The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1885-12-24
THE JOHNSTON FAMILY.
SOME CORRECTIONS or THE HIS
TORY OF \ NOTED FAMILY.
DIR. Ed. Williams pugh Finds Errors in
Nj. II. VI. Daniels sketch OF Judge
ITedell. and in DIR. Warren'> Book.


sketch of Judge Iredell, by II. N Daniel,
OF Rocky Mount. which appeared in your
last issue and while We commend the tai
ents of the author writer. We fear that
We must dissent from some of his state
mentS III regard 10 the genealogical history
OF the Johnston family. Hence, We pen
this article with the view Of correcting
these little errors OF the writer, as we'll aS
10 point out some lapses Of a similar ua-
ture and on the same subject, made by
distinguished physician who has recently
written and published a most readable
book, entitled "A Doctors Experience in
Three Continents DR.. Edward Warren.
Bey Cheyalier, OF the Legion of Honor,
etc, etc, connection of the Johnston
family through marriage.
Governor Gabriel Johnston and his
brother, Surveyor-General John johnston,
came originally from Dundee Scotland,
and We're descended from the noble house
of Johnstone of Annandale The family
name, 1t would seem, was always spelt
''JohnstOne III the Old Country. though
for some reason the final letter was drop
ped b. the family after coming To Ameri-
Ca. The Surveyor General before leaving
Scotland, married Helen Scrymsoure, a
lineal descendant of Sir Alexander Scrym-
sOure-a name rendered immortal by Miss
Jane Porter III her popular, though highly
colored, romance ''Thc Scottish Chief"
Governor Gabriel Johnston married Pc
nelope Eden, the daughter of Governor
Charles Eden, of Eden House, Bertie couu-
", Il magnificent estate, situated on the
ChoWan river
Mr. Daniel writes that Miss Hannah
Johnston, who became the wife of Judge
lrcdell, was daughter of Governor Ga
briel Johnston On the contrary she was
a daughter of the Surveyor General and
niece of Governor Gabriel Johnston. The
only issue of Governor Gabriel Johnston
that we ever heard of was his daughter
Penelope, who was married to Colonel
John Dawson, who was one of the Coun-
ciliOrS of State under Governor Eden and
Governor Gabriel Johnston This gentle
man came from Williamsburg, Virginia,
and was the son of Commissary Dawson
and Mary Stith, and was descended through
his mother from VIM. Randolph, of Iur
key Island, and Mary lSham, OF b rmudd
Hundreds, the founder Of the illustrou,
family, which has given birth to Thomas
Jefferson, John Randolph, OF Roanoke
Bishops Meade and Randolph, Governor
Peyton Randolph, Edmund Randolph and
Beverly Randolph, Light Horse Harry Lee,
Chas. Lightfoot Lee, Governor Fitz HuSh
Lee, and last, but not least, Gen. Robert
E. Lee, besides other great
Immortal names
That We're not born to die"
| 1t may be interesting in this connection
| to state, that brother of the writer,
owns a watch that Col. John Dawson
| brought to Carolina with him, it having
| descended directly down as an helr-oom
of priceless value The SINNERS and Low
| theirs, OF Chowan county, are descendants
of Col. John Dawson
| Mr.. Daniel also writes that Governor
! Samuel Johnston was the son of Governor
! Gabriel Johnston. mistake which he
should not have fallen into, us he had the
record of the family in McRees work for
reference. From this book we co " the
following The two sons of the Survey
or-General We're both men of mark, J Ohm,
the younger, lived in BERTHE He was one
of the Committee of Safety for the Eden
ton district, in l775, and was member
Of the Provincial Congress, 1916, and alsc
for the subsequent Congress in the same
year, that adopted the Constitution of the
State. He was Senator in 1.S1-SS- 80 and
again in 1900 * He was man OF
clear head and sound heart"
Samuel Johnston, the eldest, was born
at Dundee, Scotland, December 18th, 11,}3
He read law under Mr.. Baker.
| I1t DOIt INC SItdltSt NttSIb I'll Cdit ftlt
labor lightly, as the mountain its crown
Of granite. For ability, learning, wealth
and character at the time of Mr.. Iredeils
arrival, he was prominent in the Province
His powerful frame was a fit engine fol
the vigorous intellect that gave it anima
ton. Strength was his characteristic. IL
his relations to the public an intieXiblC
sense of duty and justice dominated
There was remarkable degree of sefrel
;tnce and majesty about the man. Hi:
erect carriage and Intolerance of indo
lence, meanness, vice and wrong, gave t
him an air Of sternness. He commanded
he respect and admiration, but not th'
love of the people Lofty, unbending, ant
impracticable, as he appeared III tn,
world, in the bosom of his family, he man
tested the utmost sensihiity and tender
ness of feeling. The chords of his hear
were as delicately strung as those of tn
harp that trembleS at the slightest breeze.
Such are the tributes paid to the mem
ories of the two sons of the SurveyorGeu
cral by McRec III his interesting work
v hich we VIII supplement with til, f,.ilow
ing A. aforementioned, John, til
Younger son, lived in the county Of Bertie
The residence and broad acres OF this gen
tleman bore the rather uneuphOnl0us nam
: Of ,'Sapoua' Town, an Indian word, til
property having lately been III the posses
sion of the TuscOroras, and a part OF tn
! great Indian Reservation, which had bee
purchased from them by Gen. Willie Jones
Col Thomas Pugh and Col. William Wi
liams; John Johnston having married Eli
, abeth Whitmell Williams, daughter OF tn
.. foregoing and grand daughter of Colont
: Thomas Whitmell, a distinguished cltIze
: of Bertie county ''Gen. Samuel Johr
: ston owned many plantations, says Mo
Rec, ''but generally resided at Hays, nea
Edenton, or at the Hermitage, near Wi
liamston, Martin county. He died in 81
h and was buried at Hays
f In DR.. Warrens book, occures the err'
: OF saying that the late Rev. Samuel lr'
{ dell Johnston, y. d. Rector OF st. Paul
q fdenton, and father of Mr.. Warren, WI
, 4 son Of Surveyor General Johnston. II
. Or. while being we'll ;3ttYanved IN 9TH
) studies. must ~ a yeftable Rip an WI
/. k.e III gtneaiogy, a, the gentleman SPOKE
= OF instead Of having been son OIL Il
q Surveyor r-General. was the laltera gree.
y grand son, the Rev. Samuc! having bet
i the son of John Scrymsoure Johnston al
d Elizabeth Cotton, John Scrymsoure ha
d ing been the son of John johnstO-. Al
, Elizabeth Whi,meil Williams, the Ia
> named gentleman having been the son
h tie Surveyor General. There can be
lr mistake as to what we here write, as '
y copy from the Johnston record in Mckee
It work, and the Williams re cord also, Whl
g. family after the IuteruarrIaoG With t