Johnston/McCullagh, Portglenone, Ballymena

[stenny]

Looking for identity of the parents and ancestors of Samuel Johnston bn 18.12.1872 in Portglenone, Ballymena. His birth certificate shows his parents as John Johnston, Labourer and Mary McCullagh and the 'informant' as being a Jane Johnston, nfd.

I have found a Civil Marriage Record showing a John Johnston, 35 yrs, weaver, marrying Mary McCollough, 23 yrs, on 12 October 1861. Their addresses given as Killyless, Ahoghill.Their fathers named as James J and James McCullough.

In my efforts to identify Samuel's parents I have found the baptism record of a John Johnston dated 2.1.1828, in the district of Ballymena, parents James Johnston and mother Betty, nfd.

A Church Marriage Record shows that a James Johnston married Betty Howard on 12.08.1828. Both are given as Roman Catholic in fath.

Samuel may have had at least one sister Elizabeth, born 1868 in Portglenone. Samuel moved to Scotland and married a Helen James Millar from Port Glasgow, Greenock before subsequently moving to Dumbarton where he worked in the Ship Building Industry. I cannot find any proof of the whole or indeed any other members of the family moving to Scotland.

Any iformation / advice will be greatly appreciated.

[aghadowey]

Welcome to Rootschat.

Johnston is a very common name so you'll need towork systemically through avaiable records to see if you can confirm any details found.

John Johnston (born c1826 according to marriage) & Mary McCullagh had two daughters named Elizabeth-
one born10 Feb.1868 Portglenone registration district (presumably died young) and one born 8 Jan.1870 in same district.

[stenny]

Thank you for the quick response Aghadowey.

I have been trying via the records to get some form of evidence or corroboration that the John and Mary I referred to are indeed the parents of our grandfather Samuel. I have failed to do so and after reading all the 'posts' for Antrim and checking out various possibilities to no avail I felt I should 'post' my own request for help as I was stuck and was hoping someone could send me some information to point me in the right direction.

I am aware that Johnston is very common and also that the spelling inconsistances of surnames are not uncommon, however, Samuel's birth certificate which I have is a handwritten certified copy dated 1931 and shows his mother's surname clearly as McCullagh, (not spelt with the 'ou' as in the marriage record I traced), raising my doubts as to them being his parents.

You mention that there were two Elizabeth's to John and Mary McCullagh but did not say whether they were also the parents of Samuel. The marriage record we have now both referred to gives John the 1826 birthdate as you say but spells Mary's surname McCullough so I still do not know if he is the father of Samuel too. I would be most grateful if you could confirm that for me? I would at least know I was on the right track !

I will check other records again of course, could you advise which ones would be of most beneficial to check for my purpose ?

Thanks again for you help so far. I feel I may be getting somewhere at last, albeit it may take some time.

[aghadowey]

McCullagh is merely another another form of McCullough.

See www.familysearch.org for extracted birth records of children of John Johnston & Mary McCullagh.

According to marriage record 'your' John Johnston was born c1826 but the baptism you mention was for 1826. I have no way of confirming if all the records you've found are for all the same family.

[stenny]

Hello Aghadowey, I am aware the surname is a variation, the problem is that as there is, as you say, no way of confirming if the records I have found are for the same family. That is why I posted, to see if someone else had been looking previously and found an answer.

I was trying to establish if the fact that the spelling was different they were two different families.



A similar problem could apply to the births of the two Elizabeth's.

The 10.2.1868 parents are shown as John Johnston and Mary McCullagh.

The 08.1.1870 parents are shown as John J and Mary Jane McCullagh.

Samuel's parents are shown as John J and Mary McCullagh.

His birth certificate records his mother as only Mary McCullagh.

The Baptism I referred to was in 02.01.1828 and the marriage of  a James Johnston and Betty Howard later that year in 12.08.1828. I was hoping that someone could assist in proving that they were John's parents, having had him out of wedlock. A two year gap in the birth / baptism / wedding is not out of the question, or is it ?

I was abiding by the 'posting' advice given and providing as much information as possible.

Am I being to pedantic ?

Thanks anyway for your assistance, I will just have to keep picking away at the Antrim Resources, struggle with the Census Records and also hope someone who has some knowledge of the family gets in touch.
 

[Janice M]

Hi Stenny,

I know it's been a long time, but I thought I'd take a chance and post a message to you.  I too have Johnston's from Portglenone.  My 2x great grandfather was William Johnston who married Mary Carson. His father was Robert who married Martha. 

William & Mary were married in 1845 in Aghoghill.
Their children (that I have found so far) are - James, Jane, Martha, William, Henry, Mary, Elizabeth & Robert. They all moved to Glasgow in or around 1870.

I will keep my eyes open for anything regarding the names you've mentioned.

Janice

[stenny]

Hi, long time indeed. Do you have any information re William's parents ? We only have vague information re our John Johnston's father, possibly James Johnston born c1800.

[greeneyedgirl]

Stenny,what year did Samuell marry Helen James Miller in Scotland? I cannot licate the record. Wondering too, could John, Samuel's father, have passed away around time of Samuel's birth as I cannot locate any other children to John & Mary McCullagh after Samuel's birth in 1872?

[aghadowey]

Lots more online since this thread was started 10 years ago so here are some links and corrections to what has been posted.

Marriage of John Johnston & Mary McCollough on 12 Oct.1861 at Ballymena Registry Office-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1861/09603/5482242.pdf

Birth of Elizabeth Johnston, parents John Johnston & Mary McCullagh, in Aughnacleagh townland on 10 Feb.1868-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1868/03457/2269165.pdf
(3 possible deaths in Ballymena registration district in 1868/1869 but images not yet online)

Birth of Elizabeth Johnston, parents John Johnston & Mary McCullagh, in Portglenone on 8 Jan.1870-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1870/03363/2233197.pdf

Birth of Samuel Johnston, parents John Johnston & Mary McCullagh, in Portglenone on 18 Dec.1872-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1872/03226/2182476.pdf

Possibility?
John Johnston, labourer, died Portglenone, aged 86, in 1902, informant was son John-
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1902/05681/4600864.pdf