Robert Johnston, Fenian

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To return to Catherine O’Hara and Robert Johnston both born c1760 in Co. Antrim, who are my four-times great grandparents. Catherine and Robert’s son James Johnston married Peggy Dempsey in about 1835.

According to Helen Meehan in Ethna Carbery. Anna Johnson McManus, Published by Letterkenny, Co Donegal: Browne Printers, 2013 James and Peggy had four sons and four daughters but missing from the record in a ten year gap are their daughter Rose Anne, my great great grandmother, born about 1842 and more about Rose Anne later; and another brother.

In the record are James born 1837, Ellen born 1839, Robert (1841-1937), Catherine born 1851 probably married in 1882 to John Laverty of Deerfin, William born 1854, and Margaret born 1857.

William Johnston born 1854 married in 1917 in Belfast Annie Helms/Holms/Harms daughter of Louis and Louisa Holms of New Jersey USA, but their relationship predates this event by many years and across two continents. The 1901 and 1911 Irish census has the family living in Belfast in Tyrone Street in a house with two windows in front. William is a carpenter. The 1911 census also states that they are twenty-two years married, and had nine children seven of these being still alive. Their children are Margret born in America in about 1890, James born in Manhattan in 1892, John born in Manhattan in 1893, Annie born in USA about 1893 died in Belfast in 1906, Robert born in Belfast in 1900, Henry born in Belfast in 1902, Mary born in Belfast in 1905, Ellen Kathleen born in Belfast in 1909, and another which I cannot find.

Robert Johnston

James and Peggy’s son Robert Johnston born 1841 (image above), married Madge (Margery) Magee in 1860. Robert is a carpenter. Robert and Madge had a son James and two daughters, Margaret 1868, Anna Bella born 1864.

Fenian, a timber merchant, based in Belfast, his wife Madge (Margery, Margaret) Magee (married 1840) has made Granma’s bonnet - their three children visit the farm, Maggie (1864-1902), James, and Anna Johnston, who will become poet Ethna Carberry editor of Shan Van Vocht, she marries author Seumas McManus in 1901 but dies a year later. I have found no children for Maggie, Anna or James.