U.S. Inf.)". He was about nineteen at that time and left home shortly afterward.

In 1870, the family consisted of Thomas, Annie M., Samuel, Elizabeth M. and John F. At this time they had Jane Murray, Ann's sister living with them. She was age thirty five and worked in a thread mill.

Starting about 1873 the family left their home at 35 Washington and moved several times. In 1873 their address was 15 Fifth; in 1878 the address was 137 Fourth, in 1880 the address was 56 Fourth and in 1885 their address was 28 Ridge.

On the 17 January 1885, Annie M. Johnston died of Gastric Fever. She was buried in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Elizabeth M. Johnston, or Lizzie, was a teacher at Broadway School and lived at home until her mother's death. After her mother's death she boarded nearby at 24 Ridge. She became principal of Broadway School about 1887 and later was Principal at Robeson School. While at Robeson school she boarded at several different addresses until 1905 when she was at 533 Hanover. This was the house that her cousin, Georgiana Turnbull, lived in by 1908.

Lizzie died on February 2, 1907. The "Fall River Evening News" of Monday the 4th February 1907 reported the death:

JOHNSTON - In this city, Feb. 2, Elizabeth M., daughter of Thomas and the late Annie Johnston. Funeral services at her late residence, No. 533 Hanover street, on Tuesday at 3 o'clock p.m. Relatives and friends are invited to attend.

John F. Johnston became a plumber and eventually owned his own business. He married twice and had two children by the first marriage: Annie M. was born in 1888 and Harold F. Johnston in 1890.

John F. died the 26th May 1911 of Cerebral Embolism. His second wife outlived him by many, many years.

Thomas outlived his second wife and their children. He was a tinsmith right up to 1903. He was living with his son, Samuel, from 1894 until he died 29 January 1912.

The Johnston family came from Scotland sometime between 1831 and 1836. It is possible that they lived somewhere on the west coast of Scoland because some of the Johnston men married girls from Ireland. There are places in Scotland that are very close to Ireland and the population moved back and forth between the two countries.

Thomas Johnston's grandfather was Alexander Johnston, born in Scotland and married to Sarah who was born in Ireland.

Thomas's father was Samuel Johnston and his mother was Eliza J. According to her death record she was born in Ireland, but the 1855 Census shows her birthplace as Scotland. Her father was John, born in Ireland.

Samuel and Eliza J. had three or four children born in Scotland before they came to Massachusetts and had several more born in Massachusetts.

Samuel Johnston's will mentions four sons and four daughters, and lists sons Alexander, Thomas and James. In 1855 before his marriage to Ann Murray, Thomas and a John Johnston who was six years younger boarded at the same place. He was also a tinsmith and in 1880 he lived at Eliza Jane's home at 8 Ferry. Alexander and James also boarded at 8 Ferry at the same time.

The four daughters listed in the will are Euphemia, wife of George Shean, Eliza J., wife of James Gillis, Sarah, wife of George Booth and Agnes Hargraves, wife of Peter Hargraves.

The 1855 State Census of Fall River list the family as follows:

Samuel Johnson, 54, Labourer, b. Scotland Eliza J Johnson, 53, b. Scotland Eliza J Johnson, 19, b. Massachusetts Sarah Johnson, 17, b. Massachusetts Agnes Johnson, 15, b. Massachusetts Mary Johnson, 1 1, b. Massachusetts

Mary was born 7 Aug 1843 and died 18 Nov 1863 of Typhoid fever and was  not living at the time of her father's will. 

Samuel died 12 May 1875 and Eliza Jane died 7 May 1880.

Thomas Johnston married Helen F. Hawthorn, daughter of Thomas and Rachel Hawthorn, on June 4, 1846.

Three sons were born to them.: Thomas, Samuel and John. Helen died 28 Sep 1851 in childbirth. Baby John died two months later. Thomas Jr. and Samuel went to live with the grandparents until Thomas married Ann Murray.

Return to Name Index

Return to Children of Angus and Elizabeth Murray