Surname Saturday ~ Gates Eslinger

GATES ~ origins are English, derived from Olde English gates to a property.  There are various spellings.

ESLINGER ~ origins are German, derived from "esl" - keeper of mules and donkeys. Recorded as early as 1200. There are various spellings.
SOURCE: Surname Data Base - surnamedb.com

 Oliver Uriah Gates

1802 - 1882

Catherine Hull Webb Gates

1800 - 1875

Handwritten Family Tree - 33 pages

Research and compiled by L. B. (Gates) Greenall (deceased)

 
Nancy Frances (Gates) Eslinger is my paternal third great aunt. My first source of information on Nancy is from a handwritten Gates Family Tree given to my mother in 1986. It was researched and compiled by my father's first cousin. They were both born in Kansas and emigrated to Canada with their parenst in the early 1900's.

Oliver Uriah Gates 1802-1882 Catherine Hull (Webb) Gates 1800-1875 and their Descendants; page 2.

Nancy Frances Gates
Born November 17, 1829, Candor, Tioga County, New York.
Died November 14, 1913, Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa, aged 83 years, 11 months, 17 days.

Nancy was married in 1873 to ~ Ephriam Duke Eslinger (a widower with 6 children)
Born June 2, 1885. Died September 22, 1889, aged 64 years, 8 months, 20 days.
Ephriam and Nancy are buried beside each other in Osborn Cemetery, 2 miles North of Lovilia, Iowa.

Nancy and Ephriam were married 2 years after his first wife Mary Jane had died. In about 1904, Nettie was adopted by Nancy (GATES) ESLINGER. Nancy was a widow at the time and would have been about 75 years old. Her husband Ephriam had died in 1889, 17 years earlier. Probably because of Nancy's own age she referred to herself as Nettie's grandmother instead of her mother.

I was interested in Nancy due to the fact that she had adopted children as a widow and at the late of about 75 years. The child was thought to have been abandoned. This information is included in the handwritten Family Tree, as well as Nancy's Obituary, dated November 20, 1913.

EXCERPT: OBITUARY Lovillia Press, November 20, 1913 :
She leaves two brothers, Levi GATES of Ottumwa and Edward GATES of Flagler, Colorado, also D. W. Masters, who was received into the home when ten years of age and who now lives on the old farm, and Nettie, who was received into the home when about seven years of age. To these hearts she was a true loving mother, their feelings that they indeed had a mother in the fullest sense.

SOURCE OF OBITUARY: S. Stewart member of Find A Grave, Nancy Frances Gates Eslinger Memorial, Find A Grave, November 2012.

Surname Saturday ~ HULL ~ Ancestors and Descendants

The HULL family was a prominent family in the early settling of America. There are records available which show that George HULL came from England in 1630 and settled in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

The reference to the Historical Gazetteer of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888 was included in the handwritten family tree of my ancestors, Oliver Uriah GATES (1802- 1882) and his wife Catherine HULL (1800-1875). This family tree was compiled by by father's first cousin in 1984.

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Historical Gazetteer of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888

Text: Pages: 181-182

TOWN OF CANDOR

Samuel Hull, son of George Hull, Jr., and a lineal descendant of George Hull, who came from England in 1630 and settled in Dorchester, Mass., was born June 15, 1755, married Freelove Kelsey, June 20, 1781, and reared twelve children, viz.: Jonas, James, Samuel, Lebbeus, Russell, Electa, Hubbard, Pheobe, Curtis, Catharine, Alanson and Hannah. Mr. Hull came to Candor in 1809, and made the first settlement on the farm now owned by his grandson, Nathan T. Hull. Samuel, Jr., was born July 9, 1785, married Sabrina Teall, and had born to him nine children, as follows: James B., Clarissa R., Mary, Lydia M., Samuel, Catharine A., Henry H., Nathan T., and Elizabeth S. Nathan T. was born October 14, 1824, married Ada M., daughter of Daniel Oakley, and six children were born to them, only three of whom are living, namely, Elizabeth G. (Mrs. Hiram Henderson), Mary J. (Mrs. Charles Perkins), of Bradford, Pa., and Daniel O.

SOURCE: Historical Gazetteer of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888; published by W. B. Gay; W. B. Gay & Company, Syracuse, New York, 1888.

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This is an extensive site with history of Redding, home of the HULL family and Mark TWAIN.
The HULL name is included as one of the first settlers (1630+) in Georgetown.

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The History of Redding, Connecticut

The Hull Family of Redding, Connecticut (CT)

The Hull Family: Arrived 1629 aboard the `Mary and John.` George HULL born: 1590 in Crewkerne, Somersetshire, England; married: (1) 17 Aug 1614 Thamzen (Thomesene) MICHELL (Daughter of Robert MICHELL; d. Before 1655 in MA or CT) Crewkerne, Somersetshire, England (2) 1655 Sarah, widow David PHIPIN, Boston; d: Aug - Nov 1659 Fairfield, CT; Son of Thomas HULL & Joane PESON a.k.a. Joanne Psying.

Children all by first marriage:
1. Josias bap. 16 Nov 1616 (Crewkerne Eng) m. 1640 Elizabeth LOOMIS (Windsor CT) d. 16 Nov 1675 (Killingworth CT -
(Believe that Josia a.k.a. Josiah is our ancestor.)
2. Marie bap. 27 Jul 1618 (Crewkerne Eng) m. Humphrey PINNEY (CT) d. 20 Aug 1684 (CT)
3. Martha bap. 24 Oct 1620 (Crewkerne Eng)
4. Elizabeth bap. 16 Oct 1625 (Crewkerne Eng) m. Samuel GAYLORD d. 2 May 1680
5. Cornelius bap. 9 Apr 1628 m. 1653 Rebecca JONES d. Sept 1695
6. Naomi - 7 Joshua bap. 5 Nov 1630 (Crewkerne Eng) d. young.

SOURCE: The History of Redding Connecticut; http://www.historyofredding.com/HRHull.htm

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The Hull Family in America is available to be read online at US.Archive.org. It includes George Hull, his brother, Rev. Joseph Hull and their descendants. Also included is Richard Hull, of Derbyshire, England, thought not to be related to the brothers.

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THE HULL FAMILY IN AMERICA

INTRODUCTION:

The Hull Family in America has three main divisions: George Hull and his descendants; his brother, the Reverend Joseph Hull and his descendants; and Richard Hull and his descendants. George and Joseph were sons of Thomas and Joane Pescn Hull, of Somersetshire, England, the earliest known ancestors of the tribe. George was about five years older than Joseph and came to this country five years earlier, in 1630. The relationship of Richard Hull to them, if there is any, is not known. . . .

Page 9.

The Descendants of George Hull

#1. George Hull, 1590-1659, surveyor, Indian trader, magistrate, statesman, and founder of a prominent branch of the Hull family in America, the son of Thomas and Joana Peson Hull of Crewkerne, Somersetshire, England. On August 17, 1614, as shown by the original parish records of the ancient church of Crewkerne village, he was married to Thamzen (Thomasene) Michell, daughter of Robert Michell, a well-to-do yeoman of Stockland in the adjoining shire of Dorset. Stockland is about six miles distant of the village of Crewkerne at or near which the ancestral home of the Hulls was situated and it was probably included within the bounds of Crewkerne parish.

SOURCE: The Hull Family in America, compiled by Col. Charles H. Weygant. Published 1913 by Sun Printing Co., for The Hull Family Association in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Total pages 647. http://ia600209.us.archive.org/11/items/hullfamilyinamer00weyg.pdf

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There are other resources available online for researching the HULL family, I only included a few.

Surname Saturday ~ The ACHESON Clan

The ACHESON Reunion ~ August 23, 1921

* 131 in attendance

FIRST ACHESON RE-UNION, held on August 23, 1921, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Duncan, on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the marriage of two couples: Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Duncan (Margaret Acheson) and Mrs. and Mrs. John Acheson (Margaret Ludlow). The next re-union was held five years later, when these couples marked their Golden Wedding Anniversary. SOURCE: THE ACHESON FAMILY 1850-1950; published by a family committee of ten; June 21, 1951; page 32.

When she (Margaret Ann (Acheson) and her husband (John James DUNCAN) were forty-five years married she invited John and Margaret Acheosn and all the relatives to meet at her home to celebrate this worthy occasion. This was the beginning of our Acheson re-unions. SOURCE: THE ACHESON FAMILY 1850-1950; published by a family committee of ten; June 21, 1951; page 24.

These two couples were married 23 August 1876 in Orangeville, Ontario. The marriage ceremony was performed by Reverend M. Johnson.

SOURCE: THE ACHESON FAMILY 1850-1950; published by a family committee of ten; June 21, 1951; pages 20 and 24.

* NOTE: My mother's grandfather, Christopher JOHNSTON, is the man in the upper far right corner, standing beside the woman in the white dress. She is Agnes WRIGHT, his third wife. His first two wives died prematurely, the first, Margaret SCOTT, in 1872 at age 30 years; the second, Mary Jane ACHESON, in 1901 at age 45 years.

SOURCE: The booklet, THE ACHESON FAMILY 1850-1950, was generously provided to me by an ACHESON cousin. In February 2003, when I was researching our family tree for my Mother's 90th birthday, 8th March 2003. She also provided a CD with a collection of her own father's photographs, the ACHESON family.

Surname Saturday ~ MILLER

Several years ago I asked my Mom to tell me what she remembered about my Dad's family. He died 8th January 1970. She told me that his mother, Ada May MILLER, was the eldest of ten children. However, two of those children had died at a young age. She gave me these names: Elmy, George, Edgar, Roy, Harvey, Effie, Oretha and two youngsters that had died.

Well, she right, in a way. There were actually thirteen children, three of which had died at a young age.

MILLER

MARY C. age 3 years 6 months, died 24 January 1894

JOHN A. age 2 years 8 months, died 12 December 1894

ORA W. 4 years 3 months, died 26 January 1894

Mary Catherine MILLER was born 02 August 1890 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 24 January 1894 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas

John Alvin MILLER was born 27 March 1892 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 12 December 1894 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas

Ora William MILLER was born 04 November 1889 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 26 January 1894 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas

Tragically little Mary Catherine and Ora William died within two days of each other.  Perhaps from an infectious disease. All three of the children died in 1894.

The results of some of my research are shown below.

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1. William Howard MILLER was born 09 January 1859 in Somerset County, Pennsylvania and died 14 March 1930. He married Sarah BEEGHLY 12 March 1862 in Maryland. She was born 12 March 1862 in Maryland and died 17 July 1943 in Kansas, daughter of Josiah BEEGHLY and Sarah HORNER.
		Other events in the life of William Howard MILLER Burial: in Rock Creek Cemetery, Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas
Children of William Howard MILLER and Sarah BEEGHLY:
	i.		2.		Ada May MILLER was born 28 April 1883 in Accident, Garrett County, Maryland and died 06 August 1958 in Milden, Saskatchewan
	ii.		3.		Harvey Ernest MILLER was born 04 June 1971 in Accident, Garrett County, Maryland and died 06 November 1971
	iii.		4.		Milton Earl MILLER was born 20 September 1885 in Eglon, Preston, West Virginia and died 02 Sepember 1954
	iv.				Roy Clell MILLER was born 12 June 1887 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 15 January 1945
	v.		5.		George Aaron MILLER was born 10 January 1889 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas
	vi.				Mary Catherine MILLER was born 02 August 1890 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 24 January 1894 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas
	vii.				John Alvin MILLER was born 27 March 1892 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 12 December 1894 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas
	viii.				Ora William MILLER was born 04 November 1889 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 26 January 1894 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas
	ix.				Elmie Florence MILLER was born October 1895 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 17 April 1973
	x.				Edgar Jay MILLER was born 03 July 1898 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 26 June 1953
	xi.		6.		Effie Dayne MILLER was born 04 May 1900  in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and  died Januaary 1984
	xii.		7.		Lola Delta MILLER was born 25 August 1901 in Sabetha, Nemaha County, Kansas and died 14 January 1947
	xiii.		8.		Oretha Sarah MILLER was born 02 January 1906 in Beattie, Marshall County, Kansas and died 17 November 1996

The above information is from my family tree program. My sources are various, some are listed below.

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SOURCES: Personal knowledge. Handwritten Family Tree - Oliver Uriah GATES & Catherine HULL, 1984, updated 1988. Internet research: LDS Church (FamilySearch.org); RootsWeb.org; concentric.net/-pvb/GEN/whmill.html.

Surname Saturday ~ MILLER

My paternal grandmother was Ada May MILLER. We are fortunate to have her little carte de visite (CDV) album. Unfortunately, she passed way several years before it came into our hands.

We have taken each photograph out of the album and there isn't a single name on any of them. There are nine on cardstock and nineteen are tintypes. Only six of the cardstock have the name of the photographer on the back (verso). Ten of the tintypes have thin paper frames, the other nine have none.

From what I can determine in searching about identifying photographs on the Internet, it probably dates from about the 1860's (tintypes) to about the late 1890's (cardstock). Now about 150 years old! A real treasure.

Ada's parents were Sarah BEEGHLY and William Howard MILLER. William and Sarah had 13 children, Ada was the eldest.

William Howard's parents were Mary FIKE and Phineas MILLER. (Their names appeared on the FIKE Memorial that I posted on Tombstone Tuesday.) Mary and Phineas had 10 children. 

I don't have a photograph of Mary or Phineas. However, I recently found a photograph of  one of Phineas MILLER's younger brothers, William MILLER Jr.

William MILLER Jr.

 Born 26 Sep 1827 - Somerset County, Pennsylvania

 Died 10 Jan 1908 - Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa

 SOURCE: http-phillippy.com/wkpancestry/wkpg105.htm

There is a very large GEDCOM available for download, but I don't plan to do that.

Two Mystery Men!

Photographed by D. B. Rugg,

 Main Street, Hiawatha, Kansas

Old pictures copied and enlarged.

J. M. MUNN,  PHOTOGRAPHER,

ATCHISON, KANSAS

SOURCE: Personal family collection.

I'm thinking that these young men may be members of the MILLER family.

Comparing them to William, they have the same slim face and straight hair. 

The back (verso) of the photographs became a work of art in its own right. At first they were blank and then had a very small imprint of the photographer's name. Finally, the artwork became worthy of collection for that alone. Although these small photographs were know as carte de visite (visiting cards) they were an excellent way for the photographers to advertise their service.

These photographs/business cards became so popular, that trading them with family and friends became know as "carte mania."

I have a poem about the CDV albums and collecting and sharing the photographs. I'll have to dig it out.

 

Surname Saturday ~ JOHNSON - A story of survival.

George Albert JOHNSON

Born 1875 - Died 1964 - Aged 89 years 3 months

 George is 85 years old in this photograph.

George Albert JOHNSON was my maternal Grandfather.

"PRAIRIE FIRES"

"Always a source of worry and of fear, a prairie fire caused great concern among the very early homesteaders. The first such fire to cross this particular area was in the fall of 1905. As remembered from conversation by those who were here, it appeared to have started not too far west.


In the long thick grass of many years it swept forward at tremendous speed. Flames rose 20 to 25 feet in the air with thickening acrid smoke. Unfortunate was the odd settler who did not have an excellent fire guard.


One neighbor who witnessed and survived the fire was George Johnson. He had gone west over a mile from their own sod house to see about a fire guard of another settler, James McCracken, when it overtook him on the way home. There was only one salvation - to run through the fire to burned over ground. In so doing he carried scars of that episode to the end.  .  .  ."

SOURCE: LOOKING BACK - The History of the Milden Community; 1905-1965. Published by: The Milden Historical Committee, 1966. Page 14.

In 1969, this 150 page book was given to my parents by one of my father's first cousins. The Village of Milden and the surrounding farming community is where my parents grew up.

NOTE: The fall of 1905 would have been just months after George, his wife Emma (CLARK) and their first two children arrived by wagon on the barren prairies to claim their homestead. George would have been 30 years old; Emma 26 years; Gordon Clark 4 1/2 years; and Mary `Mae` Jane 3 years old. Two more children were born in the sod house. Florence Irene born 1906 and Clifford Fallis born early 1908.

In the spring/summer of 1905 they would have built their first home, the sod house. The family lived in the sod house 3 years, until 1908 when they built the wood frame/cedar house that was their house for the rest of their lives.

This must have been a frightening experience for George and his young family.

Also, over the years, I heard the story of "Grandpa and the prairie fire" as told by my Mother. Although Grandpa did have some scars, fortunately he was not disfigured. As children and young adults, he looked fine to us!

SOD HOUSE IN SASKATCHEWAN ~ 190?

SOURCE: Wikipedia.org -  
This United States Congress image is in the Public Domain.

Wikipedia.org

Notice the very fancy hats that the two women standing in the center are wearing.
One with a 'bunch' of pink flowers. The other has a hat matching her purple dress.

However, I think this photo has had the colour added, that prairie grass just looks too green!

Wikipedia.org article on the history of Sod Houses

UPDATED: Sunday, May 30th 2010 with images from Wikipedia.org. 

2010 - copyright © Carole Gates

Surname Saturday ~ JOHNSTON Siblings

~ Johnston ~

My maternal great grandfather, Christopher JOHNSTON, had sixteen children in all. The eldest six were with his first wife, Margaret SCOTT.

Margaret was born in 1840 in Scotland. Christopher and Margaret were married February 1863 in Ontario. In 1872, after just nine years of marriage, she died at the age of 32 years. Records show that she had a succumbed to a serious illness after being sick for ten days. At the time of Margaret's death, their children were between he ages of 7 years and 2 years old.

Their children were: Jane Ann 1863-1899; Margaret Marie 1865-1935; William Henry 1867-1942; Katherine Kelso 1868-1923; Mary Eileen 1870-1899; and an infant that was born and died in 1871.

SOURCES: Family records and personal knowledge of my Mother.

2010 - copyright © Carole Gates

Surname Saturday ~ Rutherford ~ 1850

In January 2003, when I was searching for my Mother's parents, I found an email address for what turned out to be a cousin.

I was making a memory album for my Mom's 90th birthday in March. This cousin was kind enough to send me a package of information on the ACHESON and JOHNSON families.
Included was a 44 page booklet "The Acheson Family ~ 1850-1950. The inspiration for the booklet came in the autumn of 1939, when there was a chance meeting at the home of an elderly family member. He expressed regret that a written record of the family and their pioneer lives had not been made before the passing of the older members of the family.

As a result of that chance meeting, a family committee of ten was struck and the record began. It culminated in 1951 when the above mention booklet was self-published.

In 2009, I was searching for cemeteries and headstones, when I came across a name that I recognized from the booklet. One "John RUTHERFORD." What I knew was that John had emigrated with his brother-in-law (my ancestor).

"It was on a day in spring, April 14th 1850, that William Acheson, accompanied by his brother-in-law, John Rutherford, bid a last farewell to old Ireland, and set forth to seek his fortune in Canada, the great new land of promise. . . . "
SOURCE: The Acheson Family - 1850-1950; page 10.

What struck me was that John RUTHERFORD had died in 1856, just six years after arriving by ship from Ireland. His brother-in-law, William ACHESON, lived until 1910, aged 89 years and 11 months.

I've wondered what incident may have caused the death of John at a young age. From other information I have been able to find, I think he would have been about 35 years old. He was married and had children. Hopes and dreams brought to an early end.

JOHN RUTHERFORD

Native of Ireland

DIED MAY 10 1856

Inistioge United Church Cemetery

Proton Township,Grey County, Ontario
SOURCE: OntarioObits.com

UPDATE: I see that I missed the connection between John RUTHERFORD and my post of "Three Little Angels on "Sentimental Sunday" 2 May 2010. Ida's maiden name was RUTHERFORD and she is the granddaughter of this John RUTHERFORD.  

Surname Saturday ~ HULL Family

My Mother received a 34 page handwritten family tree from my Father's cousin in about 1989. It includes a reference to George HULL emigrating from England, arriving in America in 1630 and settling in Dorchester, Massachusetts. George was a lineal ancestor of Samuel HULL (1755-1840), who was my 5th great grandfather. His daughter, Catherine (HULL) WEBB GATES (1800-1875), who was was my 4th great grandmother.

"Catherine Hull, married Oliver Gates 1825 in New York.
Catherine Hull, dau. of Samuel Hull, was born April 9, 1800 in Conn. She died April 13, 1875 Wapello Co. Iowa. Buried in Burns Cemetery, Center Twp, 2 miles West of Ottumwa Iowa.
She was one of twelve children, Jonas, James, Samuel Lebbeus, Russell, Electa, Hubbard, Phoebe, Curtis, Catherine, Alanson, & Hannah.

Catharines father, Samuel Hull was a son of George Hull, Jr., and a lineal descendant of George Hull, who came from England in 1630 and settled in Dorchester, Mass.
Samuel Hull, father of Catharine, was born June 15, 1755, married Freelove Kelsey, June 20, 1781, and reared twelve children.
This family moved from Killingworth Conn., in the fall of 1809, to Candor, Tioga Co. New York State, and made the first settlement on a farm.

Taken from Historical Gazetteer of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888, Compiled & Edited by W. B. Gay, (published by W. B. Gay & Co., Syracuse, N. Y.) pages 181-182.
And Our Country & its People, A Memorial History of Tioga County, N.Y., edited by LeRoy W. Kingman (published by W. A. Fergusson & Co., Elmira, N.Y. c. 1897) pages 705-706.

A search on the net resulted in finding a readable copy of the Historical Gazetteer of Tioga County, New York, 1785-1888, pages 181-182.

The page shown above is from the handwritten document dated 1984, updated 1986 and 1988. Great research without the benefit of internet access. Sources were family records, bibles and interviews. Also Census and Federal War and Pension records.

Thanks to L. B. (Gates) Greenall (1904-2002), family historian. One of my inspiring relatives.

Surname Saturday ~ CLARK

We know that my grandmother's father was Robert CLARK, Scottish, emigrated from the US, and was an engineer (of what?). Robert was married to Sarah SMITH, an American. I found Census records that confirm he was born in Scotland and show his occupation as "Engineer in a Mill."

My grandmother, Emma CLARK, was the tenth of twelve children, born between 1854 and 1875.

Emma CLARK was born 17 February 1874, Penetanguishene, Simcoe County, Ontario. She died 25 November 1956, Rosetown Hospital and is buried in Milden Cemetery, Village of Milden, Saskatchewan.

George Albert JOHNSON and Emma CLARK were married 13 September 1899, Penetanguishene, Simcoe County, Ontario.

Their marriage was witnessed by one of Emma's younger brothers, Wesley CLARK and one of Emma's older sisters, Mary Jane CLARK, both of Penetanguishene. The ceremony was performed by Reverend G. M. Kingston.

They were married for 57 years, until the time of Emma's death in 1956. George lived on for another eight years, until 30 January 1964, aged 89 years.

This photograph had been tucked away for 45 years by a cousin of mine. Although it was badly damaged, the restoration worked quite well. Also, this is the only photograph that we have as Emma as a young woman. Other photographs of her are when she is a grandmother in her 60's.
SOURCE:  © private collection.

Surname Saturday - Is it Johnson or Johnston?

George Albert JOHNSTON
Aged 20
Born: 2nd November 1875 ~ Lot 10, Concession 2,
Proton Station, Proton Township, Grey County, Ontario

George Albert JOHNSON was the eldest of the ten children of 

Christopher JOHNSTON and Mary Jane ACHESON.

This first photograph was taken at George's parents homestead, which was his birthplace. It was found in a suitcase with other photos and personal papers. He had given this suitcase to one of his sons sometime in the late 1950's before his death in 1964.

George Albert JOHNSON

Aged 85

This photograph was taken in Saskatoon where George was living with one of his daughters and son-in-laws. Although he had retired from farming in 1959, he still lived at his farm when the weather permitted. Saskatoon was only a short distance from his farm in Milden, Saskatchewan.

~ ~ ~   ~ ~ ~   ~ ~ ~   ~ ~ ~    ~ ~ ~   ~ ~ ~

My mother's name was Eva Carlotta JOHNSON. However, she knew that at some time her father, George Albert JOHNSON, had spelled his surname as JOHNSTON.

Why George changed his name is unclear. My Mother and other members of the family thought that it had to do with how George's Homestead Records were registered between 1905 and 1908 in Saskatchewan.


I recently (August 2009) found George's Homestead Record on the Government of Saskatchewan, Canada website. That record shows both George JOHNSON and one of his younger brothers, Joseph JOHNSON, listed without the "T."

George claimed the Northeast quarter Section 34, Township 29, Range 11, West 3rd Meridian; and Joseph claimed the Southeast quarter Section 34, Township 29, Range 11, West 3rd Meridian, Rural Municipality of Milden, Saskatchewan, #286, incorporated 1911.
Here the JOHNSON brothers farmed as neighbours all their lives.  Both brothers were actively involved in the building of this rural community.

George and his wife, Emma CLARK, had settled their homestead in 1905, living in a sod house for the first 3 years. The home that they lived in for the rest of their lives was built in 1908.
Joseph and his wife, Jenny MORTIMER, settled their homestead in about 1910. Joseph died in about 1954.

Also, correspondence from his father, Christopher JOHNSTON,  in December 1921, shows George being addressed as "Mr. George JOHNSTON."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
POSTCARD:
To: Mr. George A. Johnston
Milden, Sask
Dec 1921

Christmas Greeting to my Dear son George i send you and love and good wishes

i hope you will be good and happy all your life.
from your Dad
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In 1921, Christopher Senior was 80 years old, and his son George was 46 years old.

Christopher lived to be 83 years and 7 months old. George lived to be 89 years and 2 months.

SOURCE:  © private collection.