My gggg grandfather was Samuel Need, of Fountain Dale, father of Sir Arthur. Our family story, which I have been able to verify to a large extent, is as follows:
"Lieutenant General Sir Samuel Need, while on duty in India in the18th century, married a Maharaja’s daughter and had three children—John, Walter and a daughter who later became Lady Crewe. The princess died and Sir Samuel went back to England and remarried, but the sons were not accepted by English society and were disinherited. The younger son Walter returned to India.
John changed his name to Johnstone and married Mrs. Ann Easton before migrating to Tasmania, where they settled in Richmond, north of Hobart. They had six boys—John, Walter Easton, Alf, Robert, and William and one daughter, Annie. Following the death of his wife, John Johnstone returned to England with Annie and his four oldest boys, leaving the two youngest children in care of an ex-convict. While in England, John married Ann’s sister and returned to Tasmania, leaving Annie with his sister, Lady Crewe. The four boys returned to Tasmania after each finished his schooling.
Easton, who was to be called Charlie by his friends, went on to become a surveyor and, at the age of 21, arrived in the Western District of Victoria where he became an authorized government surveyor. After marrying Eliza Prigg, they settled on their property “Woodrow Vale” in Colac."
Easton Johnstone was my gg grandfather. It appears Samuel Need had three sons later in life, Henry, Arthur, and Charles.
Any information about John Johnstone, Ann Easton, and Lady Crewe would be much appreciated.
OzKen
