John L. Johnston and Mary Ann Dunn
John L.2 Johnston, (John1), 6 April 1857-13 June 1897. 1 John was the tenth/final child and sixth son born to John Johnston and Margaret Tait of Lot 14, Concession 7, East Gwillimbury Township, York County, Canada West (Ontario). There is little doubt that John was named after his father and it is ironic that he could hardly have known or remembered him. He would have been only a little over 4 years old when his father died on 21 August 1860. On Thursday 6 July 1882, at age 25, John married Mary Ann Dunn, 2 July 1857-1916, 3 in Uxbridge, Ontario. 4 William Dunn and “Miss Dunn” witnessed the ceremony. Mary Ann was a daughter of John Dunn and Christine Quantz of Mount Albert, Ontario. Their marriage is mentioned in the Thursday, July 13, 1882 edition of The Uxbridge Journal. That marriage item reads:
“By Rev. J. A. McClung, on the 6th inst., at the Marriot House, Uxbridge, Mr. John Johnston, of East Gwillimbury, to Miss M. A. Dunn of the same place.” 5
John and Mary Ann moved to Hillman Township, Montmorency County, Michigan and had become settled on a farm there by 1885. According to his Michigan State death return John died from Pneumonia. 6 John’s death is mentioned in the Wednesday, June 16, 1897 edition of the Alpena Argus newspaper. 7 The item states:
“John L. Johnston, one of the oldest and best known residents of Montmorency county, died at Hillman Sunday evening, after a short illness, of pneumonia. He was one of the most prominent citizens of that county and was highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was a brother of Jas. M. Johnston of this city. The funeral took place at Hillman yesterday.”
John’s death is also mentioned in the Friday, June 18, 1897 edition of The Newmarket Era newspaper. 8 It reads:
“At Mountmerency [sic], Mich., U. S., on the 14th inst., John L. Johns[t]on, – aged 40 years.
Deceased was youngest brother of Mr. Samuel Johns[t]on of the Central Hotel of this town.”
John and Mary Ann are buried in Hillman-Rust Cemetery near their daughter Ida Belle (1.10.1), and her husband, two time state representative William Green. John and Mary Ann had at least five children.
| 1. Ida Belle3 | 30 April 1885 9-16 December 1962 10 | md William Green 3 June 1906 11 | no issue |
| 2. Walter J.3 | January 188812 -about 1966 13 | md a “German girl in west” 14 | at least two children |
| 3. Wilber Samuel3 | 2 May 189115-16 February 1910 16 | 18 years 9 months 14 days 17 | |
| 4. Merle3 | 24 March 1893 18-after 1962 19 | md Lena Whitman 20 | at least three children |
| 5. Ruby M.3 | 22 September 1895 21– October 1975 22 | md Robert Maderer 23 | at least two children |
1 John L. Johnston death item, Alpena Argus, Alpena, Michigan, Wednesday 16 June 1897, page 5. This item states that John “died at Hillman Sunday evening”. Sunday was the 13th of June. The item also relates that his “funeral took place at Hillman yesterday.”, i.e. Tuesday the 15th. If there was a Wake for John it would have been Monday evening, and therefore it is possible that he died, as the Alpena Argus states, on Sunday evening the 13th of June.
2 1882 Ontario Schedule B., Marriages, #008661, page 117.
3 Mary Ann Johnston monument, Hillman-Rust Cemetery, Hillman, Montmorency County, Michigan.
4 1882 Ontario Schedule B., Marriages, #008661, page 117.
5 Mr. John Johnston marriage notice, The Uxbridge Journal, Uxbridge, Ontario, Thursday 13 July 1882, page 3.
6 1897 State of Michigan, County of Montmorency, Record of Deaths, Record Number 196, page 9.
7 John L. Johnston death item, Alpena Argus, Alpena, Michigan, Wednesday 16 June 1897, page 5.
8 John L. Johnston death notice, The Newmarket Era, Newmarket, Ontario, Friday 18 June, 1897, page 2.
9 Montmorency County Vital Records, Births 1881 – 1934, page 7, entry 90.
10 Mrs. William Green (nee Ida Belle Johnston) obituary, Monday 17 December 1962. This obituary states that “Mrs. William Green, 77, died at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Rogers City Hospital, where she had been admitted Oct. 24.”
11 Ibid. This obituary states that Ida “married william Green on June 3, 1906, in Toronto, Ont.”
12 1900 U.S. Census, Michigan.
13 1967 Alberta Cenral District telephone directory, Area Code 403, Effective October 1, 1967, page 116, column 1. Walter J. Johnston is listed residing at 4807 49St, Stettler. This is the last year that he is listed.
14 Family notes, about 1967.
15 Wilber Johnston birth registration, Montmorency County Vital Records, Births 1881 – 1934, page 18, entry 258.
16 Wilber Samuel Johnston death registration, Archives of Ontario, Records of the Office of the Registrar General, RG 80, Vol. , York County Register of Deaths 19 , page 161, no. 36563, microfilm, MS , reel . Information certified by “Mrs S Johnston” of “Newmarket” on “Feb 16/10”.
17 Ibid.
18 Merle Johnston birth registration, Montmorency County Vital Records, Births 1881 – 1934, page 21, entry 306.
19 Mrs. William Green (nee Ida Belle Johnston) obituary, Monday 17 December 1962. This obituary states that Ida is survived by “a sister, Mrs. Robert Maderer (Ruby) of Hoosick Falls, N. Y.; two brothers, Walter Johnston of Statler [Stettler], Alberta, and Merle of Peace River, Ont., a step-sister, Mrs. Robert Hoecker (Lillian) of Toronto and several nieces and nephews, including William Stanley of Rogers City and James Stanley of Toronto, whom the Greens reared.”
20 Family notes, about 1967.
21 Ruby Maderer, no. 105-28-9751, Social Security Death Index, Family Tree Maker Online: Genealogy Library, The SSDI component of Family Tree Maker Online: Genealogy Library is drawn from the Social Security Death Benefits Index of the U.S. Social Security Administration.
22 Ibid.
23 Mrs. William Green (nee Ida Belle Johnston) obituary, Monday 17 December 1962. This obituary states that Ida is survived by “a sister, Mrs. Robert Maderer (Ruby) of Hoosick Falls, N. Y.; two brothers, Walter Johnston of Statler [Stettler], Alberta, and Merle of Peace River, Ont., a step-sister, Mrs. Robert Hoecker (Lillian) of Toronto and several nieces and nephews, including William Stanley of Rogers City and James Stanley of Toronto, whom the Greens reared.”