History of the Johnstones, 1191-1909, with ... - Electric Scotland

JOHNSTONS IN AMERICA 339
West Point. He had served with the Federal Army in all its campaigns, and
been severely wounded, up to the time that the Southern States declared for
independence. He was then Lieutenant-Colonel and Quartermaster-General,
but, a Virginian educated with Virginian funds, he thought it his duty to throw up
his commission and join the South, where he was born, against the North. As
he chose the losing side he was involved in all its disasters, but is looked upon
as the most experienced and skilful General in the war. He married Louisa
M'Lane, whose grandfather served as a Captain under Washington. He died
in 1 891. Dr George Ben. Johnston, of Richmond, Virginia, is his grandnephew.
The next brother of Gilbert senior is said to have been Samuel, who
married Helen Scrymgeour, and came to Onslow County, North Carolina, in
1736. His son, Samuel, was the Naval Officer of North Carolina in 1775,
Treasurer during the Revolution, and Governor of North Carolina from 1787-89.
He was President of the Convention that finally adopted the Constitution for
this State, which stood for sixty years unchanged. He was the first Senator
elected by North Carolina to the United States Congress in 1789. He died in
i8i6and his son, James, was the largest planter in the United States on his
death in 1865.
The elder Samuel's second son, John, was a Captain of Light Horse in the
Revolution. He died in 1790, and his descendants live in North Carolina,
Texas, and Canada.
The senior representative of this branch of Johnston is Huger William of
Idlewild, Georgia ; married, 1871, Emma O. Johnstone. They have many child-
ren and grandchildren. He is great-grandson of Hugo, born 1751, died 1795,
and of Susanna Barefield, his wife— first cousin to her husband, who was eldest
son of Gilbert Johnston, junr. (died 1794).
The latter part of this family history, including the children and brothers
of Gilbert junior can be proved, but so far this is not the case with the first part,
and inaccuracy is only natural when a worn-out old man describes family links
of ninety years before from memory alone. He may have mixed up his grand-
father with his great-grandfather in calling him John Johnston of Stapleton, for
Stapleton, a part of the Graitney parish, contained many Johnstons, some of
whom settled in America, and also sent out soldiers of fortune to foreign lands.
The unusual name of Gabriel might very probably be introduced by a French
connection. But a different parentage to that in Gilbert's statement is shown
for Gabriel, and Samuel Johnston, the husband of Helen Scrymgeour, in Fasti
Scoticz Eccles., and in the collections of Robert Riddell Stodart of the Lyon
Office, Edinburgh. The Rev. Samuel Johnston, 1 who graduated M.A. of
Edinburgh in 1677, was successively minister of Southdean, Roxburgh, in 1690,
and of Dundee in 1699. He married Isabel Hall, and two of their children,
Gabriel and Samuel, were baptised at Southdean in 1698 and 1699. Three
1 He was older than the Hon. John Johnston, who was not born till 1668 ; but if he came
from the Elsieshields' branch, as seems probable from his name, or if his father was John
Johnston of Stapleton, possibly of Graitney, his descendants would be equally of Annandale.