PROBLEMS AND INCONSISTANCIES WITH THE TREE


The major problem with the original printed Johnstone Tree (prepared by Thomas Robert Johnstone and printed by William Sweeney of Belfast) is that Sir Robert James Johnstone and his sister Minnie (Mary) were having children BEFORE their supposed parents married each other.  This means they must be on the same generation.

Some of the daughters of Robert Johnstone and Mary Kernaghan married people of different surnames other than are listed on the Tree.

According to the memorial window in the First Presbyterian Church Carrickfergus Georgina Mary Matilda Magill (married to Robert Johnstone Porter) was born 24 August 1865.  The only problem is her birth was registered in 1864 so I have changed the year.

I am not sure Isabella is the daughter of Robert "Shipyard" Johnstone as her marriage says her father Robert was a sailor.  Also I am not sure that the Robert McCheyne Johnstone involved in Janet's (married Paul Rogers) will was her brother.  There are supposed to be four sons and two daughter alive when Robert died in 1891.  The Johnstone Tree lists no children.  I would think there would be a son Robert and a son James.  I have added  James Johnstone's details because he had a child called William Gunning Johnstone and Eliza Johnstone (daughter of Robert Ship Builder) married William Gunning in 1866.

Where there are two dates there is conflicting information.

For the first Eleanor Christine Porter who was born in 1859 I have born 30 April while the Porter Family Tree has 5 April.  I transcribed this entry myself so I have gone with what I transcribed.

On 8 February 1869 William "Bloomfield" Johnstone and Hannah Speers had an un-named daughter.  As I don't know most of the daughters' names or when they were born I can't attribute this date to anyone.

With Doreen Charlotte Glenfield Barkley; the Johnstones of Greenisland told Bruce and I that she married a Davidson and "cousins" in England told Kim that she married a Malcolm (surname).  She may have married twice but I have put her husband in as Malcolm Davidson, which is, in all probability, incorrect.

Robert Johnstone, eldest son of Thomas Johnstone and Eleanor Glenfield, is listed as dying 3 June in the notes with the gravestone listing in "Old Families of Carrickfergus and Ballynure from Gravestone Inscriptions and Biographical Notes", compiled by George Rutherford and edited by Richard Clarke.  However, the gravestone and the memorial window in the First Presbyterian Church Carrickfergus both say 5 June.

Ino Johnstone died on the 17th according to the "Monthly Record of the First Presbyterian Church" and the 18th according to the gravestone.

Andrew Crooks, father of Agnes Porter, is listed as dying in 1813 in "Old Families of Carrickfergus and Ballynure from Gravestone Inscriptions and Biographical Notes", compiled by George Rutherford and edited by Richard Clarke.  However, I used 1817 from the family's transcription of the gravestone.



 

ASSUMED ENTRIES


Thomas Johnstone's wife Alice and his daughter Dora.

I have added the surname Krebs.  Reason: listed on the headstone in New Zealand is Alice's sister Mary Krebs.  There is no indication if Mary was married or not. Their daughter Dora has been added because the notes we have say "Bill was born after the 1898 trip to Ireland.  Dora and mother sailed on the Bessfield around Cape Horn to Ireland.  They became members of the Cape Horner's Society." (Please note the photograph is under copyright law.)

That John Baillie's father is Robert. (John married Jane/Jean Johnstone in 1829.)  There is only a Robert Baillie (Baley etc.) having children in Carrickfergus around the time.  Also the naming pattern of first son after the father's father second after mother's father etc.



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