John and Mary Jane Johnston ( nee Robinson) Augher, County Tyrone

Rachel,

I see 3 births that may relate to this family:

Samuel Johnston 8.4.1865

Sarah Johnston born on 21.10.1866

Margaret (may be Minnie) 8.6.1868

All 3 births were registered in Clogher. The birth certificates should contain the parents townland (address) as well as the father’s occupation. If you post that information on this site, I’ll do my best to see what other information can be found.

There is a marriage registered in Omagh on 15.12.1863 between a John Johnston and Mary Robinson. Can’t say whether it’s your couple but you might want to investigate it.

You can view the original certificates on-line on the GRONI website, using the “search registrations” option:

https://geni.nidirect.gov.uk

You will need to open an account and buy some credits. It costs £2 (sterling) to a view a certificate.

From a historical point of view the main famine in Ireland was in the late 1840s. If your family were still residing in Ireland 20 years later, in 1868, then the reasons for migration were probably simply economic, rather than famine related. People left Ireland in huge numbers all through the 1800s. All the famine did was speed it up a bit. Some 8 million people left during the 19th century.

Thanks so much Elwyn!

I believe that the births and marriage you found are correct.

John Johnstone was a farmer from Tally( Tully?) his father Samuel Johnstone was also a farmer.

Mary Jane Robinson was from Tally Keel in the parish of Drumragh, her father James Robinson was also a farmer.

Best wishes

Rachel

Hello..... JOHNSTON ROBINSON AUGHER

I have just found this post and I am hoping that someone may be able to help me to trace our family from Augher. Interestingly, our family seems to fit in with this one - James Johnston married Susan Robinson in 1835 in Clogher. They had a son Andrew Johnston born about 1840 who emigrated to Australia, married and gave birth to my husband's grandfather (George) Thomas Johnston. 

Andrew's marriage certificate states that he was from Aulghar, Fermanagh but I think that this may be a spelling mistake.

I have come to a road block trying to find births, deaths etc and I am hoping that someone may be able to help me continue my search with answers or at least point me in the right direction to find the answers. If you want to contact me rhonda.johnston@live.com.au. 

Much appreciated for any information

Kind Regards

Rhonda Johnston

Rhonda,

You say that you think that Aulghar, Fermanagh may be a spelling mistake for Augher. Possibly so, but it’s also worth bearing in mind that Augher is not in Co. Fermanagh. It’s in Co. Tyrone, so the Fermanagh bit would need to be wrong too. Which doesn’t seem quite so likely to me. I’d say it’s worth bearing Fermanagh in mind as a place of birth as well as Augher, Tyrone.

You can see all the place names in Fermanagh using this link:

http://www.thecore.com/seanruad/

Have you checked any of the Clogher parish records to confirm the marriage and Andrew’s baptism? That would help nail down the area to search. You haven’t said what denomination the family was. There are 2 Church of Ireland churches in Clogher with records for the period you are interested in. Clogher Cathedral has records from 1763 and Fivemiletown from 1804. Presbyterian records (Carntall/Clogher) start 1819 (baptisms) and 1829 (marriages). The RC records don’t start till 1856. There are copies of the Church of Ireland & Presbyterian records in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. They are not on-line there and so a personal visit is required to view them.

Bear in mind that tradition was to marry in the bride’s church after which she would attend her husband’s. So the marriage and Andrew’s baptism may not be in the same church. Though it could be.

By way of background, Johnston is a very common name in the Fermanagh & Tyrone area. The majority are descendants of Scots who settled there in the early 1600s. Many came from the Scottish Borders, and were originally what are called Border Reivers. (Reiver is a Scots dialect word for a robber or thief). The English-Scottish borders were a very lawless area for at least 400 years from the 1200s to the 1600s. When James I became king of both Scotland and England in the early 1600s he decided to clamp down on them because of all the problems they were causing and a lot ended up in Ireland (where he needed settlers for the Plantation). Fermanagh and Tyrone are packed with Border names such as Johnston, Armstrong, Elliot, Henderson, Hogg, Graham and so on.

The Border Reivers are very proud of their ancestry and today there are all sorts of Border Reiver activities in places like Selkirk & Jedburgh. They walk the commons (walk around the boundaries) every year to celebrate their ancestors bloodthirsty past, and there’s the usual jousting and horse events.

There’s a website I found:

http://www.borderreivers.co.uk/Border%20Families/BORDER%20SURNAMES%20%202.htm

Rachel,

Your reply in 2016 seems to have been overlooked. Sorry about that.

I agree the Johnston family were living in Tully in the 1860s. Griffiths Valuation for 1860 lists Samuel Johnston on plot 8 which was a 23 acre farm. Nearby on plot 6 was and Andrew Johnston with a 23 acre farm. Quite possibly a relation. A brother or a cousin. Those properties are easy enough to locate today should you ever wish to do so. You can use the maps on the Griffiths Valuation site to see where they are. They are on either side of the road where the modern Annaloughan Rd joins the Annaghilla Rd just outside Augher.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

Looking at the revaluation records, which take Griffiths forward, Samuel Johnston’s name is replaced by John’s in 1864 (suggesting he died around that time). In turn John’s name is deleted in 1872, and replaced by K. Toner. So John appears to have died around then too.

I searched for Samuel's death around 1864 but did not find it. Death registration started on 1.1.1864 so I’d assume he died just before that. I also searched for a death for John Johnston between 1868 (when Margaret Anne was born) and 1872 (when he is deleted from the land records). There are 2 registered in Clogher’s general area. One was on 12.3.1868 aged 54, the other 26.2.1869 aged 62. However neither is in the sub-district that includes Tully so I am not convinced either is right. So for the moment I can’t find your John’s death. Deaths in 1868 & 1869 are not on-line free yet. They should be towards the end of this year. You might want to hang on till then and explore all the deaths at no cost on the irishgenealogy site. Or you can pay to view them now, on the GRONI site. £2.50 a time.

Probate abstract from the PRONI website:

Letters of Administration of the personal estate of Andrew Johnston late of Tully Augher Aughnacloy County Tyrone Farmer deceased who died 14 November 1871 at same place were granted at Armagh to Isabella Johnston of Tully Augher Aughnacloy aforesaid the Widow of said deceased.

There was still a Johnston family farming there in 1901 (headed by what I would guess is Andrew’s widow):

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Augher/Tully/1725547/

Isabella evidently died in 1905: Administration of the estate of Isabella Johnston late of Tully County Tyrone Widow who died 23 December 1901 granted at Armagh to Samuel Johnston Farmer

And in 1911: http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Augher/Tully/855382/

There was evidently still a Johnston family farming there in 1962:

Johnston, John Andrew of Tully Augher county Tyrone farmer died 30 June 1962 at Tyrone County Hospital Omagh county Tyrone Administration W/A Londonderry 19 November to Martha Orr widow. Effects £1607 15s.

I note from the censuses that the family was Church of Ireland. If you are looking for John Johnston’s baptism and that of any siblings, then I would start with Clogher Cathedral records in PRONI. (I don’t think those records are on-line anywhere so a personal visit is required to view them).

By way of background, Johnston is a very common name in the Fermanagh & Tyrone area. The majority are descendants of Scots who settled there in the early 1600s. Many came from the Scottish Borders, and were originally what are called Border Reivers. (Reiver is a Scots dialect word for a robber or thief). The English-Scottish borders were a very lawless area for at least 400 years from the 1200s to the 1600s. When James I became king of both Scotland and England in the early 1600s he decided to clamp down on them because of all the problems they were causing and a lot ended up in Ireland (where he needed settlers for the Plantation). Fermanagh and Tyrone are packed with Border names such as Johnston, Armstrong, Elliot, Henderson, Hogg, Graham and so on.

The Border Reivers are very proud of their ancestry and today there are all sorts of Border Reiver activities in places like Selkirk & Jedburgh. They walk the commons (walk around the boundaries) every year to celebrate their ancestors bloodthirsty past, and there’s the usual jousting and horse events.

There’s a website I found:

http://www.borderreivers.co.uk/Border%20Families/BORDER%20SURNAMES%20%202.htm

Oh Elwyn, how on earth can I thank you for your reply with all your information? It is so difficult finding out info from Australia as I have very little knowledge of all the towns, Barony's, counties etc and spend half my time looking at maps.

I have just searched Aulghar (Autghar, Augher) in Fermanagh and there is no such place (thanks for the link). With town names changing over the years, I am wondering if the country boundaries also changed - that is - Augher being once in Fermanagh but now in Tyrone.  Anyway, you have given me food for thought and if you come across any further info I would be most appreciative.

Kindes Regards with thanks,

Rhonda

Rhonda.

No the county boundaries didn’t change. I am quite sure of that.

Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about where the family originate. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.

The North of Ireland Family History Society are running an Ulster DNA project and can offer FTDNA testing kits at a reduced price.  http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).

I had a look at the 1901 census for Tyrone & Fermanagh. There were 2087 people named Johnston/Johnson in those 2 counties at that time. Gives you an idea of how common the name was. That’s a lot of Reivers!

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/

Hi Elwyn and Rhonda,

This is exciting to find out about my family. Rhonda I have done a DNA Test on Ancestry.com if you wish to check that to see if we match.I have a general idea of some of the family , but not all the correct dates.

My great great grandmother Mary Jane Robinson married John Johnston 15.12.1863 in Omagh

They had 3 children Samuel Charleston b 8.4.1865, Sarah Jane b 21.10.1866( my great grandmother) and Margaret Anne ( Minnie) b8.6.1868 

John Johnston died in 1872 and Mary Jane left Ireland with her children to join family in Chester Pennsylvania USA. Sarah emigrated to New Zealand somewhere towards the end of the 1800's

Mary Jane Robinson had 5 siblings James, John, Isobella. Sarah, Matilda and John. John Robinson emigrated to Austraila I believe , but I don't have any information on him. The remainder all ended up in Pensylvaniua with the McCrystal family who also emigrated from Ireland.

Have attached a photo of the siblings in their later years in Chester Pensylvania

back row: left Mary Jane Johnston, Sarah Reilly

front Row: Matilda McCurly, James Robinson, Isobella McCrystal

all the best

Rachel