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JOHNSTON/STEWART/WARNOCK families of Belfast

AntrimAntrim (Antrim)

Searching for more information about John JOHNSTON of Belfast and his wives' families. John was born c. 1821 to Willam JOHNSTON and Sarah GORDON.Hisfirst wife was Ann or Agnes STEWART, aged 19, towhom he was married for 19 years. So far have not been able to find their date and place of marriage or details of Ann or Agnes's death and burial.They had a number of children: Jane b. 1841, Sarah, William, b.c. 1844, James b.c. 1846, and possibly, Letitia, b. c. 1848.John's second wife was Letitia WARNOCK (b. 1821 Ireland)who he married on 8 January 1852 at St Anne's Church of Ireland,Belfast. John was a 32-year old sailor and widower. Letitia was a spinster also aged 32. Her father was John WARNOCK, a carpenter. A family of JOHNSTONs that could be them arrived at Port Phillip, Melbourne, Australia on the Mooresfort on 13 January 1854. The members of the family were JohnJOHNSTON, 33; Letitia JOHNSTON 33; Jane JOHNSTON 12; William JOHNSTON 8; James JOHNSTON aged 6 and Letitia JOHNSTON aged 4. Also on the same ship were Sarah JOHNSTON 26; Joseph or Josuha JOHNSTON 25; and Josh JOHNSTON aged 1. (Index to Unassistd Passenger Lists to Victoria 18521923). John and Letitia had at least two children: Warnock, possibly born and died in Ireland and Thomas b.c. 1859 in Victoria. (He was 38 when his father died).John JOHNSTON died aged 77 on 29 December 1897 atBendigo, Victoria. Buried at White Hills Cemetery, Bendigo. VIC BDM Death 13428/1897). John is buried in a plot with Daniel JOHNSTON who was one of his brothers.

Jane Morrison

2 replies

For marriages pre 1845, you really need to know the denomination of the marriage (tradition was to marry in the bride?s church). Unfortunately not all the possible records from that period have survived (some Church of Ireland records were lost in the 1922 fire eg for St Pauls & St Matthews churhes). Of those that do survive, not all are on-line. (I have searched on rootsireland, as you probably have too, but there is no sign of his marriage to Ann/Agnes). If they are not on-line, your only option would probably be to work through the microfilm copies held in PRONI, Belfast. However there?s a lot of churches in Belfast, so quite a time consuming process.

Regarding Ann/Agnes death, death registration didn?t start till 1864. Prior to that only the Church of Ireland kept burial records, and they were not comprehensive. So there are very few burial records to search. If the person was buried without a gravestone (and the majority of the population were) then it will be very difficult to trace her.

I have searched for John Warnock, carpenter, in the Belfast street directories but cannot locate him.

Ahoghill AntrimIrelandXO Volunteer

Hello Jane,

My name is Elaine Hudson. My grandmother was Inez Olga Johnston. Her father John Warnock Johnston, her grandfather Thomas Johnston, his father John Johnston, his father William Johnston who was married to Sarah Gordon. 
 

I am currently looking into my family history and found your post through google search. I live in Sydney, Australia and you can contact me on my email elaine_hudson89@hotmail.com
 

 

elaine_hudson8…

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